TF1 and Netflix have teamed on “Jackdaws” (“Le reseau corneille”), a premium WWII drama based on Ken Follett‘s novel and starring Laetitia Casta.
The six-part event series was created and co-written by Camille Treiner (“Women at War”). Thomas Saignes and Raphaël Rocher at Paris-based Empreinte Digitale (“Alter Ego”) are producing with Stéphanie Germain Productions.
Set in May 1944, just days before the D-Day landings, “Jackdaws” tells the story of Elisabeth “Betty” Clairet (Casta), a widowed mother who is tasked with assembling an unlikely commando of five civilian women to carry out a near-impossible mission: infiltrate an impenetrable château housing a key German communications hub and destroy it before the Normandy landings by the Allies.
With only a week to prepare, the women must cross occupied territory, assume false identities and infiltrate the heavily guarded fortress by posing as cleaning staff to sabotage the underground communications network.
The series reunites TF1 and Netflix with Treiner, rolling off “Women at War,” another female-led series starring Audrey Fleurot (“HPI”) and set during WWI. Treiner co-wrote “Jackdaws” with Matthieu Missoffe (“Syndrome E”) and Chloé Marçais (“Les Bracelets Rouges”), and is directed by Mona Bauer (“Little Girl Blue”).
“Like many of Ken Follett’s historical novels, this one is built around a fictionalized but closely real episode of history,” Saignes tells Variety. “This is the story of five ordinary civilian women whose lives are completely upended. What starts as helping a wounded British soldier quickly turns into something much bigger — they have no choice but to become resistance fighters themselves.”
Saignes says he started developing the series three years ago after being presented Ken Follett’s novel by CAA. “This page-turning adventure immediately stood out as something we could adapt into a major series anchored by five remarkable women,” he said.
Filming began in early May and will run through the end of July across Paris, the Île-de-France region, Val d’Oise and Normandy, with château locations and meticulous period production design.
“Jackdaws” was supported early on at TF1 by Anne Didier and Stéphane Eveillard, and was boarded at a later stage by Netflix. The streamer and TF1 will kick off their new distribution partnership this summer.
Alongside Casta, the ensemble cast includes Mathilde Seigner, Lina El Arabi and Michaël Youn, as well as Bérangère McNeese, Nelligan, Jean Schatz, Leander Vyvey, Florian Lesieur, Jakob Diehl and Alexandre Brasseur. Stéphane de Groodt also appears, while Jochen Hägele plays the ruthless Nazi officer Dieter Frank.
Fédération Studios is handling international sales. Stéphanie Germain is executive producing. Backers include the île de France andNormandie regions, as well as Belgium’s Be Films as co-producers. Follett is repped by CAA.
“Jackdaws” underscores Empreinte Digitale’s growing footprint in the premium international space. The company is currently juggling multiple projects, including “La Pilote,” a rally-driver drama starring Ana Girardot for France Télévisions and HBO, as well as a series in the works for Prime Video. Saignes’ recent production credits include the crime show “Alter Ego” starring Eric Cantona, as well as the thriller series “Intraçables” which landed in the Top 10 on Prime Video, alongside global hits like “The Boys” and “Jack Ryan” and will be broadcast on TF1 this fall.
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