“The producers are working on a future life of” More beautiful life “”, assures Laurent Lhardit, deputy mayor

The soul of the Mistral district has been blowing behind these four walls for 18 years, in the former tobacco factory in Marseille. But after the cigarettes have left, the Belle de Mai Media Center is preparing for another farewell: that of the series. More beautiful life. Or a goodbye? On the sidelines of a deliberation of the municipal council on this Media Pole, property of the city of Marseille this Wednesday, the deputy mayor delegate for the economy Laurent Lhardit returns to 20 minutes on the end of the series and its consequences, in particular for the studios made available by the city.

What will become of the studios currently occupied and equipped for More beautiful life ?

The studios of More beautiful life will remain studios. Today there is a strong demand for this type of equipment, and I have no worries about their occupation. If in the Marseille en Grand plan, there is a studio project in Marseille, it is good because there is demand today! If we formulate hypotheses, the question is to know if it is a place that will be set up, eventually, to accommodate filming in the studios that will be made available or if we find ourselves in a configuration of, perhaps be, restart More beautiful life or another series that should install. At that time, the series arrives with its own material and takes over this studio to exploit it for a new program.

Is it an option?

At the moment, we don’t know. We saw Newen (the production company of the series) last week. They confirmed to us their intention to leave at the end of September but they are still asking us for a period of reflection because they are still in discussion and they continue to believe in More beautiful life. They are working on this: relaunch the project More beautiful life in a different form. A future life of More beautiful life. They told us that they would come back to us in July because they are digging tracks. But who knows what they will lead to? They are only producers, facing broadcasters.

Yesterday, it was France Télévisions, and it was they who made the decision, at the start, to stop. I imagine that they are in contact with other distributors to propose other formulas, and that if the distributor asks for example for a monthly one, Newen is ready to adopt the project.

What is the concrete link between Newen and the city of Marseille?

This decision concerns the city of Marseille in respect of the equipment that we own. We are bound to Newen by a lease which requires six months’ notice to be terminated. They can say: “We stop the series at the end of September, so the time to move the studios, we have until the end of the year. But for the moment, we are not there. We have a tenant. If tomorrow, he leaves, the tenant, it will be another! That’s clear ! We’re not going to leave it empty.

What about the intermittent workers who worked on this series?

The future of the 600 intermittents du spectacle who work on the series is a crucial social question. More beautiful life, for many, it is a base. But there is also a question of balance in the ecosystem because these employees, based in Marseille, should not decide, at some point, to leave Marseille either. Indeed, these technicians also respond to people who come to Marseille to film in Marseille. There is therefore behind the question of the attractiveness of the sector in Marseille.

We are discussing with the unions to try to find out the state of mind of the people, to see if there will be a problem or not. The first reports from the field that we have are rather reassuring. There could be as many shooting days per year as there are now. Today, the Marseille destination is very attractive for filming. We had until now 500 per year in Marseille, and we are rather increasing. The needs are more and more important and Marseille better and better identified, with sought-after decorations. All of that is settled things that don’t seem to be called into question by the departure of More beautiful life.

Are you in contact with France Télévisions?

Newen will come back to us in writing, and we are meeting with France Télévisions in July. They made a commitment to continue to invest 30 million euros. We have therefore already checked with Newen that they were paying this amount. We will also ask them where they intend to invest these 30 million euros: in Marseille or beyond? And for how long ? I want to verify that it is not a one-shotor that they said that to get out of this situation…