Mediawan and Atlas V Team Up With Arte for Surreal Sci-Fi Comedy Series Paradoxes Blending Live Action and AI

Mediawan’s Imagissime label is joining forces with immersive-media studio Atlas V to create Paradoxes, a six-episode sci-fi comedy that mixes traditional filmmaking with generative AI. Arte France has officially ordered the series and will stream it on its platform, while Mediawan Rights will handle international distribution.

The cast features Xavier Lacaille from Parlement, Zita Hanrot from The Hook Up Plan, Nora Hamzawi from Irma Vep, and Oussama Kheddam from Mes premières vacances. The show is currently filming and will continue production until next month.

The series is directed by Pierre Zandrowicz, co-founder of Atlas V, known for VR films like I, Philip and Mirror as well as award-winning immersive projects such as Gloomy Eyes and Battlescar. Zandrowicz says the show draws inspiration from the surreal and existential works of Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze, and Charlie Kaufman, aiming to blur boundaries between conscious and unconscious worlds.

Paradoxes follows Roman, a depressed journalist played by Lacaille, who heads into a forest to write a story about a rare oak species for Bois Magazine. Here he accidentally slips into a quantum anomaly triggered by a determined scientist named Lea, played by Hanrot.

Lea soon discovers that this alternate space—referred to as the zone—is actually a physical manifestation of Roman’s troubled subconscious. Inside the zone, his anxieties, fantasies, childhood memories, and personal demons morph into tangible, surreal forms.

Meanwhile, the French army and Roman’s unconventional therapist, played by Hamzawi, attempt to contain the rapidly expanding crisis. The writing team behind the series includes Maxime Donzel and Émilie Valentin, both known for their comedy work across platforms like OCS, France Télévisions, and Disney+.

The production secured R&D support from Google, focusing on the AI-driven visual pipeline. It also received public funding from the CNC and the Île-de-France region, making it a major hybrid-technology project.

While scenes in the real world are filmed with actors on physical sets, everything inside Roman’s psyche is created through generative AI. The team is also using a mix of green screen, 3D mapping, and motion-capture techniques to handle transitions between the real world and the subconscious zone.

Imagissime, led by Élodie Polo Ackerman, is known for high-quality documentaries such as Gregory on Netflix, L’affaire Swagg Man on Disney+, Féroces for France Télévisions, and Yakuza for Arte. With Paradoxes, Imagissime continues its expansion into fiction and hybrid storytelling, and Polo Ackerman said they were drawn to the project because Atlas V combines innovative technology with strong narrative focus.

Atlas V COO Oriane Hurard explained that development on the project began about a year and a half ago. She noted that the idea grew out of Zandrowicz’s deep exploration into the artistic potential of generative AI.

Arte’s digital creation unit has also been heavily involved due to the complexity of the production pipeline. This includes handling hybrid sequences where characters cross between worlds, requiring precise blending of live-action footage and AI-generated visuals.

The production has received unique support from the French Army and Mission Cinema, which joined after viewing the project prototype. Beyond offering locations, the military provided access to training grounds, tents, vehicles, and advisors who guided actors on technical language and weapon handling.

Recent scenes were filmed at the Montlhéry military base, and production continues at the Bry-sur-Marne studios. For more details on related industry developments, you can visit Arte’s official website or explore Mediawan’s catalog for upcoming releases.