MHz CHOICE ACQUIRES EXCLUSIVE U.S. RIGHTS TO JEAN-XAVIER DE LESTRADE'S "SAMBRE"

A FRENCH THRILLER BASED ON TRUE EVENTS

-Six-episode limited series from distributor Federation International, the most-watched series in France Television's platform history, to premiere Sept. 15-

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ "Superb" - The Telegraph

⭑⭑⭑⭑ "It's an uncomfortable, but hugely valuable watch" - The Guardian

"It's compelling drama, with no cheap thrills or gratuitous violence... I wanted to cheer both the characters and the production team" - The Arts Desk

Fairfax, VA - July 16, 2026 - Kino Lorber's MHz Choice, the leading streaming service for international dramas and mysteries, has acquired exclusive U.S. rights to acclaimed French thriller Sambre. Directed by Oscar(R)-winning filmmaker Jean-Xavier De Lestrade (The Staircase), the gripping six-episode limited series follows the story of one of France's most notorious rapists, who attacked women in the same location for decades yet eluded authorities for nearly 30 years. The cast includes Alix Poisson (Sentimental Value, The Returned), Clémence Poesy (The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, Tenet), Olivier Gourmet (Captain Marleau, Haven of Grace), Noémie Lvovsky (Camille Rewinds, Farewell, My Queen), Jonathan Turnbull (Soldiers) and Pauline Parigot (Soldiers, HPI).

Sambre begins in late 1980's Northern France as multiple women are sexually assaulted along the same road by the Sambre River, and then tracks the progression of the investigation, and its repercussions through to 2018 and the beginning of the #metoo era.

The series broke records in France when it first premiered in primetime on France 2, with more than 4 million viewers per episode, and another 3 million views online and nearly 6 million VOD plays. The series quickly became the most-watched series in France Television's platform history. Sambre: was written and created by Alice Géraud and Marc Herpoux, based on journalist Géraud's book about the case. The series was produced by What's Up Films and Federation Studios in coproduction with Versus Production. The series will premiere in the U.S. on September 15, only on MHz Choice.

"After crafting one of the true crime genre's most defining works with The Staircase, Jean-Xavier De Lestrade has brought his journalistic sensibility and sharp storytelling to another standout with Sambre," said Lance Schwulst, Executive Vice President, Content Strategy, MHz Choice.

"Sambre is an engrossing series that has rightfully earned acclaim everywhere it's been shown. We're thankful to our partners at Federation Studios for giving us the opportunity to share this outstanding series with audiences in the U.S."

"Sambre matters because it doesn't look away, it gives voice to women who weren't heard for far too long, and it does so with the honesty and care this story deserves," said Monica Levy, Co-Head of Distribution, Federation Studios. "That's part of why the series has resonated so powerfully with audiences around the world, and we're thrilled that MHz Choice is now bringing it to viewers here in the U.S."

Sambre joins series like Babylon Berlin, The Killing, The Bridge, and A French Village along with recent titles Camilla Läckberg's Erica and Reykjavík Fusion and Zorro in MHz Choice's growing catalog of high-quality international series.

About MHz Choice and Kino Lorber Media Group

MHz Choice is a subscription streaming service that offers viewers in the U.S. and Canada access to a library of over 6,000 hours of international television series, including some of the best mysteries, thrillers and dramas, all subtitled in English, with many available dubbed as well. Popular, world-class series include Babylon Berlin, A French Village, The Art of Crime, The Killing, The Bridge, Murder In... and more. MHz Choice is available as a direct-to-consumer standalone service available on the web, and on all major smart TVs and streaming devices, including Samsung TVs, Vizio TVs, FireTV, AppleTV, Roku and others. The service is also available through Amazon Prime Video Channels, Comcast Xfinity X1 and The Roku Channel. Select MHz content may also be streamed on its free FAST channel MHz Mysteries, available on Amazon Live TV, Samsung TV Plus and Plex. Newcomers to MHz Choice are offered a free 7-Day Trial. For more information, go to mhzchoice.com.

MHz Choice, now in its 10th year, is part of Kino Lorber Media Group (KLMG), which acquires and presents more international content than any other independent media company in the U.S. each year. KLMG also includes Kino Lorber Films, which recently garnered the 2026 Oscar(R) for Best Documentary Feature for Mr. Nobody Against Putin, with 16 Academy Award(R) nominations for its films since the year 2000. Led by Chairman and CEO Richard Lorber, the company also includes the Kino Film Collection, now the fastest-growing subscription service for film lovers, showcasing new releases direct from theaters plus curated, award-winning international, indie, and documentary films and newly restored classics from the Kino Lorber Films library. Additionally, the company brings hundreds of titles annually to the home entertainment and educational markets through digital and physical media releases.

About Federation Studios

Run by founder Pascal Breton and co-led with Lionel Uzan, Federation Studios heralds a new breed of independent European studios, focusing on the creation, production, financing and distribution of high-quality original productions for the global marketplace. Federation Studios works with the best worldwide talents and partners on the scene today to create a strong distribution portfolio as well as an array of premium international productions.

Active in the drama, kids & family, documentary and cinema space, Federation Studios today federates 35 production companies located in Paris, Los Angeles, Rome, Madrid, London, Berlin, Cologne and Taiwan.

Federation International, the strong distribution arm of the company led by Monica Levy and Guillaume Pommier, has been building up a rich lineup, mixing in-house and third-party premium content. Its portfolio includes major award-winning and international successes such as The Bureau, In Treatment, Around the World in 80 Days, Find me in Paris, Bardot, Sherlock & Daughter, I, Jack Wright, Sambre, A Tale of two Cities, Find me in Paris, and Simon Super Rabbit.

https://federationstudios.com/