Borgia: a megafilm !

A series coproduced by Atlantique Productions (Lagardère Entertainment) and slated for release on Canal+ from October 10

Created by Tom Fantana (Oz), the new series Borgia (12×52′) will be one of television’s top events this fall. Scheduled to air in prime time on Canal+ from October 10 with a budget of € 25 million, this European creation was coproduced by Atlantique Productions. Lagardère Entertainment CEO Takis Candilis is pleased by the results: “This new series ushers in a new area of development: the international production.* Ambitious projects filmed in English can thus be offered to hundreds of distributors throughout the world. As a matter of fact, Borgia has already been sold in 40 countries!” A drama recounting the ascent to power of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia – a role played masterfully by John Doman (The Wire, Mystic River) – and his clan in the 15th century, Borgia was directed by Olivier Hirschbiegel (Downfall), Metin Hüseyin, Dearbhla Walsh and Christoph Schrewe.

The filming took place in the Czech Republic, where the set decorators did a masterful job of reproducing Renaissance-era Rome and creating a wooden replica of the Sistine Chapel inside Barrandov Studios. In the words of Klaus Zimmermann, Chief Executive of Atlantique Productions, Borgia is “packed with intrigue, murder, greed, politics, religion, incest, betrayal and redemption, in a production with American-style ambitions, a very European artistic freedom and a decidedly modern approach to the script.” Borgia is expected to last at least four seasons. Season 2 is currently being written, with filming slated for spring 2012.