EXCLUSIVE: A new documentary offering a rare glimpse into the life of the late Scottish actor Sean Connery is currently in production by the Paris-based CAPA, a company known for its factual film and TV content.
The project, named Sean Connery: The Untold Story, is spearheaded by Stéphanie Renouvin, a French journalist and television host who is also the granddaughter of Sean Connery and his second wife, French-Moroccan painter Micheline Roquebrune.
This follows Renouvin’s 2022 mini-series Mme Sean Connery, which portrayed her grandmother’s life and was tailored for French viewers.
Sean Connery: The Untold Story is among the new projects under development by Sally Blake, the recently appointed Deputy Director at CAPA, a subsidiary of the Studio TFI group.
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“This project was initiated here. It’s a joint production with Canal Plus and Sky in the UK is also involved,” Blake stated, mentioning that London’s Embankment and Glasgow’s Boy 313 are also co-producing.
Recently promoted in early September, Blake is collaborating closely with CAPA’s Managing Director, Patrice Lorton, aiming to propel the company’s international presence by accessing new markets and funding sources.
Blake believes the Sean Connery documentary will resonate well with both French and international audiences.
“Sean Connery’s appeal is truly global, and Stéphanie’s personal connection brings a unique French perspective. This is a prime example of content that transcends cultural boundaries,” she explained during a discussion with Deadline shortly after her new role was announced.
Career Achievements & Global Vision
A veteran in the French-Canadian documentary scene, Blake has been a producer at CAPA since 2017, also working under the banner of Films à Cinq, a Paris-based factual content producer she co-founded with Martin de la Fouchardière.
Her documentary portfolio includes notable works like Su Rynard’s 2015 environmental film The Messenger, which debuted at Canada’s Hot Docs festival and was later picked up by Kino Lorber for U.S. distribution.
More recent projects include the 2025 two-part natural history series 13 Hours to Survive, exploring marine life’s survival during low tides, aired on Arte and Blue Ant Studio’s Love Nature platform; the six-part docu-series Marie Antoinette Confidential in collaboration with Banijay Studios France for Canal Plus; and the TV documentary Tardigrade, the Indestructible Animal, which she also co-authored.
“My extensive network and experience in international co-productions were key reasons for my appointment to this role,” Blake mentioned, emphasizing CAPA’s robust reputation and production capabilities across various platforms and channels.
She highlighted the true-crime series From Rock Star to Killer, about the musician Bertrand Cantat, and the 2025 docu-drama November 13, Sonia’s Choice, depicting a key figure in the Paris terror attacks, as transformative productions by CAPA that have made significant impacts in France.
“These docu-dramas are particularly potent right now, and we plan to further explore this genre,” Blake added, emphasizing the potential for CAPA’s content to gain even greater international traction.
In addition to Sean Connery: The Untold Story, Blake is excited about Compost, a hybrid project for the French market that delves into the dynamics within a compost heap. She believes this project, too, has significant international appeal.
“We’re filming it as a prime-time feature documentary for France Télévisions. The universal nature of composting means this film has the potential to be adapted easily for international audiences,” she explained.
Despite the challenges facing the documentary industry, including funding pressures and a shifting broadcast landscape, Blake remains optimistic about the genre’s potential to engage and inform global audiences.
“Documentaries provide crucial insights into our increasingly complex world, and there will always be a demand for this kind of storytelling,” she concluded.
