Amuz Distribution  Announces Format Licensing Deal at MIPCOM with We Make Productions for Celebrity Entertainment show In Lieu of Flowers

Cannes France at MIPCOM, Monday, October 16, 2023:   Amuz Distribution’s Alex Avon, VP of Global Distribution announced a celebrity entertainment format license deal with We Make Productions for France and Belgium. In Lieu of Flowers, is a  primetime hit in Quebec on ICI Radio-Canada Télé. The original producer is Zone 3 in Canada.

In Lieu of Flowers is an irreverent show that laughs in the face of death. Based on the Celebrity Roast concept, each episode features a guest-star who must bear witness to the totality of his or her life on stage through a flurry of comic numbers and a variety of sketches, as if they were attending their own hilarious mock-funeral.  

Avon stated: “Amuz Distribution is delighted to partner with Bouchra Réjani and her studio, We Make Productions for the fantastically funny and heart-warming entertainment format of In Lieu of Flowers. It has been a long-running favorite in Quebec, and we are excited to see the localized version in Belgium and France.”Bouchra Rejani, Founder and Producer of We Make added “We are excited to take In Lieu of Flowers and make it our own for France and Belgium. Alexandre Avon and Amuz Distribution are amazing partners, and we appreciate them bringing us this funny proven format which audiences will truly enjoy.”

About Amuz DistributionBased in Quebec City, Amuz Distribution was launched in May 2023, fka ComediHa! Distribution, with a mission to spread comedy and feel-good content around the world, both scripted and unscripted. Amuz expands on ComediHa! Distribution’s mission to create and sell finished programmes and originals by securing and leveraging all rights and adopting a full 360-degree approach to content. The rebranding to become Amuz Distribution was made possible by a generous contribution by Fonds Quebecor, Canada Media Fund and SODEC. The funds, in the short term, will be used to acquire new comedy and feel-good global programming to grow Amuz Distribution’s library, while developing in-house and securing new co-production and broadcast partners. Current award-winning titles include: Writer’s Block, In Lieu of Flowers, The Phoenix, About Antoine, and more.  Amuz Distribution – keeping the world feeling good.

International Media Contact for Amuz Distribution

(Ms.) MJ Sorenson, CEO,  MJ Global Communications LLC  mj@mjglobalcommunications.com  T: +1-917-386-7569

Canadian and French-language Media contact for Amuz Distribution

Marie-Josée Tremblay  mj.tremblay@amuzdistribution.com T: 1-418-473-2700

About We Make Productions

After having held top executive senior positions at Shine (The Voice, Masterchef, One Born Every Minute, Tunnel…) and prior to this, at Fremantle media (Pop Idol, Got Talent, Going for Gold…) Bouchra Réjani launched her own venture, WeMake Productions.

The studio creates and produces original, entertaining scripted and unscripted content for all platforms, in all genres for both international and French markets.

WeMake Productions, based in Paris, brings together a new generation of creative talents from different backgrounds and the best executive producers to offer the markets a unique offer in original formats.

The studio has also teamed up with renowned international partners to produce and broadcast its formats internationally: in the United States with MGM Studios, NBC Universal, Fox Studios, Wheelhouse (Jimmy Kimmel), Live Nation Productions, in Holland with Talpa Network (John De Mol) and Warner, Mediaset in Italy and 2M in Morocco.

In France, WeMake Productions was one of the first producers to produce for streaming platforms with the entertainment series Jusqu’à L’Aube, Bigflo and Oli’s documentary Presque Trop for Netflix, and The Missing One, for Prime Video.

On linear channels in France, Le Morning Night, starring Michaël Youn, achieved best audience on M6 at its launch. The studio is currently producing new original formats for France Télévisions, M6 and Canal +, including the documentary series Raising Champions with Tony Parker for Canal+. Abroad, the studio produces for RTL4 in The Netherlands the 4^th season of Wall Duet, a guessing musical Prime time show and the second season of Starlight, the new talent show launched successfully on 2M Morocco.