The prestige mini-series The Plague revisits Albert Camus' novel in a near-future setting, echoing the Covid pandemic and the ills of today's society. Georges-Marc Benamou, co-writer and producer of the series at Siècle Productions, an expert and passionate Albert Camus fan, tells us how he set about adapting the famous novel with the support of the writer's daughter.
Katia Sol,the series' international distributor at Oble, explains why her company wanted to take this universal and extremely promising project beyond France's borders.
Unifrance: Did your desire to adapt Camus' The Plague predate the Covid crisis? Or was it a project born at that precise moment?
Georges-Marc Benamou: The desire to do something around The Plague existed long before Covid, but let's say the pandemic reactivated it... As is the case for thousands of people around the world, The Plague struck my imagination as a teenager. I lived – and I'm not the only one – with Camus' "resistance fighters," such as Doctor Rieux, Tarrou, Father Paneloux, and the journalist Rambert. The project took shape after the broadcast of my documentary Les vies d'Albert Camus, which encountered a large audience. Then came Covid, which made the novel even more desirable for many producers globally – since with the pandemic, The Plague has once again become the most widely read book in the world...
For this adaptation project, you had the support of Albert Camus' family. How did the first encounters go, and how did you manage to establish a relationship of trust?
Georges-Marc Benamou: Catherine Camus, Albert Camus' daughter, supported the project. Catherine is the indispensable "conveyor" of her father's work. She accompanied us with sensitivity and kindness, and even advised us on the casting – like the wonderful idea of asking Frédéric Pierrot to play the very central role of Docteur Rieux. I'm sure she really liked the series she saw, which she feels is faithful to her father's message.
In the series, elements faithfully adapted from the novel mingle with fictional elements reconfigured for this new tale. How did you combine faithful adaptation and rewriting?
Georges-Marc Benamou: Again with Catherine Camus's consent, we transposed the 1940 plague in Oran to another plague in the South of France, in 2030, in an authoritarian, "Putinized" society, subjected to generalized surveillance. For us, this was the best way to stay true to the resistance spirit of this great book: by pointing out the new totalitarianisms that threaten our times.
You co-wrote the series with Gilles Taurand (César for Best Screenplay), and with Antoine Garceau (Call My Agent!) directing a very fine cast. How did this artistic team come together for the project?
Georges-Marc Benamou: Gilles Taurand is a great screenwriter. He's also my friend and work partner. Together we adapted The Last Mitterrand (César 2006), based on my first book (Le Dernier Mitterrand, Plon). When it came time to look for a director, he advised me to see The Elementary Particules, the excellent series adaptation of Michel Houellebecq's novel co-written and directed by Antoine Garceau. And I was convinced, as was Anne Holmes.
The series takes the form of a dystopia, projecting the viewer into a totalitarian society where freedoms are on the verge of disappearing. A deeply humanist group of resistance fighters rallies around Doctor Rieux. Why did you choose to depict such a society?
Georges-Marc Benamou: Because that's what Camus describes, right from the start! The Plague is a metaphor for totalitarianism, whatever its guise. Yesterday, for Camus, fascism and Nazism. Today, other totalitarianisms, illiberal regimes, generalized control, unregulated AI, racism on networks, human obsolescence... are other deadly threats. And it is against this, then as now, that the "resistance fighters" of The Plague take a stand.
Katia Sol, what prompted Oble to take on the international distribution of The Plague?
Katia Sol: To launch the first French series in our line-up, we wanted a major series. Showcasing the international adaptation of a worldwide bestseller as a prestige mini-series for France 2 was the perfect response to this ambition.
Naturally, the meeting with Albert Camus expert and enthusiast Georges-Marc Benamou and his production team, as well as the talent behind and in front of the camera, reinforced this choice.
In fact, the quality of the production, Antoine Garceau's masterful, modern direction, and the excellent cast convinced us to take this IP international.
Finally, Oble's strategy is to entertain with meaning, and The Plague is a series that is true to Albert Camus' non-conformist free-thinking. It highlights the dangers of today's society, while conveying a strong message of hope, freedom, and humanity through its rebellious characters.
The subject matter is as universal as it gets, dealing with global concerns. What do you think are the key elements that will win over international audiences and buyers alike?
Katia Sol: The same elements as mentioned above, I hope!
There's a real curiosity in watching this series with the Covid experience we've all been through and the hindsight we now have. The human capacity to forget is quite astonishing. Look at us, we've suffered an epidemic, and yet a few years later, we're no longer wearing masks... Wars have marked generations, and yet today we're facing wars threatening the global balance... This series should be seen by everyone, if only to remind us that the unimaginable could happen again, but that it's possible to prevent it. 2030, six years from now... is this what awaits us?
This series features real heroes, who show that we can take action and make a difference. Heroes like you and me – it's not impossible!
Finally, on a lighter note, the French Riviera, the atmosphere of the South of France, is an element that appeals greatly to international audiences, including buyers!
You presented the series at MIPCOM, Cannes Séries, and the Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Biarritz. What is your international sales strategy? Do you already have any initial leads?
Katia Sol: The Plague is a mini-series with broad appeal due to its very current topicality, so we're in talks with linear broadcasters in Europe and the rest of the world to program an "event" broadcast during the summer of 2024 in their schedules. We're also in touch with streamers, who will easily be able to market the series thanks to both the local and international notoriety of the Albert Camus novel it's adapted from.
