A New Home for ‘Sambre’ in the U.S.
EXCLUSIVE: The acclaimed French thriller Sambre, directed by Jean-Xavier De Lestrade, has secured distribution in the United States.
The service known for streaming Babylon Berlin, MHz Choice, has acquired the rights to the six-episode limited series from Federation Studios, a project by the Oscar-winning director. Previously, the series was also picked up by the BBC and HBO Max for European audiences.
Background and Plot of ‘Sambre’
The series, crafted by writers Alice Géraud and Marc Herpoux and inspired by Géraud’s novel, unfolds in the late 1980s in Northern France. It follows a detailed investigation into multiple sexual assaults that occurred along a road near the Sambre River, impacting the community until the dawn of the #MeToo movement in 2018.
Star-Studded Cast and Premiere Details
Set to premiere on MHz Choice on September 15, Sambre features a notable cast including Alix Poisson (Sentimental Value, The Returned), Clémence Poesy (The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, Tenet), Olivier Gourmet (Captain Marleau, Haven of Grace), Noémie Lvovsky (Camille Rewinds, Farewell, My Queen), Jonathan Turnbull (Soldiers), and Pauline Parigot (Soldiers, HPI).
Record-Breaking Viewership in France
In its native France, broadcast on France 2, Sambre achieved remarkable viewership, attracting over 4 million viewers per episode, with an additional 3 million online views and nearly 6 million views on VoD platforms.
De Lestrade’s Critical Acclaim
De Lestrade, known for his influential true crime series The Staircase and his Oscar-winning documentary Murder on a Sunday Morning, which explores the Brenton Butler case in Florida, continues to garner acclaim for his unique blend of journalism and narrative storytelling.
Lance Schwulst, Executive Vice President of Content Strategy at MHz Choice, praised De Lestrade’s work: “Having already defined the true crime genre with The Staircase, Jean-Xavier De Lestrade brings his journalistic prowess and compelling narrative style to another exceptional series with Sambre. We are thrilled to partner with Federation Studios to bring this captivating series to U.S. audiences.”
Other Offerings from MHz Choice
MHz Choice, operated by Kino Lorber, hosts a variety of international series including Babylon Berlin, The Killing, The Bridge, A French Village, Erica, Reykjavík Fusion, and Zorro.
Sambre was produced by What’s Up Films and Federation Studios, in collaboration with Versus Production.
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