A Very Ordinary World, a fiction series written and directed by Ovidie, produced by Magneto Prod. and distributed internationally by STUDIOCANAL, has been nominated in the Short-Form Series category at the International Emmy® Awards. Producer Marc Berdugo talks to us about the genesis and strengths of this unique series which, through a process of gender inversion, takes a critical look at the porn industry and sexism in our society.
Unifrance : Can you tell us about the genesis of the project?
Marc Berdugo : Ovidie's films we produced explore and challenge the gender norms that imprison, condition, or constrain women within a body, a role, or a function that they have long wanted to escape.
Therefore, when she suggested working together on a series based on her short film An Ordinary Day, I jumped at the idea, mainly because of her autobiographical fiction approach and the principle of reversal featured in the film, which she wanted to keep in the series. lts dystopian realism helps create an empathetic rather than caricatured view of the world of porn as symptomatic of our society.
Could you sum up the series' pitch, in a few sentences?
Romain is a 19-year-old sociology student who lives in a dystopian world where women hold all the power. He and his best friend Isaure dream of putting the world to rights but find different ways of expressing their radical ideas. While she is drawn to the underground political groups, Romain is attracted to the bright lights of porn film sets, which he sees as a possible path to emancipation.
He will have to make a place for himself in this world, which is exceedingly difficult for men: a world of twisted auteurs, mistreatment by female colleagues, and where you become out-of-date as soon as you turn 35. A Very Ordinary World puts a high-concept twist on the porn industry to deliver a scathing critique of the world we live in - as Romain tries to break through by confronting the gaze of others.
What makes this series unique? What are its strengths that will appeal to an international audience?
A Very Ordinary World is the first live action series created written and directed by Ovidie, one of the most important voices in modern feminism, based on her real experience in the porn industry. The principle underlying this series is the reversal of power relations. The action takes place in a dystopian world where the genders are switched to create a sense of unease in the viewer and, most of all, to prompt the following question: how would we judge the same situations if male-female power relations were reversed in the porn industry? Would the reality of sexism take on a whole new significance?
With this high-concept twist, the series bluntly exposes the daily prejudices and dangers that women face; and through its exploration of the murky backstage world of porn, it develops a bold and disruptive reflection on the place of women in society.
How did international sales go? Has being shortlisted for the International Emmy® Awards opened doors for you?
This nomination comes at the perfect time while we are immersed in very fruitful conversations around the world. We are extremely excited by the recent sale to Australia, the success the series is having in France and the knock of effect, all these elements including the Emmy nomination will have on the global exposure and positioning of the series.
