Leading UK distributor Sphere Abacus is set to make waves at Series Mania 2026, presenting a slate of compelling French-language dramas for international audiences.
Sphere Abacus emphasizes the creativity and international appeal of these Quebec productions, showcasing premium French-language storytelling poised for global success.
Annie & Joey, produced by Zone3, is a romantic dramedy created by Julie Hivon (Dérive, Alertes: Pelletier, Nuit blanche, Alertes, Alerte Amber) with a premiere on Séries Plus (Corus) on 8th April. Young adult drama M’infiltrer dans ta vie (Getting Under Your Skin ),produced by Zone3 and premiering on TV5Unis on 27th March, and Je te tiens (Take Care ), produced by Passez Go, for Bell Media’s CRAVE and launching in Fall 2026, are created by Simon Boulerice (Chouchou, Six degrés, Martine à la plage, Géolocaliser l’amour) – both will be featured in the Coming Next from Québec session at Series Mania on 25th March.
Small Prophets (6 x half hour), a comedy drama produced by Treasure Trove Productions and Blue House Productions, has been selected for the International Panorama competition at Series Mania. BAFTA-winner Mackenzie Crook, actor, writer and director (Detectorists, Worzel Gummidge) and producer Gill Isles (Car Share, Alma’s Not Normal), will both be attending the festival. The series also stars Sir Michael Palin (Monty Python, Time Bandits) and Lauren Patel (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie). Small Prophets has received five-star reviews since its launch on BBC in February being hailed as ‘pure pleasure’, ‘unique’, ‘poignant’, ‘funny’, ‘refreshing’, ‘engaging’, ‘effortlessly welcoming’ and ‘a delightful piece of television’.
Mélanie Ratté, Head of Sales for Formats and French Programming & Content Partnerships, Sphere Abacus comments “Annie & Joey, Je te tiens and M’infiltrer dans ta vie are all, in their own unique way, extremely bold series, illustrating the great creativity and talent of Quebec producers, as well as the ability of Canadian broadcasters and platforms to offer original French language productions that are just as distinctive and surprising for their local audience as promising for the international market.”
Hana Palmer, Head of Sales, Sphere Abacus adds “The success of Small Prophets has been incredibly rewarding – it is premium comedy storytelling at its best. There has been strong interest in the series internationally and fantastic reviews since its launch last month”.
Annie & Joey (8 x one hour) is a delightful romantic dramedy. When Annie meets Joey, it’s love at first sight. He is intrigued. She is special. Determined to win him over, Annie orchestrates an elaborate charm offensive – carefully concealing her singularity behind clever strategies. But it isn’t long before Joey discovers that the woman he’s falling for is neurodivergent. Around them, family and friends struggle to understand this unexpected pairing. Yet as Annie and Joey learn to navigate their differences, they gradually transform one another. Their atypical love story becomes a journey of growth, while also sparking unexpected romances within their circle.
M’infiltrer dans ta vie (Getting Under Your Skin) is an 8 x half-hour series about an unlikely friendship. Dave, a 25-year-old cop, goes undercover in a high school to dismantle a drug-dealing network tied to organized crime — an operation as risky as it is delicate, since he must convincingly pass as a student. But everything unravels when Gaspard, a sharp and curious 16-year-old queer boy, who loves crime series, infiltrates the police officer’s life. A bold and distinctive series at the crossroads of a coming-of-age story and a sensitive police investigation — inspired by a true story.
Je te tiens (Take Care ) (8 x one hour) – when Raphaëlle, a young carer, becomes the personal attendant of Mathias’s grandfather, she falls under the spell of his girlfriend, Macha – a free-spirited young woman who works as a sex worker for vulnerable people. What begins as an innocent fascination, slowly turns into a toxic, destructive obsession. Raphaëlle wants Macha… or does she want to absorb her essence and become her double? Cunning and determined, Raphaëlle gradually worms her way into the lives of Mathias and Macha – invading their apartment, their relationship, their work, their family, their peace – until she takes complete control of their lives.
