Based on real events that took place in 2015 in Geneva, between Europe, the United States and Iran, The Deal explores the behind-the-scenes workings of international negotiations on the Iranian nuclear issue, in a high-tension, closed-door affair.
The recipient of the Special Mention for its script at Séries Mania in the International Competition category, as well as the Buyers Choice Award, the Franco-Swiss series, created by Jean-Stéphane Bron and Alice Winocour, is produced by Bande à Part Films, Les Films Pelléas, and Gaumont and distributed internationally by Gaumont.
In this interview, the producer Philippe Martin (Les Films Pelléas), scriptwriter and director Jean-Stéphane Bron, and Head of TV Sales Cécilia Rossignol (Gaumont), discuss the creation and originality of this internationally-oriented project, as well as its strong potential with foreign audiences and broadcasters.
Unifrance: The Deal is a Franco-Swiss series, with co-producers from Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Belgium. Can you tell us how this international project came about?
Philippe Martin: Swiss television initiated the project and took charge of its development with Bande à Part Films. Jean-Stéphane, whose films I've been producing for some twenty years, told me about this project very early on, and although we hadn't yet produced a series, it was an obvious choice to accompany him in this very ambitious project. Arte and Gaumont then joined us in this shared desire to tell the story of a major event in the history of international relations. But the high cost of the series meant we had to find other partners, and it was thanks to two international co-production companies that we were able to balance the budget: Bidibul Productions in Luxembourg and Versus production in Belgium, two reliable and loyal partners with whom I've worked several times.
How did you manage to remain faithful to the historical facts, while at the same time transforming the story into fiction, and presenting it as a genuine diplomatic thriller?
Jean-Stéphane Bron, scriptwriter, director: The series takes a behind-the-scenes look at the negotiations that actually took place in Geneva in 2015, between – primarily – Europe, the United States, and Iran, the latter suspected of secretly developing atomic weapons. In a highly documented way, we wanted to show the human face-to-face dealings of an international negotiation.
With Alice Winocour and Eugène Riousse, we also had in mind an action series inspired by real life, with computer hacking, the attempted elimination of an Iranian nuclear engineer, and a prisoner exchange. Narrative elements drawn directly from our documentary research. But the thriller is also embodied on another, more intimate level. Our heroine is a Swiss diplomat in charge of facilitating these negotiations... A job in the shadows... The return of a love interest, a threatened Iranian engineer, to the very heart of the negotiations, will dangerously complicate her task. This major conflict, between her mission and her desire to save her former lover, is the other driving force behind the series. Of course, this romantic dimension is completely invented.
The series reveals the characters' personal ambitions and problems, which makes them, beyond their high diplomatic responsibilities, very credible and human. Why do you think it was essential to strike this balance between political stakes and intimate dimensions?
Jean-Stéphane Bron: By nature, only a tiny fraction of such high-level negotiations take place in the public arena, in front of photographers, cameras, and the press, where every word is weighed, every statement carefully considered. But there comes a time when the doors close. And that's exactly where The Deal begins. In the closed meeting of a negotiation of this magnitude, verbal violence, tricks, strategies, and pressure are expressed. There is also a moment when masks must come off if dialogue is to remain possible. It was in this realm of letting go, of exposure, that we took the liberty of inventing an intimate conflict for each of our characters.
Recipient of the Special Mention for its script at Séries Mania in the International Competition category, as well as the Buyers Choice Award, the series has obvious international potential. What are the series' strong points for attracting both broadcasters and foreign audiences?
Cécilia Rossignol, Head of TV Sales at Gaumont: The Deal has undeniable aspects that will appeal to foreign audiences. First of all, it is intrinsically international in its subject matter and in the way it gives a behind-the-scenes look at diplomatic negotiations involving several major foreign powers. For the same reason, English is the main language of the series, which contributes to its international appeal. Finally, the quality of Jean-Stéphane's direction and the precision of his staging make The Deal a premium series, both demanding and entertaining, capable of captivating foreign audiences beyond the territories directly concerned by the story it tells.
The series' resonance with current political events and international relations is very strong, making it all the more topical and amplifying its international dimension. Do you think this could attract new foreign audiences keen to understand the world we live in?
Cécilia Rossignol: Indeed, The Deal recounts events that actually took place, and were covered by the world press at the time. These international issues are totally in line with the problems facing us today. Against this backdrop, the authors have imagined plots that draw on the intimate trajectories of the protagonists, making The Deal a diplomatic thriller in which the exercise of power and these personal stories intertwine. The tension and suspense never falter, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats right to the end. The series' behind-the-scenes look at the international negotiations on which the world's fragile equilibrium depends promises to be both entertaining and of the highest quality.
©Bande à Part Films – Les Films Pelleas – Gaumont Television
