Avanti-Toast is pleased to announce that the first season of the children’s series First Line (Premier trio) will be broadcast in Finland and Sweden over the next few months. Other territories could be added, as the Quebec series has aroused keen interest among buyers attending the Kidscreen Summit, an international children’s market held last week in San Diego.

Viewers in the Nordic countries will be able to see all 26 episodes of the first season, which will air on YLE in Finland and on SVT in Sweden.  “We’re pleasantly surprised and delighted by the rapid take-up of this children’s title on the international market. It’s made a big splash at Kidscreen in the last few days, and other territories may acquire it in the coming months,” enthuses Ian Quenneville, co-president of Avanti-Toast, who was on hand. “The series, which features a strong female character, seems to correspond to one of the major demands of the international market for children’s series,” he adds.

Avanti Distribution, which was responsible for the success of Love Bugs (Un gars, une fille ) abroad, is overseeing the sale of First Line (Premier Trio) in collaboration with GoldBee, a distributor specializing in the youth market.

A success in Quebec

Premier trio, the TV adaptation of author Nadia Lakhdari‘s series of novels published by Éditions Les Malins, revolves around Chloé Béliveau, a gifted field hockey player who is invited to the selection camp of a men’s bantam AAA team. Launched on ICI TOU.TV EXTRA in the spring of 2023, the show has enjoyed unparalleled success in Quebec. It is the most-viewed original youth series since the platform’s launch in 2010, in addition to being the most-watched youth program in the television market this fall among viewers aged 2 and up. “First Line (Premier trio) is the best adventure ever. I’m so thrilled to have been welcomed by the Quebec public, and even more delighted to learn that our local stories of field hockey, love and friendship will be traveling to other winter destinations,” says author Nadia Lakhdari.

While the first season takes off abroad, and Quebec audiences continue to follow it Fridays at 5 p.m. on ICI TÉLÉ, filming for the second season wrapped up yesterday in Montreal. The 26 new episodes will air on ICI TOU.TV EXTRA in 2024.