Tout Pour La Lumiere reflects streamer embrace of soaps in Europe

Netflix in France has partnered with Newen Studios and TF1 Group on its first local daily drama.

Tout Pour La Lumière (All for Light) is being co-produced by the trio and will debut on Netflix five days prior to its free-to-air broadcast on TF1. It will also be available on the company’s TF1+ streamer.

Pierre Branco

Newen chief exec Pierre Branco

The family show, which is set in the world of music and dance, hails from producer Céline François, with Newen’s continuing drama deputy general Stéphanie Brémond also attached.

Coline Assous, Yentl Coubes and Maxime Cormier are co-writers on the series, which will start shooting in the French town of La Ciotat, near Marseille.

Daily dramas are becoming increasingly popular commissions for streamers. Netflix boarded Spanish series Valle Salvaje in September, alongside local pubcaster RTVE, while Disney+ last month debuted its soap, Return to Las Sabinas.

Newen Studios, which is a subsidiary of TF1 Group, is a frequent producer in the genre, with an existing slate that includes Where It All Begins and Tomorrow Is Ours.

“This unique collaboration in production and distribution illustrates our shared commitment to innovate for the enjoyment of viewers and to support artistic creation,” said Pauline Dauvin, Netflix’s vice-president of content in France.

Ara Aprikian, TF1 Group’s executive vice-president of content, added the deal “demonstrates once again our ability to find new ways to finance and distribute our projects to give them the widest possible audience”.

He said: “With this new daily drama event series, TF1 is enriching its content offering in linear and non-linear formats and reasserts its role as a historical partner in content creation.”

Newen Studios chief exec Pierre Branco, added: “We are delighted to bring our expertise in continuing drama to this unique partnership with TF1 and Netflix, aiming to reach and retain a new audience.”