Oble has partnered with Box Productions and Entre Chien et Loup to distribute the much-anticipated series The Firebrands (aka Les Indociles). The five-part (5 x 52) character driven drama has been adapted from Camille Rebetez and Pitch Comment’s celebrated Swiss graphic novel saga of the same name and has been commissioned by RTS where it will debut in 2023.
The drama begins in the early 1970’s in the Swiss countryside where friends Lulu (Marinel Mittempergher /Thomas Blanchard), Chiara (Fotinì Peluso/Maya Sansa) and Joe (Arcadi Radeff/Thibaut Evrard) are on the brink of adulthood. They share a dream, to build a world of freedom and equality, where no one is left behind. As the hippie wave ignites a part of the youth and hard drugs find their way to their conservative village, the trio witness the damages of excesses and addiction.
Directed by Delphine Lehericey (The Last Dance, Beyond The Horizon, PuppyLove) and co-written by originator Camille Rebetez alongside Joanne Giger, Aurélie Champagne and Olivier Volpi, The Firebrands follows Lulu, Chiara and Joe throughout the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s from youthful rebellion, passionate idealism and wide-eyed wonder to adulthood when they shatter old ways of thinking and living to erect new ones, put their dreams into action and build a pioneering shelter for drug addicts.
To complement and complete The Firebrands series, Box Productions and RTS also co-produced a 52’ documentary, Addictions. Addictions examines the drugs crisis in Switzerland that inspired The Firebrands, and the country’s subsequent innovative and radical drugs policy, which is now internationally recognised and widely implemented. Switzerland’s “four pillar model” - prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and law enforcement - has been credited with reducing the country’s overdose deaths by 50%, and new heroin users by 80% between 1991-2010.
“Oble is delighted to partner with Box Productions to introduce Joe, Lulu and Chiara to a global audience. In the hands of Delphine Lehericey, The Firebrands shimmers with life on the screen. Through the eyes of each character we experience crucial social changes in three decades that have shaped the world today, particularly the consequences of addiction not just for the individual but for their community, friends and family, and the importance of holding on to your dreams.” said Katia Sol, co-founder, Oble.
“Every generation feels that they’ve invented youth, but The Firebrands is much much more than a coming-of-age story, it’s a touching, funny, moving saga that celebrates universal themes of friendship, history, family and home – It was a pleasure to bring these brilliant graphic novels to the screen.” said Elena Tatti, Box Productions.
Related articles: C21, Variety, Ecran Total