ARD premieres French crime miniseries “Surface – Das versunkene Dorf”

On 26 July 2026 the German public‑service channel ARD began airing the six‑part French miniseries “Surface – Das versunkene Dorf”. The series, directed by Slimane‑Baptiste Berhoun, adapts Olivier Norek’s bestselling crime novel. It follows Paris chief commissioner Noémie Chastain, played by Laura Smet, as she investigates the discovery of a child’s skeleton in the reservoir of the submerged village Avalone in Occitanie. The investigation revives a 23‑year‑old cold case involving the disappearance of three children and a suspect before the original village was flooded for a dam project. The adaptation was first shown worldwide in 2025 and was made available in advance on ARD’s Mediathek before its linear broadcast, which runs in three double‑episode slots over three Sundays.

The series is filmed on location in southern France and features Tomer Sisley as diver Hugo. ARD also provides a live‑stream and on‑demand replay of the episodes, promoting the show alongside similar French‑German co‑productions.