Last week, Arte boarded the Icelandic show Reykjavik Fusion. The series is being produced by ACT4, a new local outfit launched by Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (True Detective), Hörður Rúnarsson (Black Sands [+lire aussi :
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fiche série]), Jónas Margeir Ingólfsson (The Minister) and Birkir Blær Ingólfsson (Thin Ice). The news was first reported by Variety.

In detail, Arte has secured the rights for France and German-speaking territories, whilst Iceland’s Stöð 2 (Channel 2/SÝN) has commissioned it in Iceland.

The 6x52-minute show tells the story of a talented chef who attempts to clear his name and win back his family after his wrongful imprisonment. As society turns its back on the ex-convict, his last resort is to accept dirty money to set up a fine-dining restaurant and run a money-laundering operation to pay it back – not only putting his parole in jeopardy, but also his own life and those of the ones he loves.

Rúnarsson is the series’ creator, and he co-wrote it with Ingólfsson. Principal photography is slated to commence in late summer. Wild Sheep Content, led by former Netflix head of International Erik Barmack, is in charge of the project’s international distribution.

Virginie Padilla, Arte’s commissioning editor, described Reykjavik Fusion as a “bright Icelandic series amidst the setting of a summer in Reykjavik”. The new production was presented by Padilla during the Arte showcase at Lille’s Series Mania Festival last Thursday. At the same event, Arte also presented A Life’s Worth, set during the 1990s Bosnian War, and produced with Yellow Bird (a Banijay Nordic company) and Viaplay Content (see the news).