France tv distribution has announced the acquisition of international rights for Building Paris (original title: Construire Paris), a new premium history, science, and technology documentary produced by KM, a Banijay France company. The global sales rollout will officially commence at the Sunny Side of the Doc market, taking place in La Rochelle from June 22 to 24, 2026.
Directed by Guy Padovani (Chauvet Humanity’s First Great Masterpiece, Denisova Unveiled) and written by Flore Kosinetz, the ambitious project explores the epic 19th-century urban transformation of the French capital.
In the second half of the 19th century, Paris was an unsanitary and dangerous medieval city, lagging significantly behind modernizing hubs like New York, Berlin, Rome, and London. Building Paris chronicles the monumental challenge undertaken by Emperor Napoleon III and Baron Haussmann to completely overhaul the metropolis.
Over the course of 40 years, massive public works reshaped the capital—introducing the iconic Haussmannian buildings, establishing reliable drinking water supplies, and forging an immense sewer network. At the center of this architectural revolution lies the crowning achievement of Haussmann’s vision: the Paris Opera.
Through exclusive access to iconic monuments and hidden subterranean locations, combined with state-of-the-art visual effects (VFX), the documentary brings this 19th-century urban adventure back to life. Present-day architects, engineers, and artisans guide viewers through the historic engineering feats that ultimately defined the modern Parisian way of life.
Strategic international ambitions
Commissioned by French broadcaster France Télévisions, the documentary is available in both 2×45’ and 52’ formats. The project aligns with KM‘s focus on delivering universally appealing factual content to the global market.
‘We are thrilled to collaborate with the teams at France tv distribution on this film, which fully aligns with KM’s strategy: premium documentaries with an international scope’, stated Catherine Alvaresse, President of KM.
Patrice Gellé, Producer at KM, emphasized the widespread appeal of the subject matter: ‘Our film Building Paris will reveal how Paris became Paris – the City of Light that has inspired so many capitals around the world. A grand, universal, and immersive story for a wide international audience’.
France tv distribution anticipates strong global demand, building on the track record of its factual catalog. Julia Schulte, SVP of International Sales at France tv distribution, noted the strategic value of the title: ‘We have great ambitions for Building Paris internationally. Following the worldwide success of the film about Eiffel produced by Patrice Gellé, we are convinced that this proposal will appeal to our foreign partners, who will discover both the medieval and the rebuilt Paris in a completely unprecedented way, along with the history of this iconic city that has influenced major capitals around the world’.
