CANNESERIES 2022: we saw a German series between Lost and The OA and a Norwegian series…

Souls (Competition)

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Large-scale German series, souls is a choral series that plays with notions of temporality and spirituality. Borrowing a little from Lost to weave the backdrop of its plot with the crash of a plane and the disappearance of the passengers, this German drama also approaches the spirit of the late The OA or Sense8 for its questions about faith, the supernatural and the connection between souls.

When 14-year-old Jacob claims he had a past life as Leo, the pilot of a missing plane, his conviction will turn the lives of three women upside down: his own mother, who escaped an accident, Linn, a 25-year-old Berliner enlisted in a sect believing in life after death, and Allie, a pregnant pathologist and wife of the famous Leo, an airplane pilot, whose take-off she tries to prevent. Jacob becomes a decisive element for the turn of events, mixed between past and present.

Souls is one of those high concept series, which always takes the risk of tripping over the carpet with script knots. If its beginnings are rather convincing, especially for the part which concerns Allie, it will be necessary to wait to see the continuation to know if the series holds the road on the scenario and the rhythm. Still, this German drama by Alex Eslam keeps all its promises in terms of form with a stunning visual atmosphere and impressive technical means.

Parliament season 2 (Rendezvous in Cannes)

© France Télévisions – Cinétévé – Benoît Linder

First original creation of the france.tv platform, Parliament is a jubilant and instructive political comedy that finally returns for a second season. We find with pleasure Samy, this young parliamentary assistant who is slowly but surely starting to find a place for himself in Brussels. After participating in the vote on an amendment against fishing and the trade in shark fins and being thrown out by his former parliamentarian, Samy will become the assistant of an ambitious new elected representative in Parliament.

But this new beginning is compromised by many obstacles, such as a brainy intern who surpasses him, a hot new Spanish girlfriend and his former flame Rose, returned from California and now mediocre lobbyist. With these new twists, Parliament continues to be an intelligent satire that uses and abuses the absurd and humor to finely criticize European institutions and political conflicts.

This second season of Parliament, still carried by a talented cast navigating between languages, is a continuation of the first batch of episodes to tell the workings of modern political life in a funny and piquant way. Xavier Lacaille always excels in the skin of Samy, who juggles between his professional life and his personal life, whose issues are sometimes closely linked.

Afterglow (Competition)

Monster

Last series in competition, Afterglow is one of those solar works that restore your faith in humanity. Its co-creator and director Atle Knudsen drew on his own personal experiences to tell a story that was close to his heart and pays homage to his wife. Afterglow follows how Ester’s life changes the day she learns she has cancer.

Her illness will profoundly affect her husband, her children and her friends, who will question their lives and their relationship to death. Even if he falters, the entourage of Ester (Nina Ellen Ødegård sparkling) remains present for her as she is loved and important to many people. The Norwegian series seduces for its overflowing energy and humanity despite the dramatic subjects tackled without detour or taboo but with intelligence and benevolence, and for all its endearing cast.