Barcelona-based distributor GoldBee has sold season one (26 x 21 minutes) of hockey-centric tween/teen drama First Line to broadcasters in France (France Télévisions), Sweden (SVT) and Belgium (RTBF).

Based on a collection of five Premier Trio novels published by Les Éditions les Malins, this live-action series was developed and produced by Montreal’s Avanti-Toast and revolves around a teen girl who joins an elite all-boys hockey team. 

First Line was originally commissioned by Radio-Canada, which has already aired two seasons and is gearing up for a third that’s in post-production and slated for delivery this spring. SVT, France TV and RTBF have all acquired exclusive free TV and free VOD rights in their regions, and SVT plans to launch the series on February 14. 

Managing First Line‘s global rights (excluding Spanish-speaking territories) since September 2023, GoldBee has also already sold it to YLE in Finland.

Tapping into relatable coming-of-age themes while also showcasing the challenges experienced by female athletes, the series has attracted a significant audience in its home territory. As per a release, it ranks as the most-watched original youth series on Radio-Canada’s ICI.TOU.TV platform and is also among the top 15 most-watched shows across all categories since the service launched a paid subscription model called EXTRA.

First Line won three Gémeaux Awards last year, including the prize for Best Youth Fiction Series (ages 12 and under).