WarnerMedia to produce six to eight features a year in France

WarnerMedia will produce six to eight local feature films a year in France as it expands its production footprint in the country across both cinema and series, top executive Priya Dogra told French TV festival and industry event Series Mania on Thursday (March 24). 

”Our intention is to expand our support and commitment to French production, distributing our locally produced movies through cinemas and then later on our own streaming service around the world,” Dogra, WarnerMedia president EMEA and Asia, said in a keynote.

”This will mean an increase in volume to between six and eight French movies per year across a broader range of genres. In 2022, Warner Bros. France will release five locally produced movies and we are proud that three of these are to be directed by women.”

Dogra evoked WarnerMedia’s long relationship with cinema in France, where subsidiary Warner Bros. France has supported and released 55 French films over the last 25 years, including the Oscar-winning The Artist.

“In total, these films generated more than 60 million theatrical admissions and represent an investment of more than €200 million in the French industry,” said Dogra.

WarnerMedia France first announced it was bolstering its commitment to theatrical feature film production last November, with the appointment of Stéphane Quéneudec in the new role of head of cinema. At the same time, its feature development team was also expanded.

Dogra emphasised that the company was also committed to creating a strong slate of locally produced series for linear television,  ahead of the launch of HBO Max in the territory in the future.

“The first original series for our Warner TV channel is an eight-part comedy, Visitors which premiered here at Series Mania on Saturday in competition for the comedy prize,” she said.

She noted the arrival of former Canal Plus executive Vera Peltekian in WarnerMedia European original content team headed by Antony Root to ramp up local content out of France, although she has yet to announce any other new shows. No date has been announced as yet for HBO Max’s French launch. 

“I have no doubt that we can look forward to some exciting new content for audiences in France and beyond,” she said.

This article originally appeared on our sister site ScreenDaily.com