BBC Four’s Paris Police 1900 set against backdrop of Dreyfus scandal
Historical crime drama, created by graphic novelist Fabien Nury, is inspired by real-life events and delves into the dark side of the French capital
Francine Wolfisz is the Features Editor for Jewish News.
Rising antisemitism is at the fore in a new French historical crime drama starting on BBC Four this week.
Paris Police 1900, created by graphic novelist Fabien Nury, is inspired by real-life events and delves into the dark side of the French capital.
As rumours spread that Alfred Dreyfus has been released from Devil’s Island, police chief Louis Lepine (played by Marc Barbé) is urgently called out of retirement to restore order in a Paris rocked by anti-Jewish sentiment, violence, riots and misogyny and to top it all, the sudden death of French president Félix Faure.
But there’s more trouble ahead following the discovery of a young woman’s torso in a suitcase floating down the Seine, spurring young, ambitious detective Antoine Jouin (Jérémie Laheurte) into action at the heart of the police headquarters.
Sue Deeks, the BBC’s head of programme acquisition, says: “Paris Police 1900 is a stunningly cinematic look at the darkness beneath the glamour of La Belle Epoque. Historical figures and true events provide a fascinating backdrop to an intriguing murder mystery which will keep viewers gripped to the very end.”
Paris Police 1900 begins on Saturday, 9pm, on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
