EXCLUSIVE: Noé Debré issued a rallying call for public broadcasting as he accepted Deadline’s inaugural French TV Disruptor Award at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous event in Normandy, France.
Debré is one of the most exciting writers and directors in France and has worked on projects for pay TV services and has a new show for Max, but he is known for breakout comedy series Parlement and is currently enjoying pre-launch buzz for Zorro, both of which are for pubcaster France Télévisions domestically.
Speaking as he accepted the award, which recognizes an industry figure with a singular voice and producing outstanding work, he said: “When I was told about the award, I was very flattered and I also looked up what ‘disruption’ actually means. It’s been popularized by tech companies and tech culture, because, as you know, tech companies are now very big in our field. But it turns out that with the series that bought me this prize, Parlement and Zorro, the first one on board was always public TV. That made me think, if you want more [positive] disruption, you need more public TV.”
Debré was speaking to an audience of industry professionals in the surroundings of the historic Les Franciscaines Deauville center, a museum and venue for concerts and cultural events in Normandy, France. The region rolled out the red carpet with local Michelin-starred chefs creating menus of regional delicacies and nearby vineyards and artisans serving the drinks. Ahead of the glitzy bash, Debré sat down with Deadline to talk about his work.
He talks about writing for iconic French actor Jean Dujardin, who will don the mask in Zorro, which Paramount+ has for several international territories, explains why hit comedy Parlement had to come to an end, and delves into Vivre avec nos morts (‘Living With Our Dead’), his new series for Max, about a young female Rabbi and inspired by the Delphine Horvilleur book of the same name.
Check out the full interview.