Netflix: justice decides on the fate of the film Sous la Seine

This is one of the biggest hits of 2024 on Netflix: Under the Seine. It must be said that the plot is topical; &àgrave; the approach of the Olympic Games and the controversy surrounding cleanliness. of the Parisian river to host future aquatic events of the international sporting event. Realized by Xavier Gens, the production had already been completed. created the controversy even before its broadcast on the platform due to an accusation of plagiarism. Justice has just ruled which allows Netflix knows what to do with this movie.

Under the Seine, the French hit on Netflix

It was on June 6 that the film by Xavier Gens entitled; Under the Seine with Bérénice B&eac;jo at the poster was released on Netflix. The production is a real success for the platform becauseit generated revenue. 84 million views. If the film managed to achieve to climb into the Top 5 of the most viewed non-English films in the history of Netflix, it found itself in at the heart of a controversy even before its release.

Indeed, in this feature film in which Bérénice Béjot shares the poster with Nassim Lyes, a mako shark wandering in the Seine is reported. by Mika a young environmental activist at a scientist named Sophia. The two women will team up with Adil, the commander of the river police, to avoid disaster as Paris prepares to collapse. host the triathlon world championships in the Seine.

< p>Even before its broadcast on Netflix and elsewhere; reading the synopsis, the director Vincent Dietschy had wanted to cancel the release of the production by accusing Netflix of “parasitism”. This term is close to plagiarism but legally, it is less serious because “it does not constitute counterfeiting“. Here we are more in unfair competition because a first actor uses the ideas of the first for its own ends.

Netflix can continue broadcast Under the Seine … for now

The director of the project Silure filed in 2012 had recorded 135 similarities between its story and that offered by Netflix. The case therefore ended up in court between him and Netflix France. Justice has just ruled: Sous la Seine will be able to continue; be broadcast on the streaming platform.

The courtjudged the request of the filmmaker “irreceivable“ because Vincent Dietschy and his co-writer Emily Barnett tackle Netflix France and not at the European headquarters of the service located in in the Netherlands. The verdict specifies that the company Netflix France “is not the operator, publisher, nor host of the Netflix platform which appears to be the company Netflix International BV”. The filmmaker will initiate summary proceedings. by subpoenaing Netflix Netherlands. However, there remains another procedure in progress, this time against the producers of Sous la Seine on which the courts have not yet ruled.

In the meantime, a sequel to Sous la Seine could see the light of day with this improbable scenario.