What we know about “Transatlantique”, the future series which will be partly shot in Marseille

Marseilles, August 1940. The Nazis have invaded France and Pétain is preparing to sign the law on the status of Jews. Varian Fry, an American journalist living in town, organizes the flight of thousands of them. So much for the pitch of Transatlantic (provisional name) this new Netflix series directed by Anna Winger and whose filming will begin in Marseille. History, production, date and locations of filming, direction… What we know about this new series which promises to be on paper more solid than Marseille, Netflix’s previous attempt to stage the city.

The creator ofUnorthodox at the helm

The dramatic mini-series of four 55′ episodes launched on the screens in March 2020 had delighted his world. Witness the eight appointments ofUnorthodox at the Primetime emmy award, American television awards. A recognition that allowed Anna Winger to enter, after a career as a photographer and at just 50 years old, on a level footing in the world of television creation, she who had until then only directed three dramas for the German TV (2015, 2018 and 2020).

This Massachusetts native, who has lived in Berlin since the early 2000s, has signed a multi-year partnership with production company Studio Airlift and Netflix to produce and develop drama films and series internationally, Airlift Studio announced. on his Instagram page, taking up a news from the American magazine The Hollywood Reporter.

Varian Fry, a fair in Marseille

He may have been nicknamed the “American Schindler”, in reference to Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist and member of the Nazi party, who nevertheless saved many Jews during the Second World War. A book, then a film (Schindler’s List), made by Spielberg in 1993, helped popularize his story. Will Varian Fry meet the same fate? He deserves it as his story is a model of courage and dedication. This American journalist was 32 years old when he landed in Marseilles in August 1940. Officially to practice his profession there, unofficially as an envoy of the Emergency Rescue Committee. From there, he helped thousands of Jews and artists from Europe to flee Nazism, including famous intellectuals such as André Breton, theoretician of surrealism, the painters Marcel Duchamp and Max Ernst, or the gallery owner Peggy Guggenheim.

And if not, when is it?

The casting of the many extras needed for the re-enactments took place from January 13 to 15. Castprod, the company in charge of it, indicated that it was looking for “hundreds” of them for the filming which will take place “in Marseille and the nearby region from February 21 to the end of June 2022”.

As for knowing when we will be able to see the Marseille of 1940 on our screens, it is difficult to predict. Counting the time of post-production, let’s not bet before the very end of 2022, or even more certainly during 2023.