The Killing star Sofie Gråbøl is leading the Canneseries jury.
Gråbøl will be joined by Olivier Abbou, Amine Bouhafa, Alice Braga, Macarena García and Alix Poisson in the six-strong jury judging a strong competition lineup that includes the likes of Denmark’s Dark Horse, Euro co-pro This is Not Sweden and Beta Film’s Operation Sabre.
Multi-award-winner Gråbøl is best known as the star of Scandi noir smash The Killing, in which she played the role of police inspector Sarah Lund, which brought her international fame. Past credits include breakout Early Spring, Taxa and Nikolaj og Julie.
She is joined by Abbou, the director and producer of a number of series and movies including Madame Hollywood, Territories and Get In, along with Braga, the Brazilian actress who has starred in internationally-acclaimed City of God and Hollywood movies such as The Suicide Squad.
García, meanwhile, made her film debut with Pablo Berger...
Gråbøl will be joined by Olivier Abbou, Amine Bouhafa, Alice Braga, Macarena García and Alix Poisson in the six-strong jury judging a strong competition lineup that includes the likes of Denmark’s Dark Horse, Euro co-pro This is Not Sweden and Beta Film’s Operation Sabre.
Multi-award-winner Gråbøl is best known as the star of Scandi noir smash The Killing, in which she played the role of police inspector Sarah Lund, which brought her international fame. Past credits include breakout Early Spring, Taxa and Nikolaj og Julie.
She is joined by Abbou, the director and producer of a number of series and movies including Madame Hollywood, Territories and Get In, along with Braga, the Brazilian actress who has starred in internationally-acclaimed City of God and Hollywood movies such as The Suicide Squad.
García, meanwhile, made her film debut with Pablo Berger...
- 4/2/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind docuseries “The Staircase,” has once again struck a chord with “Samber,” a limited series about a French serial rapist that explores the damages of sexual violence against women and children.
“Samber,” a six-part thriller series directed by de Lestrade, charts the true case of Dino Scala, a seemingly ordinary family man who sexually assaulted and raped more than 50 women and minors over three decades in Northeastern France. In spite of several victims filing complaints, Scala was able to slip through the cracks of France’s judicial system and benefited from a complacent stance toward sexual abuses. He was eventually arrested in February 2018 and found guilty of 17 rapes, 12 attempted rapes and 27 sexual assaults or attempts. In June 2022, Scala was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Represented in international markets by Federation Studios, the six-part series has captured the zeitgeist in France, which is undergoing a...
“Samber,” a six-part thriller series directed by de Lestrade, charts the true case of Dino Scala, a seemingly ordinary family man who sexually assaulted and raped more than 50 women and minors over three decades in Northeastern France. In spite of several victims filing complaints, Scala was able to slip through the cracks of France’s judicial system and benefited from a complacent stance toward sexual abuses. He was eventually arrested in February 2018 and found guilty of 17 rapes, 12 attempted rapes and 27 sexual assaults or attempts. In June 2022, Scala was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Represented in international markets by Federation Studios, the six-part series has captured the zeitgeist in France, which is undergoing a...
- 2/26/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Peacock’s Apples Never Fall, MGM+’s Hotel Cocaine and Nrk’s buzzy drama about Leonard Cohen, So Long, Marianne will be in the International Competition race at Series Mania in March.
The shows will be up against BBC Three’s UK series Boarders, France 2 drama Dans L’Ombre (In the Shadows), Ard’s German series Herrhausen, the Banker and the Bomb, ABC Australia’s House of Gods, and Franco-Hungarian co-production Rematch, which is for Arte, Disney+ and HBO Europe.
The shows comprise an interesting cross-section of U.S. and European projects, with the Annette Bening-starring thriller Apples Never Fall among the highest profile. Hotel Cocaine, about a Cuban expatriate who re-made his life in Miami, is among MGM+’s biggest recent bets, while So Long, Marianne has been building steam as a study into the life of singer-songwriter Cohen and his muse, Marianne Ihlen.
The shows will be up against BBC Three’s UK series Boarders, France 2 drama Dans L’Ombre (In the Shadows), Ard’s German series Herrhausen, the Banker and the Bomb, ABC Australia’s House of Gods, and Franco-Hungarian co-production Rematch, which is for Arte, Disney+ and HBO Europe.
The shows comprise an interesting cross-section of U.S. and European projects, with the Annette Bening-starring thriller Apples Never Fall among the highest profile. Hotel Cocaine, about a Cuban expatriate who re-made his life in Miami, is among MGM+’s biggest recent bets, while So Long, Marianne has been building steam as a study into the life of singer-songwriter Cohen and his muse, Marianne Ihlen.
- 2/7/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
It might seem contradictory that the rise of short video clip popularity coincided with the popularity of long form journalism, but Netflix may be the common factor. The streaming network didn’t invent true crime documentation, but it helped shape the style, and keeps a vast repository of the hottest cold cases.
Real-life crime stories are riveting, whether the watcher is concerned about avoiding such events or solving them. There is something for every taste, from feature-length documentaries to full series. Not all crimes are equal under the laws of public opinion, but these are some of the most dangerously addictive true crime offerings currently available on Netflix.
Making a Murderer (2015)
Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi’s 10-part documentary on Steven Avery catapulted Netflix to the top of the True Crime streaming game. Making a Murderer spurred the fascination with the genre more than any other series. Avery served 18 years...
Real-life crime stories are riveting, whether the watcher is concerned about avoiding such events or solving them. There is something for every taste, from feature-length documentaries to full series. Not all crimes are equal under the laws of public opinion, but these are some of the most dangerously addictive true crime offerings currently available on Netflix.
Making a Murderer (2015)
Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi’s 10-part documentary on Steven Avery catapulted Netflix to the top of the True Crime streaming game. Making a Murderer spurred the fascination with the genre more than any other series. Avery served 18 years...
- 9/8/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
French industry to descend on La Rochelle to premiere high-end drama series to the world.
Disney+’s French original Irrésistible, Canal+ legal drama Conviction, TF1’s Behind Closed Doors from Coda producers’ Jerico TV and Swedish thriller Evil are among the French and European titles that will premiere at France’s Festival de la Fiction, taking place in La Rochelle from September 12-17.
The event, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2023, has long been a popular ‘back-to-school’ festival for the French industry, with a strong focus on French series, Its international appeal is growing and it has become a significant launchpad for European content.
Disney+’s French original Irrésistible, Canal+ legal drama Conviction, TF1’s Behind Closed Doors from Coda producers’ Jerico TV and Swedish thriller Evil are among the French and European titles that will premiere at France’s Festival de la Fiction, taking place in La Rochelle from September 12-17.
The event, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2023, has long been a popular ‘back-to-school’ festival for the French industry, with a strong focus on French series, Its international appeal is growing and it has become a significant launchpad for European content.
- 8/29/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
The Staircase’s Margie Ratliff, whose family nightmare became a TV sensation in the 2004 series, talks about a new film which looks at the ethics of ‘docu-tainment’
Some lives take on an uncontrollable life of their own. One of those belongs to Margie Ratliff, whose world changed the night before her 20th birthday when the woman she knew as her mother was discovered dead at the bottom of a steep staircase in the family home in Raleigh, North Carolina. The horrific events of that night in 2001 not only resulted in one of the most scrutinised court cases in American legal history, they also launched a new kind of global entertainment: the serial true-life crime documentary, the did-he-do-it?
Michael Peterson, a novelist and Vietnam war veteran and Ratliff’s adoptive father, was charged with the first-degree murder of his second wife, Kathleen. He protested his innocence, claiming Kathleen had fallen down...
Some lives take on an uncontrollable life of their own. One of those belongs to Margie Ratliff, whose world changed the night before her 20th birthday when the woman she knew as her mother was discovered dead at the bottom of a steep staircase in the family home in Raleigh, North Carolina. The horrific events of that night in 2001 not only resulted in one of the most scrutinised court cases in American legal history, they also launched a new kind of global entertainment: the serial true-life crime documentary, the did-he-do-it?
Michael Peterson, a novelist and Vietnam war veteran and Ratliff’s adoptive father, was charged with the first-degree murder of his second wife, Kathleen. He protested his innocence, claiming Kathleen had fallen down...
- 2/12/2023
- by Tim Adams
- The Guardian - Film News
HBO Max’s “The Staircase” takes a unique approach to the true crime genre: Any dramatization of the case against Michael Peterson — accused of killing his second wife, Kathleen, after she was found dead at the foot of the stairs in their North Carolina home — would have to acknowledge the other “Staircase,” Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s acclaimed 2004 documentary that brought the Peterson trial to the attention of a global audience. But this one incorporates the making of that documentary into its narrative. With Colin Firth as Michael and Toni Colette (in flashbacks) as Kathleen, the series moves back and forth in time, and the secrets of the Peterson family are slowly revealed alongside a depiction of the French documentary crew that followed Michael’s story and ultimately became an integral part of it. The result is a murder mystery less about solving the crime than examining the complexities of the human heart.
- 12/7/2022
- by Jim Hemphill, Chris O'Falt and Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
[Warning: The above interview and following story contain spoilers about Season 4 of “Ozark.” Watch and read at your own risk.]
There is no doubt that the fourth and final season of “Ozark” was going to be the show’s most ambitious undertaking yet. For composers Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans, who received their career-first Emmy nominations for the Netflix drama’s third season in 2020, this meant they would have the chance to go bigger with their score — or so they thought. “I remember us saying, ‘It’s the fourth and final season — I wonder if we can push [the score] to get a little bigger than usual,'” recounts Bensi in a new webchat with Gold Derby (watch our exclusive video interview above). “I remember the answer coming back to us [being] like, ‘No, stay in the same world and add some new things, but really stay in the same world. We don’t need to depart from what we’ve been.'”
Even though...
There is no doubt that the fourth and final season of “Ozark” was going to be the show’s most ambitious undertaking yet. For composers Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans, who received their career-first Emmy nominations for the Netflix drama’s third season in 2020, this meant they would have the chance to go bigger with their score — or so they thought. “I remember us saying, ‘It’s the fourth and final season — I wonder if we can push [the score] to get a little bigger than usual,'” recounts Bensi in a new webchat with Gold Derby (watch our exclusive video interview above). “I remember the answer coming back to us [being] like, ‘No, stay in the same world and add some new things, but really stay in the same world. We don’t need to depart from what we’ve been.'”
Even though...
- 6/16/2022
- by Luca Giliberti
- Gold Derby
Michael Peterson hasn’t watched “The Staircase” but he knows the HBO Max true crime series is “wrong, wrong, wrong” in its depiction of late wife Kathleen’s death.
North Carolina novelist turned politician Peterson stood trial for allegedly murdering Kathleen in 2001 and was convicted in 2003. Peterson later pleaded guilty to manslaughter in an Alford plea in 2017 and was released from prison. The Peterson family story was at the center of Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s 2004 documentary “The Staircase” before inspiring the HBO Max series of the same name, helmed by Antonio Campos.
“Oh God, no,” Peterson told Variety about watching the series. “There was this two-and-a-half-minute trailer and I turned it off after one minute because there are my children screaming at each other. And I said, ‘What family is this? Where did this come from?’ So, I did not watch anymore. I realized I cannot under any circumstances watch this.
North Carolina novelist turned politician Peterson stood trial for allegedly murdering Kathleen in 2001 and was convicted in 2003. Peterson later pleaded guilty to manslaughter in an Alford plea in 2017 and was released from prison. The Peterson family story was at the center of Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s 2004 documentary “The Staircase” before inspiring the HBO Max series of the same name, helmed by Antonio Campos.
“Oh God, no,” Peterson told Variety about watching the series. “There was this two-and-a-half-minute trailer and I turned it off after one minute because there are my children screaming at each other. And I said, ‘What family is this? Where did this come from?’ So, I did not watch anymore. I realized I cannot under any circumstances watch this.
- 6/15/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Michael Peterson has spent the last 20 years explaining the death of his wife Kathleen. First, he stood trial for allegedly murdering her, and was convicted in 2003 and sentenced to life. He was released pending a new trial in 2011, and in 2017 pleaded guilty to manslaughter in an Alford plea.
After being released from prison, he largely kept a lower profile, mainly talking about his life in relation to the investigation and trial as it was presented in the 2004 documentary “The Staircase,” which he participated in with his four children — Clayton and Todd Peterson and Margaret and Martha Ratliff. (He also had a 13-year relationship with one of the editors of the doc; they broke up shortly after he was released from jail.)
But Peterson’s quiet period appears to have ended. Of late, after being back in the news because HBO Max has semi-fictionalized his family tragedy into a limited series called “The Staircase,...
After being released from prison, he largely kept a lower profile, mainly talking about his life in relation to the investigation and trial as it was presented in the 2004 documentary “The Staircase,” which he participated in with his four children — Clayton and Todd Peterson and Margaret and Martha Ratliff. (He also had a 13-year relationship with one of the editors of the doc; they broke up shortly after he was released from jail.)
But Peterson’s quiet period appears to have ended. Of late, after being back in the news because HBO Max has semi-fictionalized his family tragedy into a limited series called “The Staircase,...
- 6/15/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
I initially saw Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s documentary series The Staircase on the Sundance Channel in 2005. It was the first time I had viewed a longform documentary structured episodically — each episode built over three acts with a cliffhanger compelling you to watch the next installment as soon as you could. Clearly I wasn’t the only one who was fascinated by the documentary, as it went on to become a defining work in the true-crime genre. And that could have been where the story ended.
But many years later, the talented writer-director Antonio Campos (an artist I already admired and a friend) approached me with a pilot he had written, inspired by the original French docuseries. It wasn’t an adaptation, but rather an opportunity to revisit the story in a new context — an opportunity to explore and investigate the evolution of true crime as a genre.
I initially saw Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s documentary series The Staircase on the Sundance Channel in 2005. It was the first time I had viewed a longform documentary structured episodically — each episode built over three acts with a cliffhanger compelling you to watch the next installment as soon as you could. Clearly I wasn’t the only one who was fascinated by the documentary, as it went on to become a defining work in the true-crime genre. And that could have been where the story ended.
But many years later, the talented writer-director Antonio Campos (an artist I already admired and a friend) approached me with a pilot he had written, inspired by the original French docuseries. It wasn’t an adaptation, but rather an opportunity to revisit the story in a new context — an opportunity to explore and investigate the evolution of true crime as a genre.
- 6/14/2022
- by Maggie Cohn, as told to Tyler Coates
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky’s “Brother’s Keeper,” which, as Berlinger says, is “one of the granddaddies of the true-crime docu movement.”
It’s true that the 1992 film about the bizarre murder trial of Delbert Ward, who was accused of the “mercy killing” of his brother in rural upstate New York, was an early entrant in our collective societal obsession with the unscripted true-crime format, which in recent years has crossed over to the scripted side.
As one of the founding fathers of the format that has piqued our interest in true crime to the point where limited series including “Impeachment: American Crime Story,” “The Staircase,” “The Dropout,” “Inventing Anna,” “Dr. Death,” “A Very British Scandal,” and several more are all competing in the same Emmys’ cycle, Berlinger has some unique insight into the nonfiction-to-dramatized evolution.
“I can think of no other...
It’s true that the 1992 film about the bizarre murder trial of Delbert Ward, who was accused of the “mercy killing” of his brother in rural upstate New York, was an early entrant in our collective societal obsession with the unscripted true-crime format, which in recent years has crossed over to the scripted side.
As one of the founding fathers of the format that has piqued our interest in true crime to the point where limited series including “Impeachment: American Crime Story,” “The Staircase,” “The Dropout,” “Inventing Anna,” “Dr. Death,” “A Very British Scandal,” and several more are all competing in the same Emmys’ cycle, Berlinger has some unique insight into the nonfiction-to-dramatized evolution.
“I can think of no other...
- 6/14/2022
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
HBO's true crime adaptation "The Staircase" continues to draw ire from those involved in the real-life story, as subject Michael Peterson has now shared any angry response via a series of emails to Variety. Peterson's defense attorney David Rudolf and three members of the real-life documentary team that's portrayed in the series -- director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, producer Allyson Luchak, and editor Scott Stevenson -- all recently spoke publicly about their problems with the Colin Firth-led dramatization. Peterson's son, Todd, took to Instagram to explain his own issues with the series.
The case of Kathleen Peterson, whose 2001 death at the...
The post The Staircase: Michael Peterson Pens Furious Response to HBO Series That 'Trashed Me' appeared first on /Film.
The case of Kathleen Peterson, whose 2001 death at the...
The post The Staircase: Michael Peterson Pens Furious Response to HBO Series That 'Trashed Me' appeared first on /Film.
- 6/11/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
For anyone aiming to be a documentary filmmaker, Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall’s 90-minute doc “Subject” should be required viewing. “Subject” explores the ethical responsibilities nonfiction filmmakers face when they decide to capture people, often at their most vulnerable, thereby forever locking them in a moment in time that will live on through the ages no matter how much a person grows or changes.
Tiexiera (“P.S. Burn This Letter Please”) and Hall (“Copwatch”) focus on some of the most successful documentaries of the past three decades and the “stars” they created and left in their wake. The directing duo explore the psychological impact of being unpaid key participants in commercially successful projects including “The Staircase,” “Hoop Dreams,” ” Wolfpack,” “The Square” and “Capturing the Friedmans.” Below, Tiexiera and Hall discuss the making of the documentary before its June 11 premiere at Tribeca.
What made you want to make this documentary?...
Tiexiera (“P.S. Burn This Letter Please”) and Hall (“Copwatch”) focus on some of the most successful documentaries of the past three decades and the “stars” they created and left in their wake. The directing duo explore the psychological impact of being unpaid key participants in commercially successful projects including “The Staircase,” “Hoop Dreams,” ” Wolfpack,” “The Square” and “Capturing the Friedmans.” Below, Tiexiera and Hall discuss the making of the documentary before its June 11 premiere at Tribeca.
What made you want to make this documentary?...
- 6/11/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
(Warning: This post features spoilers for the season finale of HBO Max’s limited series “The Staircase”).
And so we’ve reached the bottom of “The Staircase.” But Thursday’s finale hardly tied everything up with neat, definitive explanations. That would be anathema to the HBO Max limited series that challenged viewers to question the facts of the notorious Michael Peterson true-crime case as well as the nature of storytelling. So instead of neatly answered questions, we are left with the unsettling image of Colin Firth, as Peterson, looking straight into the camera, his mouth curling into a subtle smirk. And then the screen goes black.
What?!
“The idea of that shot, in the way it was scripted, in the way that it’s performed, is that you’re seeing someone be two things at once,” the show’s creator, Antonio Campos, told TheWrap. “And you’re trying to process...
And so we’ve reached the bottom of “The Staircase.” But Thursday’s finale hardly tied everything up with neat, definitive explanations. That would be anathema to the HBO Max limited series that challenged viewers to question the facts of the notorious Michael Peterson true-crime case as well as the nature of storytelling. So instead of neatly answered questions, we are left with the unsettling image of Colin Firth, as Peterson, looking straight into the camera, his mouth curling into a subtle smirk. And then the screen goes black.
What?!
“The idea of that shot, in the way it was scripted, in the way that it’s performed, is that you’re seeing someone be two things at once,” the show’s creator, Antonio Campos, told TheWrap. “And you’re trying to process...
- 6/11/2022
- by Missy Schwartz
- The Wrap
Disputes over Antonio Campos’ HBO Max adaptation of “The Staircase” have some in the documentary community questioning whether they would readily allow a narrative director to turn their facts into fiction.
“The Staircase” revolves around the death of Kathleen Peterson and the murder trial of her husband Michael, as the filmmakers chronicling the case for a docuseries of the same name become central characters in the storytelling. Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of the staircase of their North Carolina home in 2001, and Michael was convicted of murder in 2003 before accepting an Alford plea for manslaughter charges in 2017, which freed him for good. The HBO Max series, which concluded this week, stars Colin Firth as Michael and Toni Collette as Kathleen; documentary filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade is portrayed by Vincent Vermignon and editor Sophie Brunet by Juliette Binoche.
Shortly after the May 5 premiere of the HBO Max miniseries,...
“The Staircase” revolves around the death of Kathleen Peterson and the murder trial of her husband Michael, as the filmmakers chronicling the case for a docuseries of the same name become central characters in the storytelling. Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of the staircase of their North Carolina home in 2001, and Michael was convicted of murder in 2003 before accepting an Alford plea for manslaughter charges in 2017, which freed him for good. The HBO Max series, which concluded this week, stars Colin Firth as Michael and Toni Collette as Kathleen; documentary filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade is portrayed by Vincent Vermignon and editor Sophie Brunet by Juliette Binoche.
Shortly after the May 5 premiere of the HBO Max miniseries,...
- 6/10/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
“The Staircase” debate takes another spiraling turn.
After the true-crime show — although the words “true crime” don’t easily apply to the murky death at the center of the HBO Max series — concluded on June 9, the real-life players are speaking out on its accuracy. “The Staircase” centers on North Carolina-based novelist and would-be politician Michael Peterson, played by Colin Firth, who is accused, convicted, and then cleared of killing his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette), who died bloodily and presumably alone at the foot of their staircase.
The Peterson case was at the center of a documentary directed by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade that debuted in 2004; additional installments as the case progressed were subsequently released, while editor Sophie Brunet (played by Juliette Binoche in the HBO series) also started a romantic relationship with Peterson. Brunet has since disputed the timeline of these events.
But now, Peterson and de Lestrade are duking it out over the fictionalized depiction,...
After the true-crime show — although the words “true crime” don’t easily apply to the murky death at the center of the HBO Max series — concluded on June 9, the real-life players are speaking out on its accuracy. “The Staircase” centers on North Carolina-based novelist and would-be politician Michael Peterson, played by Colin Firth, who is accused, convicted, and then cleared of killing his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette), who died bloodily and presumably alone at the foot of their staircase.
The Peterson case was at the center of a documentary directed by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade that debuted in 2004; additional installments as the case progressed were subsequently released, while editor Sophie Brunet (played by Juliette Binoche in the HBO series) also started a romantic relationship with Peterson. Brunet has since disputed the timeline of these events.
But now, Peterson and de Lestrade are duking it out over the fictionalized depiction,...
- 6/10/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Antonio Campos’ depiction of documentary filmmakers Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and Sophie Brunet in HBO Max’s “The Staircase” has led to a public dispute over their portrayal in the miniseries adaptation. But now, the real-life main subject of both series – Michael Peterson – is speaking out in an exclusive series of emails to Variety.
Peterson’s wife Kathleen was found dead at the bottom of the staircase of their North Carolina home in 2001. Authorities discovered that Peterson, who identifies as bisexual, was having sexual relationships with men. He was charged with murdering his wife and convicted in 2003. He’s now free, after the charges were reduced to manslaughter in a retrial.
Peterson allowed a camera crew to film him and his family as he awaited trial, which became an extended documentary series that premiered in 2004 (it’s streaming on Netflix). While Peterson isn’t happy with Campos’ HBO series, he’s livid with de Lestrade.
Peterson’s wife Kathleen was found dead at the bottom of the staircase of their North Carolina home in 2001. Authorities discovered that Peterson, who identifies as bisexual, was having sexual relationships with men. He was charged with murdering his wife and convicted in 2003. He’s now free, after the charges were reduced to manslaughter in a retrial.
Peterson allowed a camera crew to film him and his family as he awaited trial, which became an extended documentary series that premiered in 2004 (it’s streaming on Netflix). While Peterson isn’t happy with Campos’ HBO series, he’s livid with de Lestrade.
- 6/9/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
[Editor’s note: The following story contains spoilers for the end of “The Staircase.”]
Maybe he didn’t push her, but oh, he pushed her.
That’s more or less the takeaway from the final episodes of HBO Max’s “The Staircase,” which exploded a wobbly real-life murder case into a fascination of true-crime-ish television.
Is Antonio Campos’ drama series true crime at all if there maybe wasn’t even a crime truly committed? Across eight episodes, writer/director Campos and writer/producer/co-showrunner Maggie Cohn reopened the Pandora’s box of the Michael Peterson (Colin Firth) case, in which a well-liked Durham, North Carolina novelist and would-be local politico was accused, convicted, and then cleared of the killing of his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette). Peterson became a free man after eight years in prison in 2017, escaping a life of incarceration through a legal loophole known as the Alford plea, which reduced his charge to manslaughter. By pleading guilty, he was able...
Maybe he didn’t push her, but oh, he pushed her.
That’s more or less the takeaway from the final episodes of HBO Max’s “The Staircase,” which exploded a wobbly real-life murder case into a fascination of true-crime-ish television.
Is Antonio Campos’ drama series true crime at all if there maybe wasn’t even a crime truly committed? Across eight episodes, writer/director Campos and writer/producer/co-showrunner Maggie Cohn reopened the Pandora’s box of the Michael Peterson (Colin Firth) case, in which a well-liked Durham, North Carolina novelist and would-be local politico was accused, convicted, and then cleared of the killing of his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette). Peterson became a free man after eight years in prison in 2017, escaping a life of incarceration through a legal loophole known as the Alford plea, which reduced his charge to manslaughter. By pleading guilty, he was able...
- 6/9/2022
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Click here to read the full article.
Parker Posey and Michael Stuhlbarg play opposing counsel in HBO Max’s limited series The Staircase, which is based on the documentary of the same name that followed the trial of Michael Peterson following the 2003 death of his wife, Kathleen.
Because the trial itself was highly publicized at the time and was the focus of a docuseries from director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, Posey and Stuhlbarg say they had plenty of material to work with in preparing for their roles as prosecutor Freda Black and Peterson’s defense attorney David Rudolf. While Black died in 2018, Rudolf made himself available to both actors to help gear up for the complicated courtroom scenes. Plus, both actors say, creator Antonio Campos supplied stacks and stacks of courtroom files and autopsy photos of Kathleen Peterson to assist.
Posey and Stuhlbarg talk to THR about what drew them to The Staircase,...
Parker Posey and Michael Stuhlbarg play opposing counsel in HBO Max’s limited series The Staircase, which is based on the documentary of the same name that followed the trial of Michael Peterson following the 2003 death of his wife, Kathleen.
Because the trial itself was highly publicized at the time and was the focus of a docuseries from director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, Posey and Stuhlbarg say they had plenty of material to work with in preparing for their roles as prosecutor Freda Black and Peterson’s defense attorney David Rudolf. While Black died in 2018, Rudolf made himself available to both actors to help gear up for the complicated courtroom scenes. Plus, both actors say, creator Antonio Campos supplied stacks and stacks of courtroom files and autopsy photos of Kathleen Peterson to assist.
Posey and Stuhlbarg talk to THR about what drew them to The Staircase,...
- 6/9/2022
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This story first appeared in the Emmy Race Begins issue of TheWrap magazine.
The critical response to HBO Max’s limited series “The Staircase” has been overwhelmingly positive. But Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, the French filmmaker who directed the Peabody award-winning docu-series of the same name on which the new drama is based, is not participating in the applause.
In a recent interview, de Lestrade told Vanity Fair that he felt “betrayed” by the HBO Max adaptation because he believes it questions his integrity and professionalism. The eight-episode drama tells the story of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth), the crime writer who was convicted in 2003 of killing his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette), whom he claims fell to her death on the stairs in their Durham, North Carolina home. (He was retried in 2011 and eventually took an Alford plea.) In addition to chronicling the trial and aftermath, “The Staircase” also features de Lestrade...
The critical response to HBO Max’s limited series “The Staircase” has been overwhelmingly positive. But Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, the French filmmaker who directed the Peabody award-winning docu-series of the same name on which the new drama is based, is not participating in the applause.
In a recent interview, de Lestrade told Vanity Fair that he felt “betrayed” by the HBO Max adaptation because he believes it questions his integrity and professionalism. The eight-episode drama tells the story of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth), the crime writer who was convicted in 2003 of killing his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette), whom he claims fell to her death on the stairs in their Durham, North Carolina home. (He was retried in 2011 and eventually took an Alford plea.) In addition to chronicling the trial and aftermath, “The Staircase” also features de Lestrade...
- 6/1/2022
- by Missy Schwartz
- The Wrap
While “The Staircase,” HBO Max’s dramatized re-telling of the 2004 true crime documentary, isn’t exactly a recreation, it’s easy to get confused between the fact and fiction of the two while watching them back-to-back.
David Rudolf — the real-life North Carolina defense lawyer who represented Michael Peterson after he was accused of killing his wife Kathleen — knows this, and he isn’t happy about it.
“I get it,” Rudolf told Variety. “And that’s the problem.”
The new series takes a bird’s-eye-view of the case, and includes the documentarians as characters in the story. Following the premiere of the new series on May 5, in a lengthy May 13 story in Vanity Fair, Rudolf and the documentary’s original filmmakers — director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, producers Allyson Luchak and Matthieu Belghiti, and editors Scott Stevenson and Sophie Brunet — accused the new show’s creator, writer and director Antonio Campos, as well as co-showrunner Maggie Cohn,...
David Rudolf — the real-life North Carolina defense lawyer who represented Michael Peterson after he was accused of killing his wife Kathleen — knows this, and he isn’t happy about it.
“I get it,” Rudolf told Variety. “And that’s the problem.”
The new series takes a bird’s-eye-view of the case, and includes the documentarians as characters in the story. Following the premiere of the new series on May 5, in a lengthy May 13 story in Vanity Fair, Rudolf and the documentary’s original filmmakers — director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, producers Allyson Luchak and Matthieu Belghiti, and editors Scott Stevenson and Sophie Brunet — accused the new show’s creator, writer and director Antonio Campos, as well as co-showrunner Maggie Cohn,...
- 6/1/2022
- by Sasha Urban
- Variety Film + TV
HBO Max’s new series “The Staircase” dramatizes the real-life events covered in the French docuseries of the same name created by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. It explores the life of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth), his sprawling North Carolina family and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette). Even though there are still a lot of ambivalent feelings about the case in general and Michael specifically, the creative minds behind this series were very much interested in embracing that ambiguity. “What was always fascinating about Michael was that he was impossible to pin down,” says creator, showrunner, executive producer and director (of six episodes) Antonio Campos in an exclusive new interview for Gold Derby, in which he is joined by fellow showrunner and executive producer Maggie Cohn. “Having this maze of a character within a maze of a story was what fascinated us.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.
- 5/18/2022
- by Luca Giliberti
- Gold Derby
The makers of the original 2004 docuseries "The Staircase" — the basis for the current dramatized HBO Max miniseries starring Colin Firth and Toni Colette — are alleging that the miniseries undermines the credibility of their work. "The Staircase" won a Peabody Award in 2005, and reviews for the new miniseries, created by Antonio Campos, have been positive. Both the original docuseries and the miniseries currently hold a 94 on Rotten Tomatoes. However, Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, the director of the docuseries, and Sophie Brunet, one of the editors who worked on it, maintain that Campos abused their trust and presents inaccurate depictions in his series.
In "The Staircase" miniseries, Firth stars...
The post The Staircase Documentary Filmmakers Feel 'Betrayed' By Inaccuracies in HBO Max Series appeared first on /Film.
In "The Staircase" miniseries, Firth stars...
The post The Staircase Documentary Filmmakers Feel 'Betrayed' By Inaccuracies in HBO Max Series appeared first on /Film.
- 5/16/2022
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
A war of words has broken out between the filmmakers who have brought audiences two different versions, nearly two decades apart, of the real-life mystery behind The Staircase.
French director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s 2004 Peabody Award-winning documentary told the story of the fortunate Peterson family who lived in a luxurious mansion in North Carolina, until Kathleen Peterson’s body was discovered at the foot of a staircase, and her husband Michael was tried for murder.
More recently, Antonio Campos has adapted the same story into an HBO Max TV drama series starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette.
De Lestrade and his team enjoyed privileged access to Michael Peterson and his family during the trial and years that followed, and Campos’s drama highlights this close connection, including a romantic relationship between Michael Peterson and the documentary’s editor Sophie Brunet.
The drama also depicts the documentary team exerting their editorial control in ways that,...
French director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s 2004 Peabody Award-winning documentary told the story of the fortunate Peterson family who lived in a luxurious mansion in North Carolina, until Kathleen Peterson’s body was discovered at the foot of a staircase, and her husband Michael was tried for murder.
More recently, Antonio Campos has adapted the same story into an HBO Max TV drama series starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette.
De Lestrade and his team enjoyed privileged access to Michael Peterson and his family during the trial and years that followed, and Campos’s drama highlights this close connection, including a romantic relationship between Michael Peterson and the documentary’s editor Sophie Brunet.
The drama also depicts the documentary team exerting their editorial control in ways that,...
- 5/15/2022
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
“The actual point of the show is that you can never actually know anything.”
That’s Maggie Cohn, co-showrunner, EP, and writer on “The Staircase” about the new HBO Max original series, created and directed by Antonio Campos. But one thing the creative team on the series did know for certain was early-2000s fashion and makeup — to the consternation of star Sophie Turner in one case.
The story of Michael and Kathleen Peterson (played by Colin Firth and Toni Collette on the new series) was originally told by French documentarian Jean-Xavier de Lestrade across 13 episodes, the first of which — in a mark of how much distribution for true crime has changed — aired in an abbreviated form on ABC’s “Primetime Thursday” in 2004.
At the IndieWire Consider This Brunch May 12, Cohn, along with makeup artist Elle Favorule and costume designer Jennifer Starzyk, told IndieWire’s Jim Hemphill about how recreating...
That’s Maggie Cohn, co-showrunner, EP, and writer on “The Staircase” about the new HBO Max original series, created and directed by Antonio Campos. But one thing the creative team on the series did know for certain was early-2000s fashion and makeup — to the consternation of star Sophie Turner in one case.
The story of Michael and Kathleen Peterson (played by Colin Firth and Toni Collette on the new series) was originally told by French documentarian Jean-Xavier de Lestrade across 13 episodes, the first of which — in a mark of how much distribution for true crime has changed — aired in an abbreviated form on ABC’s “Primetime Thursday” in 2004.
At the IndieWire Consider This Brunch May 12, Cohn, along with makeup artist Elle Favorule and costume designer Jennifer Starzyk, told IndieWire’s Jim Hemphill about how recreating...
- 5/12/2022
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Truth be told, the human species has always been interested in the dark subject that we now call “true crime.” In the Western mythological canon, the very first story after the creation of man and the Garden of Eden is literally that of a fratricide.
Still, you may have noticed of late that pop culture’s obsession with crimes, those who commit them, and how they are punished has intensified of late. If you want to pinpoint a recent moment in the 21st century where our fascination with true crime intensified, you can probably do a lot worse than 2004’s The Staircase.
The Staircase (titled Soupçons or “Suspicions” in its director’s native French) is a multi-part true crime docuseries that helped paved the way for so many of the other true crime docs we see today. The project began when French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade learned of a curious...
Still, you may have noticed of late that pop culture’s obsession with crimes, those who commit them, and how they are punished has intensified of late. If you want to pinpoint a recent moment in the 21st century where our fascination with true crime intensified, you can probably do a lot worse than 2004’s The Staircase.
The Staircase (titled Soupçons or “Suspicions” in its director’s native French) is a multi-part true crime docuseries that helped paved the way for so many of the other true crime docs we see today. The project began when French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade learned of a curious...
- 5/10/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
This article contains spoilers for The Staircase documentary and therefore probably the HBO series as well.
Before we begin, let’s be clear. There are only two people who know the real truth behind the events that are depicted in The Staircase. One of them is dead. And the other is Michael Peterson.
So this article is not going to be able to answer the question of whether Michael Peterson killed his wife Kathleen, and nor indeed is the series. This is not an article about the true story behind Kathleen Peterson’s murder.
Instead HBO’s excellent new drama The Staircase tells the true story of The Staircase – the documentary made by French director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and released initially in 2004, later updated with further episodes as developments in the case unfolded.
Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and his producer Denis Poncet appear in the dramatization, as do other key players...
Before we begin, let’s be clear. There are only two people who know the real truth behind the events that are depicted in The Staircase. One of them is dead. And the other is Michael Peterson.
So this article is not going to be able to answer the question of whether Michael Peterson killed his wife Kathleen, and nor indeed is the series. This is not an article about the true story behind Kathleen Peterson’s murder.
Instead HBO’s excellent new drama The Staircase tells the true story of The Staircase – the documentary made by French director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and released initially in 2004, later updated with further episodes as developments in the case unfolded.
Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and his producer Denis Poncet appear in the dramatization, as do other key players...
- 5/7/2022
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
Nowadays, it’s harder to not land on a scripted true crime series while scrolling through your chosen broadcaster. There’s “The Girl From Plainville,” “Inventing Anna,” “The Thing About Pam” — the list goes on, with nearly all of them based on podcasts, books or documentaries that at one point gripped the nation.
But before any of those stories existed, there was “The Staircase,” a 13-part docuseries by French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade (released in parts beginning in 2004 on the Sundance Channel before landing on Netflix in 2018) that followed the confounding case of Michael Peterson and his wife Kathleen’s 2001 death at the bottom of their home’s back staircase. The series pioneered a new, episodic style of gripping documentary storytelling, and in real-time revealed the details of Kathleen’s death, Michael’s trial and its aftermath, becoming an object of cult fascination that persists to this day.
Antonio Campos...
But before any of those stories existed, there was “The Staircase,” a 13-part docuseries by French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade (released in parts beginning in 2004 on the Sundance Channel before landing on Netflix in 2018) that followed the confounding case of Michael Peterson and his wife Kathleen’s 2001 death at the bottom of their home’s back staircase. The series pioneered a new, episodic style of gripping documentary storytelling, and in real-time revealed the details of Kathleen’s death, Michael’s trial and its aftermath, becoming an object of cult fascination that persists to this day.
Antonio Campos...
- 5/5/2022
- by Sasha Urban
- Variety Film + TV
On Wednesday evening in New York City, Colin Firth and the cast of HBO’s “The Staircase” celebrated its premiere at the Museum of Modern Art.
Created by Antonio Campos with showrunner Maggie Cohn, “The Staircase” marks HBO’s turn at the true crime story of Kathleen Peterson, who was found dead at the bottom of her staircase in 2001.
The story of what followed and came before — her husband Michael Peterson’s indictment and trial, unearthed secrets, treatment by prosecutors and twisting family drama — was first the subject of a 2004 documentary miniseries, then republished and given new episodes by Netflix, and now fictionalized in HBO’s limited series led by Firth and Toni Collette.
“I think about Truman Capote and ‘In Cold Blood,’ which was itself a first of its kind,” Parker Posey, who plays the prosecuting attorney Freda Black in the series, told Variety at the premiere. “There used...
Created by Antonio Campos with showrunner Maggie Cohn, “The Staircase” marks HBO’s turn at the true crime story of Kathleen Peterson, who was found dead at the bottom of her staircase in 2001.
The story of what followed and came before — her husband Michael Peterson’s indictment and trial, unearthed secrets, treatment by prosecutors and twisting family drama — was first the subject of a 2004 documentary miniseries, then republished and given new episodes by Netflix, and now fictionalized in HBO’s limited series led by Firth and Toni Collette.
“I think about Truman Capote and ‘In Cold Blood,’ which was itself a first of its kind,” Parker Posey, who plays the prosecuting attorney Freda Black in the series, told Variety at the premiere. “There used...
- 5/4/2022
- by Michael Appler
- Variety Film + TV
The true-crime tale has lately dominated scripted TV, with miniseries-length dissections of infamous incidents coming thick on the ground. Many of these shows have played as flat reenactments that don’t earn the running time they demand, serials that seem to be more interested in checking items off a list to get us to an opinion about “what really happened” than in finding something transformative in a familiar story. So it comes as a surprise that HBO Max’s “The Staircase” does exactly what its title implies, taking the audience beyond the first level and reaching for a second, elevated story.
This show dramatizes the events covered in the French documentary series of the same title — made in 2004 by director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and available on Netflix. Both projects are about the death of Durham, N.C., woman Kathleen Peterson, possibly at the hands of her husband, Michael. Here, the...
This show dramatizes the events covered in the French documentary series of the same title — made in 2004 by director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and available on Netflix. Both projects are about the death of Durham, N.C., woman Kathleen Peterson, possibly at the hands of her husband, Michael. Here, the...
- 5/4/2022
- by Daniel D'Addario
- Variety Film + TV
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
May is a month of returns, featuring new adventures with familiar faces that involve everyone from the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise to Doctor Strange to the Kids in the Hall to the members of Girls5eva.
But it’s also a month filled with some promising-looking premieres, including a true crime drama, a movie featuring creepy Norwegian kids, and an intriguing new comedy featuring two former SNL cast members.
May is a month of returns, featuring new adventures with familiar faces that involve everyone from the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise to Doctor Strange to the Kids in the Hall to the members of Girls5eva.
But it’s also a month filled with some promising-looking premieres, including a true crime drama, a movie featuring creepy Norwegian kids, and an intriguing new comedy featuring two former SNL cast members.
- 5/2/2022
- by Keith Phipps
- Rollingstone.com
True crime has become a defining genre on television these days, moving away from the world of documentary and into prestigious narrative filmmaking. In the wake of successful true crime docs like “The Jinx,” HBO is presenting a big, splashy, star-studded look at a case that has captivated audiences for over a decade. The latest is the A-list HBO Max recreation of the Michael Peterson case that French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade documented in his 2004 miniseries “The Staircase.”
Despite its critical success, “The Staircase” didn’t quite reach the levels of national zeitgeist that “The Jinx”, “Making a Murderer” or “Serial” have in years since. But its fingerprints are all over those shows, not just in terms of access to the accused, but also in the attention to forensic detail, novelistic approach to storytelling, and a central suspect whose guilt or innocence continues to divide viewers. Now, it’s considered...
Despite its critical success, “The Staircase” didn’t quite reach the levels of national zeitgeist that “The Jinx”, “Making a Murderer” or “Serial” have in years since. But its fingerprints are all over those shows, not just in terms of access to the accused, but also in the attention to forensic detail, novelistic approach to storytelling, and a central suspect whose guilt or innocence continues to divide viewers. Now, it’s considered...
- 4/29/2022
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
"The Staircase" is a new true crime drama miniseries, created and written by Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn, based on a 2004 doc series by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette, streaming May 5, 2022 on HBO Max:
"...'Michael Peterson', a crime novelist, is accused of killing his wife after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home..."
Click the images to enlarge....
"...'Michael Peterson', a crime novelist, is accused of killing his wife after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home..."
Click the images to enlarge....
- 4/28/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
True crime folds back in on itself with “The Staircase,” perhaps the only recent, high-profile miniseries to feature a scene where documentarians sit outside a recording booth as musicians work on the mournful score for a true-crime miniseries. Yet “The Staircase,” an eight-episode HBO Max miniseries, isn’t exactly a meta exercise, either. It’s full of tricky, complicated ambiguities that are often riveting and sometimes just baffling. (It’s all the more slippery only having seen the first five episodes provided for review.)
The documentarians making sure the background music strikes those familiar notes of gravitas are a pair of French filmmakers who have taken an interest in the real-life crime drama of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth), an American on trial for the 2001 murder of his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette). Michael claims that he came across his wife’s bloodied body at the foot of a staircase, indicating that...
The documentarians making sure the background music strikes those familiar notes of gravitas are a pair of French filmmakers who have taken an interest in the real-life crime drama of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth), an American on trial for the 2001 murder of his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette). Michael claims that he came across his wife’s bloodied body at the foot of a staircase, indicating that...
- 4/27/2022
- by Jesse Hassenger
- The Wrap
"The Staircase" is a new true crime drama miniseries, created and written by Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn, based on a 2004 doc series by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette, streaming May 5, 2022 on HBO Max:
"...'Michael Peterson', a crime novelist, is accused of killing his wife after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home..."
Click the images to enlarge....
"...'Michael Peterson', a crime novelist, is accused of killing his wife after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home..."
Click the images to enlarge....
- 4/22/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Image Source: HBO Max
A familiar true-crime story is getting a new adaptation. On March 29, HBO Max released the first teaser for the upcoming limited series "The Staircase," which will be about the death of Kathleen Peterson and subsequent confounding murder trial of her husband, Michael Peterson.
The story was previously pursued in 2004 in a French documentary miniseries, directed by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, of the same name. In HBO Max's iteration, the Petersons will be portrayed by Colin Firth and Toni Collette. The full trailer for "The Staircase," released on April 21, shows that the limited series will dig into the investigation of Kathleen's death and Michael's murder trial, and also include mentions of de Lestrade's documentary.
Over the course of eight episodes, the series will explore the mysterious death of Kathleen in Durham, Nc, on Dec. 9, 2001. Michael, a novelist, claimed he found Kathleen unconscious after she fell down the stairs in their home.
A familiar true-crime story is getting a new adaptation. On March 29, HBO Max released the first teaser for the upcoming limited series "The Staircase," which will be about the death of Kathleen Peterson and subsequent confounding murder trial of her husband, Michael Peterson.
The story was previously pursued in 2004 in a French documentary miniseries, directed by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, of the same name. In HBO Max's iteration, the Petersons will be portrayed by Colin Firth and Toni Collette. The full trailer for "The Staircase," released on April 21, shows that the limited series will dig into the investigation of Kathleen's death and Michael's murder trial, and also include mentions of de Lestrade's documentary.
Over the course of eight episodes, the series will explore the mysterious death of Kathleen in Durham, Nc, on Dec. 9, 2001. Michael, a novelist, claimed he found Kathleen unconscious after she fell down the stairs in their home.
- 4/21/2022
- by Kelsey Garcia
- Popsugar.com
Indie filmmaker Antonio Campos, the director behind chilly thrillers “Simon Killer” and “Christine,” returns to the small screen with “The Staircase” on HBO Max The eight-episode narrative limited series is an adaptation of Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s true-crime docuseries of the same name that spanned from 2004 to 2018. The crime series starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette arrives on HBO Max May 5 with three episodes, followed by one episode each week. Overall, the HBO Max Original is eight episodes. Watch the trailer below.
“The Staircase” explores the life of Michael Peterson (Firth), his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson (Collette), who was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in their mansion. Her husband, Marine Corps veteran Michael, was a novelist, newspaper columnist, and mayoral candidate when he was convicted of Kathleen’s murder in 2003.
Starring alongside Firth and Collette is an embarrassment of rich talents: Michael Stuhlbarg,...
“The Staircase” explores the life of Michael Peterson (Firth), his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson (Collette), who was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in their mansion. Her husband, Marine Corps veteran Michael, was a novelist, newspaper columnist, and mayoral candidate when he was convicted of Kathleen’s murder in 2003.
Starring alongside Firth and Collette is an embarrassment of rich talents: Michael Stuhlbarg,...
- 4/21/2022
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
18 years after the release of Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's docuseries "The Staircase," the story of Kathleen Peterson's death is being turned into a scripted series on HBO Max. In March 2021, Variety reported that HBO Max was adapting the case for an eight-part limited drama, also titled "The Staircase." Emmy-winning actor Toni Collette is portraying Kathleen, and Oscar-winning actor Colin Firth is taking on the role of Michael Peterson, Kathleen's husband who was convicted of her murder in 2003.
The show's cast also includes Sophie Turner, Michael Stuhlbarg, Juliette Binoche, Dane DeHaan, Olivia DeJonge, Rosemarie DeWitt, Tim Guinee, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Vincent Vermignon, Odessa Young, and Parker Posey. Antonio Campos's "The Staircase" will explore the life of the Peterson family in North Carolina, the circumstances surrounding Kathleen's suspicious death, and Michael's involvement.
While it's unclear how much of the infamous case the HBO Max series will cover, its teaser trailer, which...
The show's cast also includes Sophie Turner, Michael Stuhlbarg, Juliette Binoche, Dane DeHaan, Olivia DeJonge, Rosemarie DeWitt, Tim Guinee, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Vincent Vermignon, Odessa Young, and Parker Posey. Antonio Campos's "The Staircase" will explore the life of the Peterson family in North Carolina, the circumstances surrounding Kathleen's suspicious death, and Michael's involvement.
While it's unclear how much of the infamous case the HBO Max series will cover, its teaser trailer, which...
- 4/20/2022
- by Grayson Gilcrease
- Popsugar.com
Israeli drama The Lesson has won two prizes in this year’s prestigious Canneseries Longform Competition.
Kan 11’s six-parter featuring Fauda’s Doron Ben-David about Amir, a 43-year-old teacher, and Lian, a 17-year-old student, who engage in an emotional conflict, won Best Series and Best Performance for co-lead Maya Landsman. Federation Entertainment boarded the drama several days ago.
Meanwhile, Canada’s Audrey Est Revenue won the Dior Grand Award, Best Music was awarded to Sky Deutschland’s Souls and Belgium’s Hacked took first prize in Short Form Series.
The prestigious prizes were awarded at a swanky event in Cannes tonight, which sees out the Canneseries drama forum and Mip TV.
Call My Agent! creator Fanny Herrero was President of the Jury which consisted of actors Denis O’Hare, Anne Marivin, Sami Outalbali, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson and Composer Daniel Pemberton. Writer Anthony Horowitz sat on the Short Form Jury.
The...
Kan 11’s six-parter featuring Fauda’s Doron Ben-David about Amir, a 43-year-old teacher, and Lian, a 17-year-old student, who engage in an emotional conflict, won Best Series and Best Performance for co-lead Maya Landsman. Federation Entertainment boarded the drama several days ago.
Meanwhile, Canada’s Audrey Est Revenue won the Dior Grand Award, Best Music was awarded to Sky Deutschland’s Souls and Belgium’s Hacked took first prize in Short Form Series.
The prestigious prizes were awarded at a swanky event in Cannes tonight, which sees out the Canneseries drama forum and Mip TV.
Call My Agent! creator Fanny Herrero was President of the Jury which consisted of actors Denis O’Hare, Anne Marivin, Sami Outalbali, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson and Composer Daniel Pemberton. Writer Anthony Horowitz sat on the Short Form Jury.
The...
- 4/6/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Gaumont, the powerhouse behind “Narcos,” “Lupin” and “Barbarians,” has boarded “Le Prince,” a period mystery thriller series written by Charles den Tex and Paul de Vrijer (“Hunter Street”).
Currently in development, “Le Prince” will be produced by Gaumont, as well as Stories By, a label launched by France TV Distribution, and Dutch producers Paradise Media.
The six-part series will be driven by a strong female character and will be inspired by the true story of the disappearance of Louis le Prince, the inventor of the first ever motion picture camera.
“Le Prince” unfolds in France, in the late 19th century, a few years before the invention of cinema. Le Prince was a French artist who is believed to have been the first person to shoot a moving picture sequence, years before the Lumière brothers and Thomas Edison. Le Prince mysteriously vanished in 1890 shortly before a planned public demonstration of his camera in the U.
Currently in development, “Le Prince” will be produced by Gaumont, as well as Stories By, a label launched by France TV Distribution, and Dutch producers Paradise Media.
The six-part series will be driven by a strong female character and will be inspired by the true story of the disappearance of Louis le Prince, the inventor of the first ever motion picture camera.
“Le Prince” unfolds in France, in the late 19th century, a few years before the invention of cinema. Le Prince was a French artist who is believed to have been the first person to shoot a moving picture sequence, years before the Lumière brothers and Thomas Edison. Le Prince mysteriously vanished in 1890 shortly before a planned public demonstration of his camera in the U.
- 4/6/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Along with its premium scripted lineup, Newen Connect is launching a pair of timely investigative documentaries, “Ukraine” and “Wagner,” which are providing insight into the current war.
Now filming, “Ukraine” is being co-directed by Ksenia Blochakova, the Russia correspondent of the news channel France 24, and Philippe Lagnier, a journalist working at Newen-owned production banner Capa.
“Ukraine” is a one-hour documentary featuring interviews with soldiers, politicians and experts speaking about the Russian offensive. The doc, commissioned by Arte in France and in Germany, is expected to air at the end of April.
Chloé Persyn, who joined Newen Connect last year as head of factual distribution, said “Ukraine” illustrates the banner’s capacity to turn around in-depth documentaries exploring complex geo-political issues in record time.
“Wagner,” co-directed by Blochakova and Alexandra Jousset, sheds light on the Wagner Group, a private Russian military force which is known as Putin’s shadow army.
Now filming, “Ukraine” is being co-directed by Ksenia Blochakova, the Russia correspondent of the news channel France 24, and Philippe Lagnier, a journalist working at Newen-owned production banner Capa.
“Ukraine” is a one-hour documentary featuring interviews with soldiers, politicians and experts speaking about the Russian offensive. The doc, commissioned by Arte in France and in Germany, is expected to air at the end of April.
Chloé Persyn, who joined Newen Connect last year as head of factual distribution, said “Ukraine” illustrates the banner’s capacity to turn around in-depth documentaries exploring complex geo-political issues in record time.
“Wagner,” co-directed by Blochakova and Alexandra Jousset, sheds light on the Wagner Group, a private Russian military force which is known as Putin’s shadow army.
- 4/5/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: In a rare double interview, Sidonie Dumas, CEO of France’s oldest film company Gaumont, and Vice CEO Christophe Riandee, tell us about transforming the storied theatrical business into a major TV player in Europe and beyond.
Gaumont, producer of international shows including Lupin (one of Netflix’s biggest ever hits), Narcos (the streamer’s first global foreign language success), Barbarians and El Presidente, currently has TV outposts in Paris, LA, London, Berlin, Cologne and Rome. The duo discuss corporate growth, their recently announced slate deal with Paramount+ and what is next for their hit franchises.
The company, which continues to produce and distribute movies, is working on four foreign-language series for Paramount+: horror-thriller The Signal led by showrunner François Uzan (Lupin); dystopian thriller Desolate Future from Argentinian filmmaker Lucia Puenzo; German dramedy Anywhere from creator Jana Burbach (Bad Banks); and French thriller Impact from Jean-Xavier de Lestrade...
Gaumont, producer of international shows including Lupin (one of Netflix’s biggest ever hits), Narcos (the streamer’s first global foreign language success), Barbarians and El Presidente, currently has TV outposts in Paris, LA, London, Berlin, Cologne and Rome. The duo discuss corporate growth, their recently announced slate deal with Paramount+ and what is next for their hit franchises.
The company, which continues to produce and distribute movies, is working on four foreign-language series for Paramount+: horror-thriller The Signal led by showrunner François Uzan (Lupin); dystopian thriller Desolate Future from Argentinian filmmaker Lucia Puenzo; German dramedy Anywhere from creator Jana Burbach (Bad Banks); and French thriller Impact from Jean-Xavier de Lestrade...
- 4/5/2022
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Family is all we have in this world, as real-life convicted murderer Michael Peterson (Colin Firth) warns in a new limited series.
The first trailer for HBO Max’s “The Staircase,” which premieres Thursday, May 5, revealed the lengths to which Michael went to avoid investigation for the murder of his wife, Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette).
Based on Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s true crime docuseries of the same name that spanned from 2004 to 2018, limited series “The Staircase” is created by Antonio Campos and follows the events of December 9, 2001 in the Petersons’ Durham, North Carolina home. Kathleen was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in their mansion. Her husband, Marine Corps veteran Michael, was a novelist, newspaper columnist, and mayoral candidate when he was convicted of Kathleen’s murder in 2003.
Prosecutors argued Michael bludgeoned his wife to death; he claimed she fell after consuming alcohol and Valium. However, an autopsy...
The first trailer for HBO Max’s “The Staircase,” which premieres Thursday, May 5, revealed the lengths to which Michael went to avoid investigation for the murder of his wife, Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette).
Based on Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s true crime docuseries of the same name that spanned from 2004 to 2018, limited series “The Staircase” is created by Antonio Campos and follows the events of December 9, 2001 in the Petersons’ Durham, North Carolina home. Kathleen was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in their mansion. Her husband, Marine Corps veteran Michael, was a novelist, newspaper columnist, and mayoral candidate when he was convicted of Kathleen’s murder in 2003.
Prosecutors argued Michael bludgeoned his wife to death; he claimed she fell after consuming alcohol and Valium. However, an autopsy...
- 3/29/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Call My Agent! creator Fanny Herrero has been unveiled as President of this year’s Canneseries Jury.
Herrero will be joined by Anne Marivin – star of the French Netflix sensation – on the six-person Jury, alongside Dallas Buyers Club’s Denis O’Hare, Sex Education’s Sami Outalbali, True Detective’s Ólafur Darri Ólafsson and composer Daniel Pemberton.
The six will judge a prestigious list of Long Form Competition finalists including shows from Academy Award-winners Oliver Hirschbiegel and Jean-Xavier De Lestrade and The Dreamer – Becoming Karen Blixen, along with dramas from Israel, Canada, Spain and Belgium.
The Short Form Competition is being overseen by acclaimed author-screenwriter Anthony Horowitz, French actor-director Marc Ruchmann and Chinenye Ezeudu, another Sex Education star.
Herrero is the creator of Call My Agent!, the critically acclaimed Netflix show that has revolutionized non-English-language progaming on the platform. She spoke at last week’s Series Mania of the show’s success,...
Herrero will be joined by Anne Marivin – star of the French Netflix sensation – on the six-person Jury, alongside Dallas Buyers Club’s Denis O’Hare, Sex Education’s Sami Outalbali, True Detective’s Ólafur Darri Ólafsson and composer Daniel Pemberton.
The six will judge a prestigious list of Long Form Competition finalists including shows from Academy Award-winners Oliver Hirschbiegel and Jean-Xavier De Lestrade and The Dreamer – Becoming Karen Blixen, along with dramas from Israel, Canada, Spain and Belgium.
The Short Form Competition is being overseen by acclaimed author-screenwriter Anthony Horowitz, French actor-director Marc Ruchmann and Chinenye Ezeudu, another Sex Education star.
Herrero is the creator of Call My Agent!, the critically acclaimed Netflix show that has revolutionized non-English-language progaming on the platform. She spoke at last week’s Series Mania of the show’s success,...
- 3/28/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Gaumont’s previous drama hits include Lupin, Narcos, Barbarian and Stillwater.
Paramount+, the global streaming service of Paramount Global, have struck a drama slate partnership with Gaumont, France’s historic film and TV company which has made its mark on the global high-end series scene with shows like Lupin, Narcos, Barbarian and Stillwater.
Under the deal, Gaumont will produce several originals in association with Paramount’s international studio, Vis, as part of Paramount+’s plan to greenlight 50 new international scripted originals in 2022.
“This long-term partnership with the storied and esteemed production company Gaumont is another example of our commitment to...
Paramount+, the global streaming service of Paramount Global, have struck a drama slate partnership with Gaumont, France’s historic film and TV company which has made its mark on the global high-end series scene with shows like Lupin, Narcos, Barbarian and Stillwater.
Under the deal, Gaumont will produce several originals in association with Paramount’s international studio, Vis, as part of Paramount+’s plan to greenlight 50 new international scripted originals in 2022.
“This long-term partnership with the storied and esteemed production company Gaumont is another example of our commitment to...
- 3/24/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Paramount Plus, which is the global streaming service of recently rebranded Paramount — formerly ViacomCBS — has forged a three-year partnership with Gaumont, the storied French studio behind Netflix’s “Lupin” and “Narcos,” to jointly produce a slate of high-end original shows for its growing subscribers around the world.
Under the partnership Gaumont will produce these series in association with Paramount’s international studio, Vis.
The shows will be part of Paramount Plus’s stated plans to green light 50 new non-u.S. scripted originals in 2022, as it expands its reach from Latin America, Australia, Canada and the Nordics –– where the service has already launched –– to the U.K., South Korea, France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy where it will launch this year.
Vis will gain access to Gaumont’s vast network of top talent and creatives in key Paramount Plus markets, including Latin America and Europe, the two companies said in a joint statement.
Under the partnership Gaumont will produce these series in association with Paramount’s international studio, Vis.
The shows will be part of Paramount Plus’s stated plans to green light 50 new non-u.S. scripted originals in 2022, as it expands its reach from Latin America, Australia, Canada and the Nordics –– where the service has already launched –– to the U.K., South Korea, France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy where it will launch this year.
Vis will gain access to Gaumont’s vast network of top talent and creatives in key Paramount Plus markets, including Latin America and Europe, the two companies said in a joint statement.
- 3/24/2022
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Happy Friday International Insiders, Tom Grater here with your weekly round-up of our top international headlines.
Ukraine Crisis Intensifies
Covering conflict: It has been another week of tough news from the embattled nation of Ukraine, with Russia’s military assault on the country intensifying and no sign of a peace accord being reached. Here’s a rundown of our coverage of the conflict over the past five days:
Foreign Affairs Correspondent Hollie McKay was back with another special report for Deadline from on-the-ground. Her interviews with people sheltering from the war in Kyiv, including Ukrainian actor-musician Roman Matsyuta, are powerful.
Bekmambetov speaks: It has been difficult for Russians to speak out against the invasion, particularly since a new censorship law was passed, but some have been able to lodge protests. Russian-Kazakh director Timur Bekmambetov spoke to Deadline from Israel this week, condemning the “tragedy” in Ukraine and announcing he is...
Ukraine Crisis Intensifies
Covering conflict: It has been another week of tough news from the embattled nation of Ukraine, with Russia’s military assault on the country intensifying and no sign of a peace accord being reached. Here’s a rundown of our coverage of the conflict over the past five days:
Foreign Affairs Correspondent Hollie McKay was back with another special report for Deadline from on-the-ground. Her interviews with people sheltering from the war in Kyiv, including Ukrainian actor-musician Roman Matsyuta, are powerful.
Bekmambetov speaks: It has been difficult for Russians to speak out against the invasion, particularly since a new censorship law was passed, but some have been able to lodge protests. Russian-Kazakh director Timur Bekmambetov spoke to Deadline from Israel this week, condemning the “tragedy” in Ukraine and announcing he is...
- 3/11/2022
- by Tom Grater and Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Canneseries 2022 has unveiled its Long Form Competition finalists, with Academy Award winners Oliver Hirschbiegel’s Punishment and Jean-Xavier De Lestrade’s The Inside Game, Seeds of Wrath featuring alongside the likes of Zentropa’s The Dreamer – Becoming Karen Blixen.
Germany is the only nation to have more than one show on the prestigious list (the other being Alex Eslam’s Souls), which also features Canada’s Audrey’s Back, Spain’s El Inmortal, Belgium’s 1985, Norway’s Afterglow, Israel’s The Lesson and Italy’s Bang Bang Baby. The latter, for Amazon Prime Video, is the only one from a global streaming service.
All will be given international premieres and the majority world premieres, with the jury set to be announced in due course.
Unveiling the list to Deadline, Canneseries Artistic Director Albin Lewi described the crop of 10 as showcasing “creativity at its best, reflecting the true diversity of content.
Germany is the only nation to have more than one show on the prestigious list (the other being Alex Eslam’s Souls), which also features Canada’s Audrey’s Back, Spain’s El Inmortal, Belgium’s 1985, Norway’s Afterglow, Israel’s The Lesson and Italy’s Bang Bang Baby. The latter, for Amazon Prime Video, is the only one from a global streaming service.
All will be given international premieres and the majority world premieres, with the jury set to be announced in due course.
Unveiling the list to Deadline, Canneseries Artistic Director Albin Lewi described the crop of 10 as showcasing “creativity at its best, reflecting the true diversity of content.
- 3/8/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Can Mr. Darcy be a murderer?
“The Staircase,” based on Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s docuseries of the same name that spanned from 2004 to 2018, stars Colin Firth as Michael Peterson, who was investigated for the murder of his wife, Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette).
Warner Bros. ordered an eight-episode treatment of the case, now an HBO Max Original limited series debuting in Spring 2022. The limited series is written and executive-produced by showrunners Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn. Campos also directs six of the eight episodes.
Per the official logline, “The Staircase” explores the life of Michael Peterson, his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife.
Kathleen was found in the Peterson’s Durham, North Carolina, mansion at the bottom of the staircase on December 9, 2001. Marine Corps. veteran Michael was a novelist, newspaper columnist, and mayoral candidate when he was convicted of Kathleen’s murder in 2003. Prosecutors argued Michael...
“The Staircase,” based on Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s docuseries of the same name that spanned from 2004 to 2018, stars Colin Firth as Michael Peterson, who was investigated for the murder of his wife, Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette).
Warner Bros. ordered an eight-episode treatment of the case, now an HBO Max Original limited series debuting in Spring 2022. The limited series is written and executive-produced by showrunners Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn. Campos also directs six of the eight episodes.
Per the official logline, “The Staircase” explores the life of Michael Peterson, his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife.
Kathleen was found in the Peterson’s Durham, North Carolina, mansion at the bottom of the staircase on December 9, 2001. Marine Corps. veteran Michael was a novelist, newspaper columnist, and mayoral candidate when he was convicted of Kathleen’s murder in 2003. Prosecutors argued Michael...
- 2/15/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
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