MUMBAI: FremantleMedia has acquired a majority stake in Fontaram, the newly formed French scripted company from well known French producer-writer partners François Aramburu and Pascal Fontanille.

FremantleMedia will have a 51 per cent holding with the opportunity to buy the remaining shareholding in the future.

The acquisition is part of FremantleMedia’s drive to expand its scripted presence globally and follows its recent purchase of Wildside, an Italian TV and feature film company. The deal was brokered by FremantleMedia France CEO Monica Galer, who will have a seat on the board of the new company. 

Galer said, “François and Pascale are incredibly talented drama producers with a wealth of experience and long standing relationships with all of the major French broadcasters. This is an important deal for FremantleMedia as we establish our scripted presence in France and I look forward to a successful creative partnership with the duo.”

Aramburu and Fontanille added, “In creating Fontaram and partnering with FremantleMedia, we are giving our new production company the best possible foundation to grow while also fulfilling our creative ambition. Joining an international group to produce French drama and international co-production both broadens our opportunities and allows us to develop new content, within an environment that is constantly changing.”

Prior to forming Fontaram, Aramburu and Fontanille founded Merlin Productions in 2000. The producers are best known for popular drama such as Clem (TF1) with Victoria Abril and Lucie Lucas, the most successful drama in France in 2010. Other recent successes include On se retrouvera (TF1), Meurtres au Pays Basque and Meurtres ? Guérande (France 3).