Season 7 of BRIGHT MINDS joins France tv distribution’s line-up

A unique France/Japan coproduction and an exceptional shoot in Tokyo

France tv distribution is pleased to announce the arrival of season 7 of the hit series BRIGHT MINDS in its line-up. This new season marks a major milestone for the series, with part of the filming taking place in Tokyo for the very first time.

This unprecedented coproduction between JLA Productions and NHK Enterprises, Inc of Japan was made possible thanks to the expertise and network of France tv distribution, which played a key role as a business facilitator and matchmaker, bringing the two countries together. This collaboration opens new perspectives for the series and strengthens its international reach.

BRIGHT MINDS: A Record-Breaking Series

A true audience phenomenon, BRIGHT MINDS has established itself as the most-watched series in France. In 2025, the series accumulated 24 million video views on france.tv, making it the most-watched fiction on the platform (excluding daytime).

The success of the series extends far beyond French borders: sold in over 130 countries, BRIGHT MINDS continues its international rise, now further boosted by this special shoot in Japan.

The series is also very popular in Japan, where in 2025, France tv distribution organized a major promotional tour in Tokyo for the team, including press conferences and fan meetings, illustrating the exceptional enthusiasm BRIGHT MINDS generates in Japan.

In Japan, Season 1 premiered on the Mystery Channel (then AXN Mystery), a Japanese commercial cable & satellite TV channel, in 2021, and subsequently aired on the public broadcaster NHK starting in July 2022. On both broadcasters, all six seasons released to date have been aired. The catch-up streaming has also attracted higher viewing figures, outperforming manyother programs. With each new season, the series has expanded its audience base across both broadcast and streaming platforms, and this popularity has translated into steady DVD sales, with releases available through and Season 6. 

When the cast visited Japan in March 2025, Mystery Channel hosted a fan meeting attended by 270 lucky fans chosen from applicants nationwide, giving them the opportunity to meet and interact with the cast.

Furthermore, when the latest Season 6 aired on Mystery Channel in February 2026, it achieved the highest ratings ever recorded for the series on J:COM, Japan’s largest cable TV operator.

Julia Schulte, Head of International Sales, France tv distribution:

"We are truly grateful to our partners at JLA and NHK Enterprises Inc., as well as to our colleagues at France Télévisions and all the incredible talents involved. Their open-mindedness, creativity, and enthusiasm made this new Franco-Japanese adventure possible. We are delighted to have set up the first co-production between our companies, and we hope it will be the first of many more to come."

Jean-Sébastien Bouilloux, Producer of BRIGHT MINDS, JLA Productions:
"For several years, we had dreamed of filming episodes of Bright Minds in Tokyo. Thanks to France Télévisions, France tv distribution and NHK Enterprises Inc., that dream became a reality for Season 7. The shoot was a wonderful adventure, especially in the collaboration between the French and Japanese crews, and above all an incredible source of creativity and fruitful exchanges. The JLA and France tv distribution teams worked hand in hand throughout the entire production process to bring this new season to life. This is the first time Bright Minds has gone abroad. It is also the first recurring French series to do so, and I am very proud that it happened in Japan, a country with which the series has had many connections since its creation. Season 7, and these two episodes filmed in Japan, mark a real turning point in the life of the series. There is no doubt they will be a great success and will both surprise and delight audiences in both countries."

Koji Sakabe, NHK Enterprises, Inc.:
"From the very beginning, I was struck by the team's sincere desire to embrace Japanese culture with authenticity and respect. That spirit made this collaboration truly meaningful."

Synopsis

Survivalism, Ancient Egypt, Hindu communities, murders on houseboats, or mysterious investigations between Paris and Japan…
In this new season, Astrid and Raphaëlle have their work cut out for them as their daily lives are suddenly turned upside down: the criminal documentation department is threatened with closure, abruptly depriving Astrid of her bearings. Will she have to mourn the loss of her one and only refuge?

After a long rehabilitation, Raphaëlle must seriously confront the loss of her mobility, which prevents her from conducting investigations with her former energy… Will she be able to overcome this perilous situation and keep her place in the criminal brigade?

To face these new challenges, Astrid and Raphaëlle will have to completely reinvent their relationship. Will their precious friendship be shaken?

Original Title: ASTRID ET RAPHAËLLE

Format: 8 x 52’

Genre: Light crime

Starring: Sara Mortensen, Lola Dewaere, Benoît Michel, Sophia Yamna, Jean-Louis Garçon, Husky Kihal, Jean-Benoît Souilh, Kengo Saïto, Charlotte Gaccio

Created by: Alexandre de Seguins and Laurent Burtin

Screenplay:
Hélène Hassoun, Laurent Burtin, Alexandre de Seguins (Ep 1 & 2)
Laurent Burtin, Alexandre de Seguins (Ep 3)
Hélène Hassoun, Alexandre de Seguins (Ep 4)
Céline Decoox, Lucie Fréjaville (Ep 5)
Joseph Lantigny, Maxime Mancha (Ep 6)
Ariane Zantain, Adeline Laffitte (Ep 7)
Hélène Hassoun, Laurent Burtin, Alexandre de Seguins (Ep 8)

Directors: Jérôme Alméras and Amandine Bonnin

Production: JLA Productions

French broadcaster: France Télévisions

Photo credits: © Patrick FOUQUE - France Télévisions - JLA

About France tv distribution

France tv distribution works with producers and licensors to maximise revenues from their programmes accross all media platforms encompassing video, VOD and music publishing, merchandising, magazine and book publishing, plus French and international distribution and fund-raising.

Since January 2017, France tv distribution has gone hand in hand with distribution films abroad. As a major player on the distribution of rights in France and in foreign markets, this new activity of trading feature films is added to its savoir-faire.