TF1, Gaumont alum Rémy Jacquelin partners with Both Worlds in South Africa

The Bridge

South African production company Both Worlds Pictures has struck a wide-ranging partnership with Paradoxal, the production and finance outfit launched by former TF1 SVP of sales & acquisitions Rémy Jacquelin.

The agreement will see Paradoxal supporting the development of Both Worlds’ slate of projects and representing them in the international markets for pre-sales, distribution and financing.

Thierry Cassuto’s Cape Town-based Both Worlds was founded in 1997 and has been behind South African satirical TV and web series Puppet Nation, as well as a slew of scripted and unscripted programming for domestic and international broadcasters such SABC, eTV, Mnet, StarTimes, TF1 and Arte.

Paradoxal was launched in 2019 by Jacquelin, who was also previously Gaumont’s director of international sales. The Paris based company specialises in the development, financing, packaging, coproduction and production of high-end content for European broadcasters and international platforms.

Projects included in the initial agreement include quirky murder mystery Recipes For Love And Murder, which has been adapted from the Tannie Maria novels by Sally Andrew, and blue sky comedy drama series The Morning After.

Paradoxal and Both Worlds are also co-developing Valindaba, an espionage political thriller set in South Africa, France, Belgium and Israel. Last year Both Worlds acquired the format rights to Nordic drama The Bridge, which is now in development as Beit Bridge, with Paradoxal packaging.

“South Africa is known as a great land for filming with highly skilled crews, amazing locations and a solid set of production incentives. But it’s also a largely untapped source of original and contemporary stories told by a very diverse and exciting array of new creators, which is exactly what the world is looking for right now,” said Jacquelin.

Cassuto added: “Rémy is an incredible dealmaker with a vast personal network of commissioners, distributors and financiers across the world, who also knows how to structure multilateral coproductions and access the complex but generous European public funds. I am thrilled by the opportunities that Paradoxal is already negotiating on our behalf and look forward to taking our productions to the world.”