French film business out in force
The announcement of new projects and sales of titles at all stages of production have been the highlight of this year’s Marché du Film at the 64th Cannes Film Festival, which is entering its final stages in a mood of satisfaction after doing brisk business. Below is a rundown of the main announcements:
La Petite Reine will start production before year’s end on Abdellatif Kechiche’s Blessure, adapted from by novel of François Begaudeau (Entre les murs [+see also:
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interview: Carole Scotta
interview: Laurent Cantet
film profile]) on the summer holidays of a teenager on the verge of losing her virginity.
In 2012, Cédric Klapisch will shoot Casse-tête chinois, a sequel to Europudding and The Russian Dolls [+see also:
trailer
film profile], starring Romain Duris, Cécile de France, Audrey Tautou and Kevin Bishop. Production will be handled by Ce qui Me Meut in association with StudioCanal.
MK2 has signed pre-sales contracts with North American (IFC) and German (NFP) distributors for Olivier Assayas’ Something in the Air , shooting this summer.
Les Productions du Trésor – who are presenting Poliss [+see also:
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interview: Maïwenn
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Doc & Film has added Rachid Bouchareb’s upcoming title Just Like A Woman to its line-up. The English-language feature starring Siena Miller, Roschdy Zem and Golshifteh Farahani begins its shoot in June (produced by Taghit and British outfit The Bureau.
Onyx and Chapter 2 have joined forces with Studio 37 to adapt the Japanese manga Cobra. Alexandre Aja will direct the €120m project.
Wild Bunch has been busy selling, among others, Michel Hazanavicius’ Cannes competition title The Artist [+see also:
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trailer
interview: Michel Hazanavicius
film profile] in the US (The Weinstein Company). The outfit has also acquired pre-sales of Stephen Frears’ Lay the Favorite.
Films Distribution has recorded impressive sales for Mia Hansen Love’s Goodbye First Love, acquired by the UK (Artificial Eye), Italy (Teodora Film) and Switzerland (Frenetic Films).
StudioCanal has done brisk business with Stéphane Rybojad’s Forces spéciales and Niels Arden Oplev’s The Last Photograph (starring Sean Penn and Christian Bale), as well as David et Stéphane Foenkinos’s La délicatesse (starring Audrey Tautou).
Memento Films International has picked up Dominik Moll’s Le Moine for the US, and French/Polish title Elles (ex Sponsoring) by Malgorzata Szumowska (see news, which is still in post-production.
Pathé International has been busy selling Phyllida Lloyd’s The Iron Lady (acquired for the US by The Weinstein Company).
Gaumont is enjoying immense success with Rémi Bezançon’s Un heureux événement, picked up by Spain (Golem), Germany (Atlas), Benelux (Cinéart), Greece (Odeon), Switzerland (Monopole Pathé), Austria (Polyfilm), the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Their sales on The Conquest [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (see news) are also in full swing.
(Translated from French)
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