TORONTO — Amazon Prime Video has started production on a drama series based on Canadian author Louise Penny's bestselling detective novels.
The streaming service says the Canadian Amazon original "Three Pines" is filming in Montreal and rural Quebec, with British-American actor Alfred Molina as star and co-executive producer.
Molina plays Chief Insp. Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec provincial police service, who discovers long-buried secrets as he investigates murders in a seemingly idyllic village.
Other cast members include Rossif Sutherland, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Tantoo Cardinal.
The eight, one-hour episodes are directed by Sam Donovan, Tracey Deer and Daniel Grou.
Deer is also an Indigenous consultant on the show, as is filmmaker Katsitsionni Melissa Fox.
The non-profit initiative IllumiNative will also consult on the show.
The mystery series will shoot through December and launch exclusively on Prime Video in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Greenland.
"Three Pines" comes from Amazon Studios and is produced by Left Bank Pictures, with Canadian production company Muse Entertainment providing production services.
"Three Pines" is among several upcoming Canadian projects from Amazon Prime Video, with others including a revival of the sketch comedy "The Kids in the Hall" and the docuseries "All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs." It's also making the comedy-variety series "LOL: Last One Laughing Canada" and the scripted comedy "The Lake."
The streamer recently launched the Canadian special, "Rupi Kaur Live."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 2, 2021.
The Canadian Press
