24 25 Films behind multi-partner title depicting Taliban takeover in Afghanistan
The UK’s BBC has acquired a European Alliance tentpole drama depicting the fallout of the 2021 withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan.
Six-part Kabul is produced by France’s 24 25 Films and Cinétévé, in collaboration with the Alliance, for which it aired on PSBs France Télévisions, ZDF in Germany, NPO in the Netherlands, VRT in Belgium and Nordic quintet DR, YLE, RUV, SVT and NRK.
The drama focuses on a family which is forced to flee after the US forces withdraw and the Taliban enters the city of Kabul. It reveals how French police officers, Italian diplomats, German military personnel, and American intelligence services were forced to coordinate to manage the influx of civilians.
Kabul, which was made with a €20m (£17m) budget, was co-produced across 11 countries with multiple languages on set.
The international cast includes Darina Al Joundi (The New Look), Shervin Alenabi (Tehran), Vassilis Koukalani (Kandahar), Hannah Abdoh, Jonathan Zaccaï (Le bureau des legends), Gianmarco Saurino (L’estate piu Calda), Jeanne Goursaud (Pax Massilia) and Eric Dane (Euphoria).
Kabul was selected as a London Screenings Hot Pick last year ahead of its world premiere at the Series Mania festival in France and its TV debut on France 2.
The series is distributed by Mediawan Rights. It will be available on iPlayer from 2 August and will air on BBC4 at 9pm on 15 August.
The directors are Kasia Adamik (No Escape) and Olga Chajdas (Imago) and the writers are Olivier Demangel (Class Act), Thomas Finkielkraut (Baron Noir) and Joey Lavy (The Shift).
The series was produced by Fabienne Servan-Schreiber and Charlotte Ortiz at Cinétévé, Matthias Weber and Thibault Gast at 24 25 Films, and executive produced by Sandrine Paquot.
Head of BBC programme acquisition Nick Lee said: “Kabul is a tragedy of the highest stakes. A warzone story which is propelled by the real ticking clock of the evacuation that was just five years ago this summer.
“Global politics remain complex, but Kabul dramatises the biggest view of history through the smallest window of a human family.”
Senior vice-president of UK & Scandinavia sales and co-productions at Mediawan Rights Robyn Hurd added: “Kabul is a powerful and deeply human story, brought to life by an exceptional creative team, set against events that continue to resonate on the world stage.
“It’s exactly the kind of ambitious, distinctive storytelling we’re proud to represent.”
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