Penelope Bagieu’s daringly feminist graphic novel “Brazen” (“Culottées”) which portrays bold and rebellious women around the world, is being turned into an animated TV series by a pair of French production banners, Agat films & Cie and Silex Films.
Developed into 30 episodes of three minutes each, “Brazen” will explore the lives of 30 women such as Nellie Bly, Mae Jemison, Josephine Baker and Naziq al-Abid.
“Through these portraits, we’ll chart the battles and achievements of these women who have gone mostly unnoticed even though they deserve to be hailed as heroes and role models,” said Judith Nora, producer and co-founder of Silex Films with Priscilla Bertin and Elisa Larrière.
“Our aim is to create mini-biopics which will be playful, funny, moving and engaging enough to interest multiple demos,” added Nora, who is attending Annecy Animation Film Festival with her partners to pitch “Brazen.”
Sarah Saidan, an Iranian filmmaker who studied at France’s prestigious animation school La Poudriere, is on board to direct the series that will air on Gaul’s public broadcaster France Televisions.
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“Brazen,” which boasts two books, has been highly successful in France where it sold 200,000 units. The novel will be published by First Second Books in the U.S. on March 6th 2018, in time for the International Women’s Day, under the title “Brazen: Rebel Women Who Rocked the World.”
Fully endorsed by Bagieu, the project was originated by Arnaud Colinart, the head of new media at Agat Films & Cie, who reached out to Silex Films to co-develop and co-produce the project.
Silex Films is also creating the animation in its own studio which was used for “Adventurers of Modern Art,” a critically-acclaimed documentary series based on Dan Franck’s literary trilogy “Bohemian Paris”, “Libertad!” and “Midnight” which was hit on Arte and sold to more than 30 countries.
On top of “Brazen,” Silex Films is currently developing a spinoff series of “Adventurers of Modern Art” that will be fully animated and will comprise four episodes dedicated to the romanticism art and literary movement.
A company powered by three women (Bertin, Larrière and Nora), Silex Films is also well-known for having produced the short-format comedy series “Connasse” starring Camille Cottin (“Call My Agent!) who went on to become one of France’s top actresses.
