French fiction was in the spotlight a few days ago during the prestigious International Emmy Awards ceremony, which rewards each year the best television productions outside the United States.
Nominated in the best drama series category, the Franco-Japanese mini-series “Les Gouttes de Dieu” won an award this Monday, November 25 in New York, winning ahead of the Australian series “The Newsreader”, the Indian remake of “The Night Manager” and the Argentinian series “Iosi, The Regretful Spy.
“A great honor, a great pride, a great joy”
“It’s incredible. A great honor, a great pride, a great joy,” reacted Fleur Geffrier, who plays one of the two main roles, in comments relayed by our colleagues from AFP.
French creation was also well represented, since three other French programs were nominated during this 52nd edition of the International Emmy Awards: “HPI” (TF1), in the best comedy category, Sara Giraudeau for her role in “Tout va bien » (Disney+), and “Laurent Lafitte” for his interpretation of Bernard Tapie in “Tapie” (Netflix). Unfortunately, they left empty-handed.
Based on a manga that has sold 15 million copies worldwide
Taken from the 44 volumes of the manga written by Tadashi Agi and illustrated by Shu Okimoto, which have sold more than 15 million copies worldwide since 2008 (1.5 million in France), “Les Gouttes de Dieu” is a fiction in eight episodes created by Quoc Dang Tran and directed by Oded Ruskin.
The mini-series follows Camille (Fleur Geffrier), a Parisian whose father, an oenologist and author of a renowned wine guide, has just died in Japan. Upon reading her will, the woman who cannot stand alcohol discovers that she must face Issei Tomine (Tomohisa Yamashita), student and “spiritual son” of the deceased, during three wine-related tests, to inherit her collection of great wines.
It was broadcast on Apple TV+ in 2023, then France Télévisions in 2024.
Part of the series filmed in a Vaucluse area
If part of the plot takes place in Japan, several sequences were filmed in Vaucluse. The Château de Beaucastel, the Perrin family estate in Courthézon, actually serves as a setting. We actually went there during filming in September 2021.
“It was a lot of machinery and a team of 70 people for six weeks at the time of the harvest and with a castle under construction,” Charles Perrin, co-owner of the Château de Beaucastel, told us.
Critical and popular success, “Les Gouttes de Dieu”, will return soon for a second season. Although no release date is known yet.
France
