Maison Close
GenrePeriod drama
Created byJacques Ouaniche
Developed byMabrouk El Mechri
Creative directorPaulo Routier
StarringAnne Charrier
Valérie Karsenti
Jemima West
Catherine Hosmalin
Clémence Bretécher
Deborah Grall
Blandine Bellavoir
ComposerGast Waltzing
Alain Pewzner
Country of originFrance
Original languageFrench
No. of series2
No. of episodes16
Production
ProducerJacques Ouaniche
Grégory Ouaniche
Adrian Politowski
Gilles Waterkeyn
Production locationLisbon (Portugal)
CinematographyPierre-Yves Bastard
EditorKako Kelber
Running time52-55 minutes (season 1)
45-53 minutes (season 2)
Production companyNoé Productions
Canal+
Original release
NetworkCanal+
ReleaseOctober 4, 2010 (2010-10-04) –
February 25, 2013 (2013-02-25)

Maison Close is a French television series which premiered on Canal+ on October 4, 2010. The series was developed by Mabrouk El Mechri and is based on a concept created by Jacques Ouaniche. It is a drama set in a nineteenth-century Parisian brothel.

On December 7, 2010, Canal + renewed Maison Close for a second season which premiered on February 4, 2013. But in May 2013, the series had been cancelled by Canal+ after the second season, following a decline in ratings.

Premise

Paris, 1871. In Le Paradis, a luxury brothel, three women try to escape from their troublesome circumstances. Vera is 35 years old, the end of her career as a prostitute drawing nearer. She puts all her hopes on her main client, the only one rich enough to redeem her debt. Hortense is the madam of Le Paradis. She must hold on to her girls whilst dealing with an extortionist from the Parisian suburbs. Rose arrives in search of her mother, a former prostitute. She is trapped with a pimp and forcibly conscripted into Le Paradis.

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Season 1
Season 2

Episodes

Season 1 (2010)

The first season premiered on Canal+ on October 4, 2010. The season finale aired on October 25, 2010.

Season 2 (2013)

The second season premiered on Canal+ on February 4, 2013. The season finale aired on February 25, 2013.

Production and development

Jacques Ouaniche imagined the series in 2007, taking as a starting point a "trapped young girl forced to prostitute in a nineteenth century Parisian brothel".[1]

Production of the first season began on October, 2009 and ended on January, 2010 in Lisbon, Portugal.[2]

On December 7, 2010, Canal + renewed Maison Close for a second season to consist of 8 episodes. Production of the second season began on January, 2012 and ended on May, 2012 in Lisbon, Portugal.[3]

In May 2013, the series had been cancelled by Canal+ after the second season, following a decline in ratings.[4]

Home media release

Adaptations

On November 9, 2012, it was revealed that an English-language adaptation was in development and that HBO and Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson's Leverage would develop the project. The remake should be identical to the original version except for the cast and the language.[5] Although the project has not been canceled, HBO no longer communicates about it since the announcement.

References

  1. ^ "Maison Close ouvre ses portes". Allociné.fr. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  2. ^ "Maison Close ouvre ses portes". Allociné.fr. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  3. ^ "Maison Close saison 2 : c'est parti !". Premiere.fr. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  4. ^ "Maison Close ferme ses portes définitivement, pas de saison 3 pour la série de Canal". Premiere.fr. Archived from the original on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  5. ^ Elsa Keslassy (9 November 2012). "HBO nabs remake rights to Maison Close". Variety.com. Retrieved 9 November 2012.

External links

Categories