Heading into MIPCOM, French television executive Pascal Breton has partnered with a group of film and television producers and showrunners to launch Federation Entertainment.

Based in Paris with development and marketing offices in Los Angeles, Federation Entertainment will be led by head of worldwide distribution Jean-Michel Ciszewski.

One of its debut commissions is Netflix’s previously-announced first French original series Marseille, a political drama due to hit screens at the end of 2015.

The creation of Federation Entertainment is a sign that traditional TV production practices are changing in France.

“Federation Entertainment is a new kind of company to meet the demands of a new era in entertainment,” said Breton.

“Federation Entertainment is an industry game-changer, offering producers and showrunners unique partnership opportunities and offering programmers worldwide an unprecedented wealth of major creative talent.”

Breton was the head of Marathon Entertainment, the French production company group behind series such as Dolmen and Saint-Tropez.

His new executive suite includes The Oligarchs Productions (TOP) co-heads Alex Berger, a former senior executive at Canal Plus, and writer and director Eric Rochant as well as Stephane Sperry, the former president of Canal+ US who founded Liaison Films & Television.

Paris-based Ciszewski is the former president of Alliance International Television and president of Jean Chalopin’s Movie plus.

Overseeing Los Angeles operations for Federation Entertainment is Ashley Stern, a former executive at Scott Free Productions, DreamWorks TV, Fox TV, Starz Network and HBO. 

“We are thrilled to bring together an unparalleled executive team that includes recognized industry leaders in all areas of production and distribution,” said Breton.

Aside from Marseille, Federation Entertainment has also recently closed an original series deal with Canal Plus for primetime drama Le Bureau Des Légendes.

Rochant, whose recent credits include hit primetime TV show Mafiosa, will showrun the series about a clandestine division of the French Secret Service.

Canal+ in association with Federation Entertainment and TOP has ordered an initial 10 episodes of the series starring Mathieu Kassovitz.

Other series projects underway include The Replacements, a co-production between Federation Entertainment and Fisher King Productions, that Federation will distribute worldwide.

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