Lagardère sails off with Troubled Waters

Troubled Waters follows a homicide investigation in a small mining town

MIPCOM: Lagardère Studios Distribution has picked up the international rights to Canadian crime series Troubled Waters.

Lagardère will shop the 4×45’ series, produced by Productions Bliktv and KOTV for Radio-Canada, at Mipcom Online+ this week after signing a deal with CBC & Radio-Canada Distribution.

Described as a show with a distinct Nordic noir flair, Troubled Waters follows troubled detective Marianne Desbiens, who is thrown into a homicide investigation when an Indigenous woman is found murdered on the edge of a small mining town, leading to revelations that send shockwaves through the community.

Directed by Lyne Charlebois (Borderline), the cast includes Hélène Florent (Unité 9), Gabriel Sabourin and Patrick Drolet. The series is written by Franco-Ontarian writer Marie-Thé Morin and was nominated for Best Scripted Format at this year’s C21 Format Awards.

“We were completely won over by this crime miniseries filmed in Ontario, by its realism and high quality,” said Emmanuelle Bouilhaguet, MD of Lagardère Studios Distribution.

Mia Desroches, director of content distribution partnerships at CBC & Radio-Canada Distribution, said the deal “will allow the series to travel beyond our borders and without doubt seduce audiences all over the world.”

Troubled Waters is the latest Canadian series picked up by French distributor Lagardère, following its acquisition of Pixcom-produced Le Monstre.