Laurene Voilliot: "We are actively looking to work with international producers"

The French distributor Only Distrib is globally recognized for its science, green, lifestyle, and educational programs. Recently, it has expanded its catalog by representing Portuguese titles from SIC, such as “Left to Their Own” (5x26'), and lifestyle programs from Dreamia, like “Raízes”. "We would like to highlight ‘Left to Their Own’ because it represents a new genre for us," said Laurene Voilliot, Head of Sales & Acquisitions at Only Distrib. The series investigates kidnappings that occurred in Portugal during the 1970s and 1980s.

The company is also collaborating with Chilean production company Cabala Producciones, on titles like “Doctor Cerebro”, which has been sold to HITN, and “Misión Ciencia”, a series that combines science and environmental themes. The company also works with many Canadian producers. "We are actively looking to work with international producers because it opens to new narratives," Voilliot explained.

KEY PROJECTS
For this fall, Only Distrib is focusing on science and sustainable development-oriented documentaries, such as “The Amazing Plant Kingdom” (1x52'), produced for France Télévisions. This documentary offers an unprecedented immersion into the plant world, revealing the astonishing capabilities of plants.

Only Distrib is also promoting the second season of “Shapers of Tomorrow” (12x52'), a scientific series that performed well during its first season. "We decided to go forward with a second season," commented Voilliot. "This new season looks more into the future, meeting scientists and entrepreneurs who are working on new technologies that we’ll be using in the near future. We cover topics like health, construction, and the environment," she added.

Another highlight is “Eating: The Power to Save the Ocean” (1x52', 1x90'), a one-off documentary exploring how humans can preserve marine life and the oceans by changing the way they eat and produce food. It was notably in the top 5 of the most watched documentaries at the Rendez-Vous Le Havre.

QUALITY PROGRAMS
Voilliot noted that this year has been successful for Only Distrib. "We are expanding our catalog and beginning to cover a few new topics, but we are still primarily focusing on science, green, and lifestyle content because it’s working well for us. There is strong interest from the international market in these topics," she said. However, she acknowledged that "the documentary sector is facing some challenges. Still, we are confident that the quality of our programs will convince broadcasters worldwide," she added.

Only Distrib’s main goal is to maintain strong relationships with broadcasters, "and perhaps begin working with new ones as we start to explore new topics," Voilliot concluded.