You no longer have to wait a week to watch the latest episode of Les 100 lieux qu’il faut voir, a travel show exploring the most unique places in France, or Habille-nous, Africa, which focuses on upcoming African stylists and fashion designers. This is the service offered by the new TV5MONDE platform, which launched in the United States at the end of August. Get ready for full-on Francophone binge-watching!
“TV5MONDEplus gives viewers the chance to access our shows, movies, and documentaries, and watch them whenever they like,” says Patrice Courtaban, Chief Operating Officer for TV5MONDE in the United States. “The channel’s line-up is both dense and varied; we broadcast more than 7,000 hours of new programs every year. It would be difficult for our viewers to watch them all!” This is the advantage offered by a streaming platform in an age of mobile, on-demand television.
The latest season of the documentary show Rendez-vous d’Amérique, the first season of Aux animaux la guerre, adapted from Nicolas Mathieu’s eponymous novel, and 75 episodes of Épicerie fine, the cooking show hosted by Michelin-starred chef Guy Martin, are now available to watch. And don’t forget the flagship productions released this fall, including an exclusive interview with the highly private Alain Delon and the documentary Jean-Paul Belmondo, l’enfant terrible about the career of the acclaimed actor and star of Breathless and Pierrot le Fou, who passed away on September 6.
Showcasing “Everything Francophone TV Has to Offer”
According to Patrice Courtaban, TV5MONDEplus is “a real Francophone project,” just like its parent company. Mentioned by Emmanuel Macron in 2018 during his speech at the Francophonie Summit in Erevan, Armenia, the platform brings together French-language programs from TV5MONDE’s partner countries, including France (via France Télévisions), Quebec (Société Radio-Canada, Télé-Québec, and TV5 Québec Canada), Belgium (Radio Télévision Belge Francophone), and Switzerland (Radio Télévision Suisse).
The successful Swiss crime series Wilder and the Quebecer production Mirador, which immerses viewers in the merciless world of a public relations firm, are also part of the line-up. Meanwhile, Les nouveaux vétérinaires follows three young graduates in the Swiss cantons of Fribourg and Vaud, and the documentary Une odyssée africaine portrays the life of Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo, who received her fourth Grammy Award in January 2020.
Movie buffs will also be delighted with Erotissimo starring Annie Girardot and Jean Yanne, the scandalous Year of the Jellyfish, and the comedy-drama Father and Sons, with Vincent Lacoste and Benoît Poelvoorde, which are among this week’s most popular films. A “Top 10” section and a suggestion feature help subscribers choose what to watch, and all shows have subtitles in seven languages including English and French.
TV5MONDEplus membership is included in the channel subscription. “But for those who don’t have cable television, the platform can be accessed via Sling TV starting at 15 dollars per month,” says Patrice Courtaban. An app is also being developed for Android TV and LG and Samsung televisions. “In the hyper-competitive TV sector,” says the TV5MONDE director in the United States, “we want to offer our subscribers as much added value as possible through this comprehensive streaming service.”
