Production Begins in Montréal on Bravo's New Original Drama 19-2

− English adaptation of French-Canadian series to premiere in 2014 on Bravo -
− 19-2 is co-produced by Montréal's Sphere Media Plus and Echo Media −
− Additional casting announced including Benz Antoine, reprising his role from the original Québec series −
− Louis Choquette (Rumours) and Érik Canuel (Bon Cop, Bad Cop) slated to direct −

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MONTRÉAL, Sept. 10, 2013 /CNW/ - Bravo announced today that production has begun on its new original drama series 19-2. Set to premiere on Bravo in 2014, 19-2 films on location in Montréal throughout the fall. Bravo announced its order of the English-language adaptation of the award-winning Québec series at the Banff World Media Festival in June. Among the writing team are Bruce Smith (PLAYED) and Jesse McKeown (ROGUE), while Louis Choquette (Rumours, Mirador, Le Gentleman) and Érik Canuel (Bon Cop, Bad Cop, Big Wolf on Campus) are set to direct the ten-episode first season of the hour-long drama.

It was also announced today that Benz Antoine will reprise his role as Officer Tyler Joseph from the original Québec series, joining previously announced cast members Adrian Holmes (ARROW) and Jared Keeso (FALLING SKIES), who star as Nick Barron and Ben Chartier respectively. Maxim Roy (HEARTLAND) joins the cast as Nick's estranged wife and fellow district detective, Isabelle Latendresse and Laurence Leboeuf (DURHAM COUNTY) joins as Audrey Pouliot, a fellow uniformed cop who is attracted to her colleague Nick. Additional cast announced today include Dan Petronijevic (SAVING HOPE) as angry beat cop J.M. Brouillard, Mylène Dinh-Robic (THE LISTENER) as Tyler's no-nonsense partner Béatrice Hamelin, Conrad Pla (THE LISTENER) as straight-shooting Sergeant Julien Houle, and Bruce Robert Ramsay (CONTINUUM) as the manipulative District Commander Marcel Gendron.

"We're excited to have started rolling on the intense, gritty and thought-provoking 19-2," said Corrie Coe, Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. "Montréal serves as the perfect urban backdrop to this character-driven series, featuring our brilliant leads Adrian and Jared. We know 19-2 will captivate audiences from coast-to-coast-to-coast when it premieres."

A richly-nuanced human drama, 19-2 follows the lives of patrol officers Ben Chartier (Keeso) and Nick Barron (Holmes). Nick is a veteran on Montréal's urban police force and has just returned from a three-month leave following the traumatic shooting of his partner. On his first day back, he is unhappy to learn he has been partnered with Ben, who has just transferred from a small town to restart his life in the big city. Both men are good cops who deeply care about the job, yet struggle to move beyond painful events in their past. Ben and Nick must attempt to put their differences aside as their lives further intertwine, both professionally and personally, and continue to take surprising and dramatic turns.

19-2 is co-produced by Sphère Média Plus and Echo Media in association with Bell Media. Executive producers are Jocelyn Deschênes and Carolyn Newman from Sphère Média Plus and Luc Châtelain from Echo Media. 19-2 is an English-adaptation of the hit Québec series from the creators and stars of the original, Réal Bossé and Claude Legault and director Podz. Executive Producer Bruce Smith (DURHAM COUNTY) also acts as writer, with Jesse Mckeown (DAVINCI'S INQUEST, ROGUE) and Virginia Rankin as co-executive producers. Directors are Louis Choquette, who also directed the series' pilot episode, and Érik Canuel. Production Executives for Bell Media are Gosia Kamela and Tom Hastings. Trish Williams is Director, Independent Production, Bell Media. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. Catherine MacLeod is Senior Vice-President, Specialty Channels, Bell Media. Rick Brace is President, Specialty Channels and CTV Production. Phil King is President, CTV Programming and Sports.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
@PR_Bravo
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Adrian Holmes on Twitter
Jared Keeso on Twitter

About Sphere Media
Headquartered in the Montreal area, Sphère Média Plus has established itself as a major player in television production. Founded by Jocelyn Deschênes in 1997, the company has earned universal acclaim for the boldness, originality and quality of its productions. With nearly 975 hours of series television to its credit - including successful high-end series like LES HAUTS ET LES BAS DE SOPHIE PAQUIN and its English adaptation SOPHIE, BAD KARMA and TOUTE LA VÉRITÉ - the company offers primetime programming that is attractive to viewers and contemporary in outlook.

Sphère Média Plus productions have been sold or adapted in a variety of international markets. In Canada, the company's programs have been seen on the Radio-Canada, TVA, CBC and Séries+ networks, and the company has worked on the pilot of Isabel (adapted from the series LE MONDE DE CHARLOTTE) for NBC in the United States. Over the years the company has won numerous industry and people's choice prizes, including more than 95 Prix Gémeaux (TV industry awards).  Sphère Média Plus continues to develop new projects for both the French-and English-speaking markets. Since 2011, the company has had an office in Toronto, confirming its desire to extend its activities across the whole of the North American market. 

About Echo Media
Echo Media is a film and television production company headed by President and Founder Luc Châtelain.  Over the last 30 years Echo Media (formerly Spectra Television) has produced a rich portfolio of hundreds of hours of programming in all genres that have won the hearts of audiences, critics and industry members alike.  The company offers a rich catalogue of award-winning drama series (19-2, ARMISTED MAUPIN'S FURTHER TALES OF THE CITY); animation series (LIFE ON THE BLOCK, FRED'S HEAD); documentaries (Inside The Cirque du Soleil, 10 x OTTO DIX, Building the Future in Haïti, Life is a Highway); feature films (Memories Corner; Metallic Blues) youth programming (MIAM!, TOOPY AND BINOO, KID PADDLE); as well as comedy and HD music and variety events coverage (Cirque Éloize's Rain, Nomade, and Nebbia; Amelia by Edouard Lock, Brian Setzer Orchestra). 

Nominated for the most prestigious of prizes and festivals, Echo Media is a recipient of numerous awards, notably the Geminis, Gemeaux, ADISQ, Banff Rockie, Montreux Rose d'Or, and International and Primetime Emmys.  Echo Media's productions have been distributed in over 180 countries around the world.

About Bell Media Independent Production
Bell Media has commissioned some of Canada's most-watched and most-acclaimed original programming, working with the best Canadian independent producers in the country. Hit CTV series include ratings success stories SAVING HOPE, THE LISTENER, and MOTIVE, the #1 new Canadian series of the 2012/13 season. Airing this summer are relationship comedy SATISFACTION and THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, a record-breaking Canadian-produced, complementary version of the hit international series. To premiere in the 2013/14 season are the drama series PLAYED, multi-cam office comedy SPUN OUT, and hit international format MASTERCHEF CANADA. Among the scripted series on Bell Media pay and specialty channels are the two-time Emmy®-nominated hit DEGRASSI, the recently renewed ORPHAN BLACK, CSA-winning CALL ME FITZ, and upcoming dramas BITTEN and 19-2. Bell Media specialty channels are also home to reality series PANIC BUTTON and BRAVE NEW GIRL, game shows MATCH GAME and POP QUIZ, and factual series HIGHWAY THRU HELL, and CANADA'S WORST DRIVER, among others. So far in 2013, Bell Media has ordered 23 original Canadian series and put 52 projects into development.

About Bravo
Bravo delivers compelling stories through clever and immersive programming to viewers across Canada. From high-profile dramas to blockbuster feature films, Bravo is home to award-winning entertainment. Bravo is a division of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More information about Bravo is available at www.bravo.ca.

SOURCE: Bravo