Media and entertainment powerhouse, Banijay Entertainment, today announces Authentic Prod, part of Banijay France, is developing an eight-part historical series Lady Liberté, and has started filming a two-part limited contemporary drama À La Vie (To Life) for TF1 distributed by Banijay Rights.

Created by Marion Festraëts and Arnaud Malherbe, Lady Liberté unfolds in 1880s Paris, during the monumental construction of the Statue of Liberty. Two opposing destinies collide when Mina, a young Black American woman searching for her roots, and Félix, an orphan who escaped prison and is driven by revenge cross paths. As dark forces threaten the ideals the statue represents, they unite in a fight for freedom, defying social barriers and conventions through a love that transcends all rules.

Alongside this epic historical drama, À La Vie is a powerful contemporary story written by Sylvie Audcoeur and Martyne Visciano with Louis Choquette (Montmartre) directing. It follows Fabienne, a maternity ward director forced to confront her alcoholism after a drink-driving accident. At Alcoholics Anonymous, she meets Manon, grieving the loss of her son, and Lucas, a young surfer in denial about his own addiction. These three lives collide on a raw and emotional journey toward redemption.

Aline Panel, CEO Authentic Prod says: “Our ambition at Authentic Prod is to build a slate of premium, authentic and emotionally engaging dramas. Following the success of Montmartre for TF1, we are proud to bring two new developments. With Lady Liberté, we will take audiences to the heart of an unprecedented technological challenge led by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and Gustave Eiffel. Blending sweeping romance with historical thriller, an extraordinary love story becomes a symbol of emancipation. With À La Vie, we wanted to explore how solidarity and shared experiences can help individuals find their way back to life.”

Marion Festraëts and Arnaud Malherbe, writers: “In 1880, France gifted the United States the Statue of Liberty, an incredible monument in both scale and symbolism, celebrating the shared values of two nations. A century and a half later, on both sides of the Atlantic, liberty, republican ideals and democracy are under threat. The story we want to tell speaks to both past and present, through two characters divided by class, nationality, culture and race, yet bound by a love that defies prejudice. A bold, epic and deeply modern series, it takes us behind Bartholdi’s audacious dream, to make Liberty an eternal, universal icon.”

Acquired by Banijay France in 2023, Authentic Prod, led by Aline Panel, has delivered hits like Sam, Le Temps est assassin, and Je te promets, the French adaptation of This Is Us (orginally produced by 20^th Televisions). More recently, they produced Montmartre and L’Or Bleu. A key player in the French and international market, the company specialises in high-quality emotionally engaging storytelling, often exploring themes of family, identity, and resilience.