Didier Lupfer, the former CEO of Studiocanal, launched Paris-based production banner The Media Company with a lineup of high-concept movies and series, including “The Quest of Fire” and “Front Row.”
The company is also developing around ten feature films, including “Aspiration” by Russian Michael Idov, co-produced with Artem Vassiliev at Métrafilms, and the thriller “Override”, directed by Dmitry Glukhovsky (“Tekst”).
Lupfer said he was in advanced negotiations with a leading UK marketing agency to gauge the potential of projects for young adults and collaborate on content development for specific niches. “The development phase of each project will be as long as necessary to ensure we can deliver the right content and concepts,” Lupfer said.
“Override” stars an Uber driver who has a nervous breakdown and spirals out of control on the final day.
“Aspiration” will mark the third feature film by Idov, who co-wrote Kirill Serebrennikov in the Cannes “Leto” competition. The film will revolve around the biggest rock band in the world, who arrive at a rural farmhouse to record a new album when the trouble begins.
The Media Company’s list of series includes “The Quest of Fire”, a six-part series loosely based on Joseph Henri Honoré Boex’s book “The Quest of Fire” and set in 100,000 BC in Europe. “It’s a fascinating project and we already have several interested partners,” Lupfer said.
“Front Row” is a drama series that follows a young influencer who enters the fashion world. Delphine De-Canecaude will direct the series, which will take place in Paris, Milan and London. Lupfer said the author was inspired by a young influencer who designed Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl dress.
Lupfer left Studiocanal in 2019 after leading the company for three years. He was previously an independent producer of films such as “Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life” and “The War of the Buttons” by Yann Samuell, and co-founded the film/television division of the video game company Ubisoft, which produced “Assassin’s Creed”. and the toon TV franchise “Raving Rabbids”, among other titles.
