Gaumont ups TV activity

As the box office success of "Intouchables" assisted Gaumont become Gaul's top local film distributor this past year, the 117-year-old French small-major can also be making waves in TV production, coming back towards the medium following a decade-lengthy absence, with seasoned partners as well as an ambitious first slate.Sidonie Dumas, Gaumont's chair since 2004, and Boss Christophe Riandee have re-released a TV division in Paris after getting opened up a La-based smallscreen arm this past year.Gaumont has walked in to the U.S. independent TV landscape with robust allies for example CAA along with a staff of well-respected TV executives, particularly Katie O'Connell, former professional Vice president of drama programming for NBC Entertainment, who heads the La division, Gaumont Intl. Television (GIT) and Erik Pack, an old professional at British indie Energy, who helps secure European presales and scouts co-production possibilities from Gaumont's London office."This complementary TV activity enables us to construct bridges between France and also the U.S.," Dumas states. It may also help Gaumont make the most of its catalog (Gaul's second greatest library) in developing smallscreen series.And also the mix-pollination enables the organization to draw in film company directors with whom it already includes a relationship to operate on television projects.French-Tunisian helmer Mabrouk El Mechri, whose French-lingo films have been created by Gaumont since his directorial debut, "Virgil," in 2005, is writing "Superpower," an illusion comedy skein produced by Gaumont Television's Paris office for paybox Canal Plus.El Mechri most lately helmed Summit Entertainment's "The Cold Light of Day," looking for a U.S. release in April.Gaumont Television's controlling director Omar Brahimi states the organization is also developing an British-language series having a Canadian co-producer for any French broadcaster and it is working together with GIT to locate a high-profile showrunner.GIT already has gotten a warm welcome in the worldwide marketplace, bringing in showrunners Bryan Larger("Pushing Daisies") to create and professional produce "Hannibal," an hourlong drama in line with the character Hannibal Lecter and Michael Hurst ("The Tudors") for everyone within the same capacity on six-hour miniseries "Madame Tussaud."Gaumont Intl. Television is searching to figures, styles and ideas which are relevant within the U.S. and worldwide, O'Connell states.Dumas states GIT is going to be searching to create a couple of series each year, offering talent a after sales on profits. It aims to limit risk by prefinancing the majority of a project's budget through tv stations, without always creating an airplane pilot.GIT has pre-offered "Hannibal" to NBC, and O'Connell states her team is getting conversations with worldwide partners."Madame Tussaud" continues to be at the begining of development stage, and Cinemax Canada has come onboard like a partner. GIT will show the project and material at MIP TV.Meanwhile, inside the French film industry, Gaumont designed a giant step forward this year: The business's French share of the market skyrocketed 209%, comprising almost 10% of local ticket sales and grossing 133.5 million ($177 million). "Intouchables" alone has had 119.two million in France. In Germany, with $32.8 million, the film ranks because the greatest-grossing French film ever."The prosperity of 'Intouchables' in France and abroad is essential for all of us,Inch Dumas states, "since it encourages us to develop and continue taking risks on a number of other original movies that may catch fire locally after which expand with other areas."Although Gaumont's firstlook cope with U.S. producer Nick Wechsler, its partner on Massy Tadjedin's "Last Evening," is no more in position, Dumas states she's still searching for original British-lingo material in film too.Gaumont lately greenlit two British-language films from popular French company directors: Anne Fontaine's untitled drama romance toplining Naomi W and Robin Wright, and Jean Pierre Jeunet's three dimensional pic "T.S. Spivet." It is also joining up with Wild Bunch to co-produce "Only God Forgives," Nicolas Winding Refn's long awaited follow-as much as "Drive.""Present day marketplace is very flexible," Dumas states. "There's room for independent the likes of ours to may play a role in backing worldwide driven films that European marketers are searching for." Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com