Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has opened a new French headquarters in the capital Paris.
The office, which will house 40 employees, comes alongside an increased investment in French production with 20 new projects and partnerships with a number of leading French creative institutions.
“It is a real honour to be in France, with its rich culture and history of storytelling. This office is a sign of our long-term commitment to the country, and will enable us to work even more closely with the French creative community on great shows and films that are made in France and watched all around the world”, said Reed Hastings, Founding Chairman and CEO of Netflix.
The office is the fourth to be opened by Netflix in Europe.
Its new investment in French content represents a near doubling of its output to date. Since it launched in France four years ago it has developed 24 French titles, including 6 films, 9 series, 5 stand-up shows, 3 documentaries and 1 unscripted series.
The new productions include BigBug, a new film by César Award Winner Jean-Pierre Jeunet, based on a script written by Jeunet and Guillaume, Laurant, a comedy set in the future with a cast including César Award Winner Elsa Zylberstein, César Award Nominee Isabelle Nanty, and Manu Payet. YA Sci-fi series Mortel (pictured), created by Frederic Garcia, is also being renewed for a second season.
“We are incredibly proud of the productions we’re currently filming, the ones we are developing and the ones we’ve unveiled today. The establishment of a new French creative hub brings new opportunities for us to work with the best and most exciting creative talent in France and to bring diverse genres and content to everyone who loves French storytelling,” added Damien Couvreur, Netflix’s Director of Series in France.
Netflix is extending its support for La Fémis and its ‘Residency’ programme, an 11-month full-time training course that helps young people from disadvantaged backgrounds get into film and TV. It is also supporting director Houda Benyamina’s 1000 visages association and its scriptwriting programme; and has partnered GOBELINS L’École de l’Image, giving one graduate the opportunity to train alongside Netflix animators in Japan.
