Stay in Alicante. A team of about 150 people, close to 3,000 nights of accommodation, and around 1.8 million euros spent for two and a half weeks of filming. These figures mark the first international production in the City of Light after facilities reopened.
Sharks in Paris, directed by Xavier Gens (Farang, Cold Ski, Hitman), is a Franco-Belgian co-production featuring Bérénice Bejo (The Artist) and Nassim Lyes, with Léa Leviant, Ibrahima Ba, Aksel Üstün, and Marvin Dubart among the main cast.
Filmmaker Xavier Gens on set. INFORMATION
At the start of May, the production called for a cast to depict relatives. About 1,300 extras were needed to shoot these scenes. Since one sequence was filmed in a water tank, many extras were sourced from triathlon clubs in Alicante, recreating the start of a triathlon event on a Seine River replica.
Filming occurred in the reservoir and on the sea, along the shores of La Vila Joiosa. Although the set’s assembly and preparation extended over seven weeks, the total shoot lasted two and a half weeks.
Sharks in Paris opens a new era for the City of Light
Scenes were shot in Alicante province, marking the opening and closing moments of the film. A water tank was built for these sequences, including a pier that imitates the Seine in Paris.
Sharks in Paris collaborated with the Costa Blanca Film Commission, the Alicante Film Office, and the Villajoyosa Film Office, along with the Government Sub-Delegation in Alicante and the La Vila Joiosa Port Authority, among other authorities. The project was shot in Istanbul, Brussels, Paris, and Alicante, with a premiere anticipated on a streaming platform in spring 2024. Netflix is mentioned as a platform in relation to the project.
Around the World Triathlon Championships in summer 2024, Sophia (played by Bérénice Bejo), a renowned scientist, receives news from a young environmental activist who is organizing the Paris Olympic Games. A colossal shark lurks in the depths of the Seine. The hero must turn to Adil (Nassim Lyes), commander of the river police, to prevent blood from reaching the waterway.
Tank with cables attached for filming.
Administrative production in Spain was handled by PET, with producer Fernando Victoria de Lecea also overseeing filming in Chinchón and Colmenar de Oreja in the summer of 2021, including the Wes Anderson film Asteroid City presented at the latest Cannes Film Festival.
Confidence building
Antonio Rodes, CEO of Digital Transformation Projects Community, notes that the first shoot was important for manufacturer satisfaction and for assessing facility conditions. He adds that the experience will boost confidence in the industry overall regarding studio availability for future productions.
Rodes also points out that several major projects are underway. Some would have progressed further had writers’ strikes not affected the United States, but he remains optimistic and cites Ciudad de la Luz as the first international production hub to produce a thorough assessment of its work.
A frame from the film shows a tense moment on screen.
About the City of Light
Valencian authorities regained full control of the City of Light complex in Alicante in July 2022, reopening studios and promoting their use for audiovisual work after a decade of inactivity following EU approvals.
The Ciudad de la Luz industrial complex stands out for its facilities and strategic location. Spanning 300 hectares, it offers advanced audiovisual production services with all the tools needed for set construction and every phase of film and media projects.
Recognized as one of Europe’s premier production centers, these studios feature six sets, production support buildings, workshops, storage facilities, outdoor filming spaces, and a water tank for underwater work. The Generalitat continues to position the complex as the continent’s largest audiovisual production hub—an ambitious plan to anchor Europe’s creative industry in this region.