With humor and a delicate touch, the romantic comedy Sex (re)Education, directed by Alice Vial tells the story of Jacques and Rose, two octogenarians who together rediscover sensuality and love. Virginie Boireaux, managing director of Have A Good One (HAGO) and international distributor of the series, tells us about its main assets and reveals its promising international debut.
The series has been available on OCS in France since January 19.
Unifrance: How did the project come about?
Virginie Boireaux : Clémence Azincourt, the series' creator, came up with the idea when visiting her grandmother in a retirement home, which thought would be a good setting.
Could you pitch the series, in a few sentences?
VB: This is a magnificent story of love and desire between Jacques, almost 80 years old, who has been placed in a retirement home by his daughter and who thinks he will die in this "madhouse," and the funny, original, and luminous Rose, a resident who's also nearly 80 years old. When they meet, it's love at first sight, and their love story will change the lives of all those around them. Galvanized by desire and love, Jacques and Rose will give free rein to their passion despite all the small inconveniences and big obstacles linked to old age...
What makes Sex (re)Education special? What are its particular strengths that will appeal to an international audience?
VB: The series deals with a subject that is still very taboo in France – and not only here: end of life, old age, the elderly. One could think that the subject is "dry," complex, embarrassing even, sometimes anxiety-provoking, in short not very sexy. And yet... ! The gallery of characters created by Clémence Azincourt, Alice Vial, and Clément Marchand is extraordinarily rich, we meet all the generations (nursing staff, patients, families) and we get attached to each character because we project ourselves, or they ressemble people we already know. The subject is totally universal: one can fall madly in love and blossom sexually at any age, and this until the end of one's life – in short, it is never too late to love and enjoy life.
What are your ambitions for the program internationally?
VB: Sex (re)Education is a series that has already created an incredible buzz, surely due in part to the prejudices that are swept away from the first episode. The themes tackled, very current and not often dealt with in the "dramedy" mode, and its universal aspect, not to mention the generous, touching, and funny treatment, reinforce the idea that the series has its place on mainstream channels and platforms that defend these values.
You presented the series at the pitch session of Coming Next from France, which took place during the Series Mania Forum. What are your impressions after this session? Do you already have contacts or leads for exporting the series?
VB: We'd already concluded a sale with Télé-Québec, which will soon broadcast the series, and received non-linear offers from several countries. The feedback from the Coming Next from France session was very positive, we received new linear offers from European countries as well as from Latin America, and also platform propositions, especially from English-speaking countries.
