Inspired by the Agnès Le Roux affair, one of France's most mysterious, high-profile murder mysteries, the fiction series French Roulette - A Mother’s Ordeal retraces a mother's fight to bring the truth about her daughter's disappearance to light. Simone Harari-Beaulieu, producer at Effervescence, and Julia Schulte, SVP International Sales at France tv distribution, tell us about the intentions of the series, a genuine immersion in the world of Nice casinos, and its undeniable strengths for international distribution.
Unifrance: How did the project come about?
Simone Harari-Beaulieu: At Effervescence, we particularly like to draw inspiration from real-life stories to create works of fiction. The Agnès Le Roux case is a French judicial saga, undoubtedly one of the most mysterious of our time. Love, betrayal, drama, manipulation... it contains all the ingredients of a novelistic fresco. In a constant dialogue between reality and fiction, we first produced a documentary series: L’affaire Agnès Le Roux, Confidences d’un condamné for Canal+, which was broadcast last December, while at the same time developing the fiction series for France Télévisions. It's great that the public can (re)discover this story with very different narrative threads!
Could you pitch the series, in a few sentences?
SHB: The series is freely inspired by the true story of the Palais de la Méditerranée.
Nice, 1970s. Renée Le Roux runs the city's historic casino, which inspires keen interest and envy, with an iron fist. In the midst of a casino war, she stands alone against the Mafia and refuses to give in to the intimidation and takeover proposals of her main competitor, Jean-Dominique Fratoni, who is determined to become the "gambling emperor" on the French Riviera.
But at the heart of this fight, her daughter, Agnès, has a passionate affair with the nefarious lawyer Maurice Agnelet. She doesn't suspect that he is working for her family's enemy: she sells her shares, tipping the shareholder majority. A few months later, Agnès mysteriously disappears. Her body has never been found.
For Renée, there is no doubt: Maurice Agnelet killed her daughter. A game of cat and mouse begins between them, a forty-year fight until the truth comes out.
What makes this series special?
SHB: This series is singular for several reasons. First, it unfolds over a very long period. Renée Le Roux relentlessly pursued Maurice Agnelet. Initially cleared by the circuit court, a dramatic turn of events was necessary for her to finally obtain his conviction. It is the fight of a lifetime of an extraordinary character. Then, the series plunges us into the fascinating world, one little explored in French fiction series, of casinos. The arena of this series is therefore also quite singular. Nice, in the 1970s, was to become the European Las Vegas. Renée Le Roux finds herself at the heart of a casino war that involves the city's politics and the Mafia. The people of Nice describe this affair as a true "salade niçoise." The multiple facets of this case also make it unique: French Roulette - A Mother’s Ordeal is a criminal case, a family and judicial saga, a love story, and a thriller all at once.
Last but not least, a prestigious cast embodies this story, with actors extending their range and playing against type: Michèle Laroque in the role of Renée Le Roux, a determined mother and steadfast businesswoman; Yannick Choirat as Maurice Agnelet, an ambiguous and manipulative man; and Marie Zabukovec as Agnès Le Roux, a romantic and rebellious lover.
What are its particular strengths that will appeal to an international audience?
SHB: The Côte d’Azur has long been a mythical place for the whole world. It's a popular resort region and tourist destination, a place of fantasy with the Mediterranean, Nice, its iconic Promenade des Anglais and its historic casinos. The series unfolds in this emblematic setting to tell the story of a tragic love affair between a young and wealthy heiress and a seductive and manipulative lawyer, which will seal the tragic fate of two families. The story of a double family saga, in which two clans clash. French Roulette - A Mother's Ordeal is a human tragedy that speaks to everyone. In addition, Renée Le Roux's fight to keep her daughter's memory in the public consciousness is heroic. Her courage and determination resonate for all mothers as they illustrate the unconditional love of a mother for her child.
Julia Schulte: The series will appeal by its well identified and colorful universe: the Riviera in the 1970s, which becomes at the time a kind of capital of European high society with its casinos, billionaires, and the Mafia. It will also appeal, of course, by the fact that it tells a universal and powerful story: a mother fighting to protect her daughter, love and manipulation, weakness.
What are your ambitions for the program internationally?
SHB: Of course we hope that the series will be seen all over the world. We sincerely believe that this story can speak to everyone, in Europe and around the globe. Vincent Garenq, the director, Nicolas Jean, Isabelle Dubernet, and Olivier Eloy have succeeded in giving these real characters all their dramatic power. The director works to make the characters draw us into their feelings of love, hate, revenge, and greed to thrill the audience.
JS: Our first aim was to find the right framework for the launch and we were delighted to be selected at Coming Next From France to launch this project on the international market. In Lille we started the first exchanges with European broadcasters and they showed a lot of interest. We will therefore continue these exchanges during our meetings at the next MIPTV.
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?
SHB: We are very grateful to the Séries Mania and to Unifrance for giving us this opportunity to present the series. The audience of professionals was there to hear about the five selected French series and to allow us to meet future partners.
JS: I think it was an exceptional setting for the launch of such a large series, and it allowed us to optimize our marketing approach: the creation of the trailer, the interviews with Anne Holmes and Michèle Laroque for example. I think the quality of the session was there and we were able to convince the public – always very demanding in Lille.
Do you already have contacts or leads for exporting the series?
JS: Yes, we're having early discussions – as shooting hasn't yet started – with broadcasters in Germany, in particular, Southern Europe, and with platforms.
