Bonn – Deutsche Telekom has commissioned its first original series for new TV platform EntertainTV. Germanized, a ten-part half-hour comedy series, stars Christoph Maria Herbst (Stromberg) and Roxane Duran (The White Ribbon). Coproduced by Bavaria Fernsehproduktion and Telfrance (Newen Group), shooting will start in spring 2018 in France for a Q4 2018 premiere.
The light-hearted, culture clash comedy of 200 Germans ‘invading’ a picturesque but bankrupt Basque village has been devised and written by teams of leading creatives from both France and Germany. Franck Magnier and Alexandre Charlot (Les Guignols de L’Info; Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis), the French co-creators and Head Writers of Germanized, are working alongside co-creator and writer Thomas Rogel, who writes the ZDF political satire Heute Show, and Stromberg producer, Peter Güde, from Germany.
Germanized is co-produced by Bavaria Fernsehproduktion’s Moritz Polter, Executive Producer International Series, Oliver Vogel, Chief Creative Officer, and Peter Güde and Telfrance’s (Newen Group) Sandra Ouaiss, Head of International Coproduction and Executive Producer at Newen.
Michael Hagspihl, Managing Director Private Clients Telekom, says: “Our journey continues – after UHD and the first exclusive series for Entertain TV, the next logical step is original productions. With our partners we have put together a strong team with stellar expertise in serial production. We’re looking forward to joining forces for our first EntertainTV Original.”
Jan S. Kaiser, MD of Bavaria Fernsehproduktion, comments: “Streaming platforms have profoundly changed the way we consume television series. As one of Germany’s leading production companies we have many years‘ experience in successfully developing and producing fictional content and, together with our coproduction partner Telfrance, we’re a strong partner for Deutsche Telekom. Germanized is our first production for a streaming platform and we’re positive that this is just the beginning of a long business relationship.“
Tanguy de Franclieu, MD of Newen Studios Group, adds “Creation and partnerships involving international and French talents are at the very core of Newen’s strategy to best serve its French and international clients. This series that Telfrance will produce with Bavaria Fernsehproduktion, our German partner in Newen Network since 2012, is the perfect illustration of what we intend to do”.
