“AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS” TO PREMIERE AT CANNESERIES

In parallel with the 37th edition of Mipcom, Canneseries will be back in Cannes from October 8 to 13, 2021, for its season 04. Although the selection will not be announced before the beginning of the fall 2021, a veil is lifted on one of the shows out of competition: “Around the World in 80 Days” (Le Tour du Monde en 80 Jours), a new adaptation of the famous novel by Jules Verne.

Adapted by Ashley Pharoah and Caleb Ranson, co-produced by Slim Film + Television and Federation Entertainment for France Télévisions, ZDF, Rai (the European Alliance) as well as BBC, Masterpiece PBS and Seven West Media in Australia, just to name a few, the series tells the story of the race around the world of an English gentleman, Phileas Fogg, who bets to do so in 80 days. Joined by his valet, Jean Passepartout, and a journalist, Abigail Fix, he will live incredible adventures during an extraordinary journey occurring in the 19th century.

David Tennant takes on the costume of the illustrious Phileas Fogg (a tie, a hat and a moustache). His irrepressible valet is played by the French actor Ibrahim Koma. As to Abigail Fix, the young journalist ready to follow them around the world, she will be portrayed by the young actress Leonie Benesch. The series is directed by Steve Barron, Brian Kelly and Charles Beeson.

“We are happy to announce the World Premiere screening, in association with Mipcom, of this highly awaited series, which allows us to encounter the amazing world of Jules Verne again and to dive again into these adventures full of twists. We are especially delighted that the first series we announced is the result of a co-production between France, Germany, Italy, UK, Australia, South Africa, Belgium and Switzerland. For an international Festival like Canneseries, these international collaborations are crucial. We wait with great impatience to travel ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ on the big screen of the Lumière Theater of the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès of Cannes,”  said Albin Lewi, Artistic Director of Canneseries.

Lucy Smith, Director of Mipcom, added: “We are thrilled to be returning to the Palais des Festivals for Canneseries and bringing together the distribution and production communities for this first major reunion of the international television industry. We could not ask for a better opening to the market than the premiere of ‘Around the World in 80 Days,’ a hotly anticipated new series and major European co-production”.