Sabine de Mardt, head of Gaumont's German division, discussed the recent Netflix spy drama 'Unfamiliar' in an interview, highlighting its filming at the German intelligence headquarters and family-themed plot. She also shared details on reboots of 'Heidi' and 'The Wandering Harlot'. The conversation touched on challenges in the German TV production landscape.
Netflix's German-language series 'Unfamiliar' premiered last week and has quickly become the streamer's top non-English show. The six-episode drama follows former agents Meret and Simon Schäfer, portrayed by Susanne Wolff and Felix Kramer, who operate a secret safe house in Berlin. Flashbacks reveal a past mission's complications, potentially linking to their daughter, while Russian officer Josef Koleev, played by Samuel Finzi, pursues them.
Created by British writer Paul Coates and produced by Andreas Bareiss of Gaumont and Jan Bennemann for Netflix, the series blends espionage with family dynamics. De Mardt described it as "a spy thriller with a family in it – and then it turns to become a family story with spies in it." Filming marked a milestone as the first fictional TV production allowed inside the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) headquarters in Berlin, adding visual authenticity.
De Mardt noted the show's relevance amid global uncertainties: "It relates also to an overall feeling we have nowadays where things feel shaky and we don’t know what’s going on." She expressed optimism for future seasons, stating, "We have lots of ideas for various seasons…the audience will decide in the end."
Looking ahead, Gaumont is adapting Johanna Spyri's 'Heidi' for Switzerland's SRF and Germany's RTL+, with filming starting in April and a 2027 release timed for the author's 200th birth anniversary. This version features a 12-year-old Heidi on coming-of-age adventures addressing modern topics. Another project, 'The Wandering Harlot' based on Iny Lorentz's novel about a 15th-century woman's revenge, is in development with filming planned in Bavaria. De Mardt emphasized updating it for contemporary perspectives on women.
De Mardt, an influential figure in Germany's Producers Association, addressed industry hurdles including declining ad revenues, reduced commissioning by Sky, and limited streamer output. She called for stable subsidy rules to enable long-term planning and anticipated market consolidations similar to global trends.
