Harry Potter alum Clémence Poesy stars in Sambre – Anatomy of a Crime. A French crime thriller based on true events, the series – which originally debuted in 2023 – has been acquired for BBC iPlayer and TV channels.
"In Northern France in the late 1980s, women are being sexually assaulted along the same road by the Sambre river – with attacks taking place early mornings and in a similar style," explains the synopsis.
"The police fail to get to grips with the extent of these assaults or make a connection between the cases. The justice system is overwhelmed by the accumulating cases. It will take 30 years to catch a man, who never stopped attacking women and is responsible for at least 54 cases of rape or sexual assault.
"Sambre – Anatomy of a Crime is a thriller following the progression of the investigation, its repercussions from the 80s through to 2018 and the beginning of the #metoo era."
Clémence, who famously appeared as Fleur Delacour in the Harry Potter franchise, appears as Cécile Dumont. Little is known about her character in the series. Joined by an impressive cast, the actress appears alongside Alix Poisson, Olivier Gourmet, Noémie Lvovsky, Jonathan Turnbull and Pauline Parigot.
Directed by Jean-Xavier – the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind docuseries The Staircase and the drama Laetitia – Sambre was written and created by Alice Géraud and Marc Herpoux. The six-parter is based on the real-life investigation led by Alice herself.
Speaking about the BBC's decision to take on Sambre, Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition said: "Sambre – Anatomy of a Crime is an absorbing series about France's most notorious sexual predator, and of how he was allowed to slip through the cracks of the judicial system for over 30 years.
"Each episode is told from the perspective of a different character involved in the case – a victim, the judge, the mayor, the scientist, the police officer and finally, the perpetrator, and is a gripping examination of the flaws of a society and its institutions".
Marking another project for Clémence, the actress has been extremely busy following her time in the wizarding world. Among her extensive list of credits, the star has appeared in various films, including Final Portrait (2017), Resistance (2020), Tenet and The Last Rifleman (2023).
As for her TV roles, you may have spotted Clémence in The Essex Serpent (2022) and The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (2023). She is currently shooting King and Conqueror for the BBC and will star alongside James Norton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Emil Beecham in the period drama.