A spin on a popular bilingual crime comedy classic (“Bon Cop, Bad Cop”), secrets and power games in a Canadian-American border town (“Prescott”), and a pair of psychological thrillers from author Simon Bouleris (“Getting Under Your Skin” and “Take Care”) are among the seven series from the Quebec producer, a series fanatic and bullish on translating local momentum into international sales.
The “Coming Next from Quebec” showcase, which also includes Robin Aubert’s international panorama competition piece “Welcome to Kingston Falls,” has landed as the U.S.-owned streaming platform continues to lure more French-speaking viewers away from its homegrown programming.
While traditional television viewing remains strong in Quebec, producers also need to target premium scripted programming to international buyers and viewers. And series buffs are the best choice.
Last year, writer and actor Florence Lompre’s Empathy, in which she plays a criminologist-turned-psychiatrist, became the first French-Canadian series to screen at Series Mania’s international competition. The film not only won the Audience Award, but was also featured on Canal+, where it achieved top results.
With top talent, topical themes and a tradition of television storytelling that appeals to a broad public audience, Quebec is built for maximum impact.
Showcase lineup:
“Bon Cop, Bad Cop”
A 2017 sequel to Canada’s top-grossing film in 2006, this series adaptation was the brainchild of Quebec actor Patrick Heard, who starred in all three films and also wrote, produced, and directed the series.
“[The series]brings together the three cultures that shaped Canada into a fun and vibrant Tower of Babel,” Hurd says. “There is nothing more universal than the way humans turn their differences into strengths.”
Produced by Montreal’s Jesse Films and PaNik Fiction in association with Bell Media, the 6×60-minute series sees the action unfold across the country as police duo David Bouchard (Heard) and Martin Ward (Henry Czerny, taking over the role from Colm Feore in the film) reunite to solve the disappearance of a bandmaster from an Indigenous community on the Gaspé Peninsula.
The young police officers who join the investigation are David’s daughter Gabrielle (Sarah-Jeanne Labross, who played the role in two films) and Joe, a Mi’kmaq police officer played by rising star Joshua Ozick (It’s All About Derry). Attraction Distribution is in charge of overseas sales.
“Get under the skin”
An 8 x 24-minute series produced by Montreal’s Zone3 (Adrift, Still I Rise), Getting Under Your Skin combines the coming-of-age and undercover genres and is based on a true story from high school by screenwriter Simon Bouleris (ChouChou). “A new student came into my class and I learned that he had broken into the school to look for drug dealers,” Bouleris said. “So I thought, what would happen if a young queer person infiltrated the life of a police undercover person?”
Anthony Tellian plays a young undercover police officer and Félix-Antoine Benard plays a queer teenage crime show fan who enters his life. Eric Piccoli will direct the series, which will premiere in Quebec on March 26th. Sphere Abacus will handle international sales.
“Prescott”
“Prescott”
“Border towns are front page news right now,” says “Prescott” producer Nathalie Cecile of Montreal scripted and factual production company Piccom. “[The series]explores how power works in places like this, where prisons, organized crime and legitimate business coexist, and where family loyalties are often caught in the middle.”
The 10 x 42-minute series, produced and co-written by Annie Pascal and directed by Julien Hurteau, is now in post and greenlit for a second season to begin filming this fall, starring Catherine Chabot as a motel owner whose dead body is discovered on her property coveted by her stepfather, a cement magnate.
“‘Prescott’ is about the lengths to which people lie to themselves to protect themselves,” Cecile added. Pixcom’s Nicola Merola is also the film’s producer and is in charge of international sales.
“be careful”
‘be careful’
Produced by PassezGo (2024’s inheritance thriller “In Memoriam”) in association with Bell Media, “Take Care” (“Je te tenes”) is an 8 x 60 minute thriller produced by Bouleris that follows Rafael, Mattias’ grandfather’s personal valet, as he becomes obsessed with Mattias’ girlfriend, a sexual assistant.
“[The series]takes the sinful pleasure genre that audiences around the world crave, with the depth that prestige television demands,” says Vicki Beunader, who produced the film with fellow series directors Marie-Claude Blouin and Félix Tétreault.
“‘Take Care’ is built on the parallel relationship between elder care and sex work, revealing the hidden selfishness within every act of dedication,” added Beunader. “Think of it as a ’90s psychological thriller reimagined for today.” Sphere Abacus also sells internationally.
“Shining Abyss”
“Shining Abyss”
Montreal’s Production J, known for popular unscripted series such as “Occupy Double,” is entering scripted series with “The Luminous Abyss,” from creator and screenwriter Annick Lemay. The 10 x 60 minute series is based on a true story and co-written with Marie-Ave Perron, who stars as Agathe, who is diagnosed with breast cancer and loses her breasts, her partner and her job.
“Many of us have been touched by cancer, either personally or through a loved one. This series aims to demystify the disease and portray it in a way rarely seen on screen – not just through fear and darkness, but also through the humanity, empathy and light that exists around cancer,” says LeMay. Encore is in charge of overseas sales.
“Wild Horse”
The family story “Wild Horses” was created by Mireille Meylin-Fizet and Sylvie Bouchard, who also work with Marie-Ave Bourassa and Pierre-Louis Saint-Chagrand, and depicts a lawless conflict between two powerful families in a rural community.
The now completed 26 x 44 minute series is produced by Encore and Productions Déferlantes in collaboration with Quebecor Content.
Jaime Alberto Tobon, who co-produced the film with Richard Haddad, said: “Rural culture plays out on many levels. The script sets Western norms: duels, territorial wars, unpleasant characters.” Themes are also specific to the country’s culture, such as family values, respect for tradition, the importance of rural life, and especially freedom. ”
“Welcome to Kingston Falls”
Encore, whose crime series “Dark Souls” is licensed in 100 countries, is also behind Aubert’s “Bienvenue à Kingston-Falls.” The drama is a 6 x 43 minute comedy-drama in which Inspector Gabriel Sarpin (Maxime Le Flaguet) discovers the butt of a corpse sticking out of the ground with a bicycle wheel driven into it.
“‘Welcome to Kingston Falls’ is a unique and quirky police miniseries,” said Encore producer Isabel Tiffau. “This production stands out for its deft balance of humor, intrigue, humanity and darkness. One thing is for sure: it won’t leave anyone indifferent.” The series will premiere at the festival and air on Radio-Canada in May.
The 2026 Coming Next from Quebec showcase will be announced at the Series Mania Forum on Wednesday, March 25th. The event is hosted by the Quebec government agency SODEC (Société de développement des entreprises culturelles) in collaboration with Bell Media, Radio-Canada, Quebecor Content and TV5.
