Hulu, European Alliance, A+E Media Group partner on The Kollective
January 31, 2024
The Kollective (6 x 60’) has begun production and today announces its cast. Produced by Submarine (Undone; Apollo 10 ½, Bellingcat: Truth in a Post-Truth World) and created by Leonardo Fasoli (Gomorrah, ZeroZeroZero), Maddalena Ravagli (Gomorrah) and Submarine’s Femke Wolting, the series is commissioned by The European Alliance and will be distributed worldwide by A+E Media Group.
Taking audiences around the world from Budapest to St. Petersburg to London, The Kollective is a thriller about a group of intrepid young citizen journalists who, after a sudden tragedy, find themselves sucked into a globe-spanning web of government lies and corruption. Through a dangerous international investigation, the group exposes nefarious activities of rogue governments and discovers the human price of keeping truth alive.
The European Alliance, including France Télévisions, Rai Fiction (Italy), and ZDF (Germany), and Hulu (U.S.) will premiere the series in 2025. Videoland will premiere the series in the Netherlands.
The Kollective is directed by lead director and EP Assaf Bernstein (Fauda, Warrior) and Randa Chahoud (The Interpreter of Silence, Deutschland 89). The series boasts a star-studded international cast including Natascha McElhone (Ronan, Califonication, The Truman Show, The Crown) Celine Buckens (Showtrial, The Ex-Wife, War Horse), Felix Mayr (Unorthodox), Gregg Sulkin (World on Fire, Marvel’s Runaways), Grégory Montel (Call my Agent, Transatlantic), Karel Roden (A Spy Amongst Friends, Bourne Supremacy), Cassiopée Mayance (Antigang La relève, The Clearstream Affair, La Mante), Martha Canga Antonio (Lupin) and Ralph Amoussou (Transatlantic, Marianne).
The series is written by Leonardo Fasoli and Maddalena Ravagli. Furthermore, in the creative team is writer and co-EP Ed Hemming, lead DOP Robrecht Heyvaert (Bad Boys For Life, Snowfall, Rebel), Lennert Hillige (The Forgotten Battle) and acclaimed designer Alexei Tylevich (Ant-Man and the Wasp, Calls) who is designing the on-screen investigations of The Kollective.
The series is executive produced by Submarine’s Femke Wolting. For A+E Media Group, the executive producers are Patrick Vien, Alexandra Finlay, and Hannah Dal Pozzo. For Rai Fiction (Italy), the executive producers are Andreana Saint Amour and Andrea Ozza. For ZDF, the executive producers are Frank Seyberth and Laura Mae Harding. For France Télévisions, the executive producers are Manuel Alduy, Morad Koufane and Pascale Deschamps.
Femke Wolting, EP of The Kollective and co-CEO of Submarine, says “We made this series to highlight the bravery of the individuals who will do everything in their power to protect each other and the society around them, even in a time of political turmoil. With a fantastic creative team and cast to match, this series is equal parts thrilling, entertaining, and driving important conversations.”
Leonardo Fasoli, creator and writer, added: “We love investigating what is happening in the world around us and tackling difficult questions through our work. We feel like the battle for truth against fake news is the battle of our time, it’s a fight for the millennial generation.
Director and EP Assaf Bernstein, “I’m honoured to be a part of The Kollective, an exciting geo-political thriller as well as a cry for activism in our post-truth world.”
Said Patrick Vien, Group Managing Director, A+E International, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Submarine and The European Alliance on The Kollective. We are also delighted that Hulu will air the series exclusively in the United States. This nuanced, action-packed story is a perfect representation of A+E’s commitment to create impactful stories with resonant contemporary themes that captivate global audiences.”
Said The European Alliance (France Télévisions, RAI Fiction & ZDF): “As a group of European Public Broadcasters, the European Alliance wishes to offer to our viewers programmes which are at the same time demanding and entertaining. The Kollective is a highly thrilling and captivating series that addresses a reality that all countries face nowadays: When intentionally deceptive news go viral, influence millions and could threat democracies. France Télévisions, RAI and ZDF hope the public will embrace the journey of our six young heroes as they fight this reality and discover that fighting for truth may have a heavy price.”
Since 2018, The European Alliance has co-produced 10 series (80 Days around The World, Leonardo, The Swarm, among others). The European Alliance was launched by France Télévisions, RAI and ZDF in 2018 as a European production pool whose aim was to co-produce innovative, qualitative and ambitious TV series for viewers in Europe and around the world.
The series is financially supported by Creative Europe, Eurimages, Netherlands Film Fund.