District 31: the vibrant daily life of a team of investigators

Montreal, May 10, 2016 - A new daily drama series premieres in 2016-2017. Written by Luc Dionne and produced by Aetios Productions, DISTRICT 31 will share the eventful daily lives of a group of investigators assigned to a major Montreal neighborhood. DISTRICT 31 will air Monday through Thursday at 7 p.m.

Two investigators in particular, Nadine Legrand (Magalie Lépine-Blondeau) and Patrick Bissonnette (Vincent-Guillaume Otis), find themselves at the heart of the intrigues throughout this first season of 120 episodes. It begins as Nadine, Patrick, and their colleagues discover their workplace at District 31. After regrouping its investigators at its headquarters for many years, the Montreal Police Department has decided to bring them closer to the community by reassigning them to neighborhood stations.

Over the weeks, this team will be confronted with the full range of mysteries and crimes that can arise in a big city: kidnappings, burglaries, murders, domestic violence, sex crimes, score-settling, drug trafficking, terrorist sympathies, economic crimes, and more. We will also follow with great interest the ups and downs of their family and romantic lives, which inevitably reflect the repercussions of their demanding profession.

But let's get to know the characters we'll be following at the beginning of the season:

Nadine Legrand is a sergeant detective in the homicide section. An only child, inspired by her father, who was a police officer, Nadine will become the youngest woman to reach the rank of sergeant detective. As competent as she is conscientious, she leaves no stone unturned to uphold her reputation. Her future looks bright. Nadine has been living with KevinNadeau for several years, but this relationship, undermined by routine, is seriously floundering.

Her colleague in the homicide section, Patrick Bissonnette, is Nadine's constant companion. Endowed with charisma and incredible charm, Patrick chose a career in the police force rather than join his father's business, an electrical contractor. Patrick recently lost his wife, whom he supported through a difficult battle with cancer, even though he was no longer in love with her. At work, he stands out for his impeccable organizational skills.

Daniel Chiasson (Gildor Roy) is the commander of the District 31 station. Trained with the Canadian Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the RCMP, he nevertheless accepted a management position with the Montreal Police Department. He's the big boss who's respected and keeps his distance. He rarely gets involved in day-to-day operations, but he's the one who's ultimately called upon to settle disputes or make far-reaching decisions.

Suspicious by nature, Lieutenant Detective Laurent Cloutier (Patrick Labbé) is the investigation supervisor at the District 31 station when the series begins. This proud family man doesn't like his orders to be questioned, and this authoritarian style doesn't sit well with everyone. He is particularly harsh with Nadine Legrand, who is nevertheless incredibly competent.

Da-Xia Bernard (Cynthia Wu-Maheux) is a senior analyst in the criminal intelligence section. A martial arts expert, Da-Xia is Chinese and was adopted by Quebecois parents from whom she has somewhat estranged herself. They have difficulty accepting her sexual orientation. Da-Xia is the epitome of discretion; outside of the office, she never discusses her work. Holding a grudge, the investigators know better than to alienate her. Sergeant Detective in the Family and Sex Crimes Section, Isabelle Roy (Hélène Bourgeois Leclerc) is a true expert. Trained in Boston, where she pursued university studies in sex crimes, she and her partner have a twelve-year-old daughter whom she tends to overprotect, aware of all the threats lurking around teenage girls.

And finally, Stéphane Pouliot (Sébastien Delorme) is the sergeant detective assigned to organized crime. Fifteen years ago, a biker sympathizer stole his service weapon, and he swore he would get it back. It's an obsession! One thing led to another, and he became an ace in the fight against organized crime, unafraid to run afoul of biker and Mafia bosses alike.

Bruno Gagné (Michel Charette) is a sergeant detective who is called in as reinforcement during a major investigation that is slow to yield results. A specialist in cases that drag on and require a certain amount of tact, Bruno prefers long-term work to cases that are resolved quickly. Bruno's attitude contrasts sharply with that of his colleagues. Taciturn by nature, Bruno Gagné tries to forget the terrible tragedy that has turned his life upside down by finding refuge in his work.

A prosecutor employed by the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions, Sonia Blanchard (Pascale Montpetit) is responsible for evaluating the cases presented by investigators for possible prosecution in court. She plays a crucial role in balancing the opposing forces in the field. Too often, the police exert pressure on the judicial branch, especially when the investigators' work forces the hand of Crown prosecutors, who must defend cases involving public figures.

Dominique Chaloult, Executive Director of Radio-Canada Television, concluded: "We are very pleased to be able to continue to kick off our evenings with a high-quality daily drama. DISTRICT 31 follows in the footsteps of the other remarkable productions that Fabienne Larouche and Michel Trudeau of Aetios Productions have brought us in recent years, such as 30 Lives, Trauma, Unit 9, and Ruptures. It's a series that our audience will follow with passion."

Information:

Julie Racine

Head of Promotion

Television

514-597-4140