CANNES, France — In what appears to be one of the early deals announced at this year’s Mipcom convention in Cannes, original “Euphoria” creator Ron Leshem will produce “Paranoia” through his production label Crossing Oceans in collaboration with Koby Gal Raday and Ilda Santiago’s Janeiro Studios and Brazil’s leading streaming platform Globoplay.
“Paranoia” is an 8 x 45 minute rerun series produced by Crossing Oceans, a drama label in collaboration with Janeiro Studios and Leshem’s long-time partner Amit Cohen, under the management of producer and screenwriter Daniel Amsel, who also created the original Israeli film “Euphoria” produced by Leshem. It is being co-produced with Globoplay and additional partners and will be announced in the coming months.
The launch of Janeiro Studio was announced in June 2024 and will focus on premium scripted series and feature films from Brazil and Latin America, as well as international high-end projects from A-list talent.
Conceived as a reseries of eight 45-minute episodes, “Paranoia” is also produced by Leshem, who has carved out a prominent position in the international television scene over the past two decades, creating a series that combines the tension of a market-friendly thriller with the layered thoughtfulness of a market-friendly thriller.
These range from the original Israeli film Euphoria (2012), which paints a definitive portrait of today’s youth, to a man’s search for self-worth with his sister in war-torn Syria (No Man’s Land, 2020), to exposing the tragedy of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (Red Skies, 2023). The convincing results were shown on HBO Max (“Valley of Tears”), Hulu (“No Man’s Land”) and Netflix (“Bad Boy,” 2025).
But in a unique move for Leshem, embodying Janeiro Studio’s vision of connecting Brazilian talent with global A-list creators, Leshem will now travel to Brazil to develop Paranoia with screenwriter Claudia Jubin. Juvan, who is writing episode 13 of Under Pressure, one of the most acclaimed modern Brazilian series, has garnered a real frenzy of attention, with a stylish and fast-paced sexual abuse drama about a sick man. He succumbed to great critical acclaim this summer as the head writer of Perfect Days, a tale of narcissism in the world — “a psychological suspense that shocked Brazil,” said El Folha de Pernambuco — and rabies. This makes Perfect Days Globoplay’s original series the most watched since the series began.
Paranoia’s unique story concept is described by the producers as “a blend of Black Swan and Whiplash, the feel-good atmosphere and payoff of The Queen’s Gambit, and the generation-defining impact of Euphoria, showcasing unknown characters from across Brazil in a modern, vibrant Rio de Janeiro unlike anything you’ve seen before.”
Leshem and Juvan, who are currently the series’ head writers, added that they will be collaborating with emerging Brazilian talent to provide a new portrayal of Gen Z, a generation that faces unprecedented and unique challenges such as virtual reality, a stronghold of deepfakes and AI, loss of privacy, mental health in a post-pandemic world, and lack of financial education.
“Perfect Days” is produced by Koby Gal Raday, Ilda Santiago, Ron Leshem, Amit Cohen, and Mayra Faour Auad.
Coby Gal Rayday, Ron Leshem, Claudia Jubin, Alex Medeiros
Credits: Philipp Lavra, Lena Nugent, Jorge Bispo, Globo / Beatriz Damy
Leshem, Gul Laday and Globoplay’s Alex Madiros talk about ‘paranoia’
“Brazil and Brazilian cinema influenced me throughout my professional career and always felt like a true cultural home,” said Leshem. “This collaboration with Globoplay feels like an exciting journey, inspiring the creative conversations and partnerships we have created in the past few months and inspired plans for the near future. I am delighted to share Janeiro Studio’s vision and embark on this exciting journey with the talented Claudia Jubin. Together, we plan to engage audiences in Brazil and around the world to explore the complex world of today’s Generation Z.”
“We are pleased to announce our first collaboration with Ron Leshem and Claudia Jubin to produce our first premium production, ‘Paranoia’. This series embodies Janeiro Studio’s DNA, seamlessly bridging the gap between renowned international talent and Brazil’s A-list filmmakers,” added Gal Laday, CEO of Janeiro Studio. “‘Paranoia’ pushes the boundaries of high-end drama through innovative storytelling and ambitious scale. Globoplay is the ideal home for this unique series that celebrates Rio de Janeiro and unites viewers from diverse backgrounds. In collaboration with Globoplay’s esteemed executives Manuel Bellmare, Tatiana Costa and Alex Medeiros, we are proud to bring this series to audiences in Brazil and around the world” market. ”
“Our partnership with Janeiro Studios and the creative collaboration between Ron Leshem and Claudia Jubin reflects our commitment to telling innovative stories that resonate with a new generation,” added Alex Medeiros, Head of Digital Products Drama & Film at Globoplay. “As the world’s largest producer of Portuguese-language audiovisual content, Globoplay actively seeks strategic partnerships with leading companies to expand the reach of our stories. Co-production is a model that connects us with new global audiences while strengthening our portfolio in Brazil. We are excited to co-produce this project and share our Brazilianness with the world,” he added.
