This Is Not a Murder Mystery
A unique, visually stunning and surprising whodunit, with a surrealistic twist set in the 1930s
Young René Magritte’s life is about to change when he’s invited to participate in a private art exhibition at an opulent English estate, owned by the flamboyant Lord James.
Broadcaster
VRT, RTL Belgium, Proximus & New8
Length
6 x 52′
Lead director all episodes
Hans Herbots
Co-director (episode 3 & 4)
Mathias Lebeer
Written and created by
Christophe Dirickx & Paul Baeten
Original idea
Matthias Lebeer & Christophe Dirickx
Distributor
Studiocanal
Release
Belgium: Pickx, VRT, RTL Play & Streamz
International: YLE (Finland), Valor Movies (Greece), SVT (Sweden), DR (Denmark), LMT & LTV (Latvia), NRK (Norway), Filmin (Spain & Portugal), UKTV and Channel4 (UK), ZDF (Germany & Austria), Canal+ (France & Africa), NPO (The Netherlands), RUV (Iceland), ERR (Estonia), Ceska TV (Czech Repiblic), Acorn TV (USA)
Festivals
Prix Europa 2025
Film Fest Gent 2025
CANNESERIES 2026
Shanghai Television Festival 2026 (STVF)
Venice TV Awards 2026
Awards
Special Commendation Prix Europa 2025
3 ENSORS Awards
(Best Music for Hannes De Maeyer and Justine Bourgeus, Best Art Direction for Bart Van Loo, Best Costume Design for Charlotte Willems)
Starring
Pierre Gervais, Stephen Tompkinson, Donna Banya, Lauren Versnick, Jonathan Delaney Tynan, Frank Bourke, Florence Hall, Iñaki Mur, Regina Bikkinina, Mike Hoffmann, Oscar Högström, Mathilde Warnier & Geert Van Rampelberg
Artwork
Tribute to René Magritte © Succession/Estate René Magritte – Sabam, Belgium, 2024
categorie
Fiction
A unique, visually stunning and surprising whodunit set in the flamboyant 1930s, “This Is Not a Murder Mystery” reunites world renowned Surrealist artists, including young Salvador Dalí and René Magritte, who find themselves trapped in a lavish mansion with a mysterious serial killer on the loose.
The six-part series This Is Not a Murder Mystery is directed by Hans Herbots (The serpent, Riviera and Paris has Fallen), and written by Christophe Dirickx (Tabula rasa, The Misfortunates) and Paul Baeten (Two Summers, Over Water). The story is based on an original idea by co-director Matthias Lebeer and Christophe Dirickx.
The series is a Panenka production, in co-production with VRT, RTL, Proximus, New8 and Deadpan Pictures, with the support of Creative Europe MEDIA, the Pilot Programme for Series Co-Productions, the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), Screen Flanders, Screen Ireland, Screen Brussels and the Belgian Tax Shelter.
Footage
