Netflix To Launch Third European HQ In Paris, Unveils 7 French Series And Films

Netflix has opened doors on a brand new Paris headquarters — a somewhat conciliatory move given the streamer’s past skirmishes with France’s Cannes Film Festival as well as the nation’s strict theatrical windowing rules and other entertainment industry regulations.

In Europe, Netflix also has offices in Amsterdam and London, as well as a production hub in Madrid. The company previously had a small office in Paris, which shuttered in 2016 as the streamer reportedly sought a nation with better tax laws, per Deadline. In Paris, CEO Reed Hastings said that the company would pay 2% tax on its annual revenues in France. The new Paris office will house 20 employees across production, acquisitions, and marketing.

In 2017, Netflix films were booed at Cannes due to the fact that the company opted not to distribute in theaters, amid protests from France’s National Federation Of French Cinemas. At this year’s festival, Netflix opted not to attend after it was decided that its films would not be eligible for any awards. Today, Netflix counts 3.5 million subscribers in France.

At the same time as it launched the new offices, Netflix unveiled three new French TV series and four upcoming films. Family Business is a half-cour comedy about a butcher who transforms his storefront into France’s first coffee shop, while Marianne is about a young novelist whose terrifying characters might also be living in the real world. Vampires is about a rebellious teenage girl who is becoming a vampire.

On the film front, Netflix has acquired a coming-of-age story titled Banlieusards, as well as La Grande Classe, which is about two best friends seeking revenge on their former bullies at a high school reunion. Two documentaries include Feature Doc Solidarite, about five men and women who are symbols of resilience, and Paris Est Une Fete, which is a French love story shot over three years in the streets of Paris.