Spanish co-production for Muyl’s Magique
Produced by the French outfit Pan Européenne, Magique, the sixth feature by Philippe Muyl, starring Marie Gillain alongside singers Cali and Arié Elmaleh, is to be co-produced by Spanish outfit KanZaman. The film’s 12-week shoot is planned to take place north of Madrid next spring.
After the success of his latest title, The Butterfly (1.1m admissions in France in 2003), in Magique the director behind Kitchen With Apartment (1993) will explore the world of the circus, with the tale of Betty (Gillain), a young woman raising her eight year-old only son on an isolated farm, and a travelling circus.
To cheer up his mother, the young boy invites two clowns to the farm, Baptiste and Auguste (Cali and Elmaleh), and shortly the entire circus moves there. While awaiting the arrival of a tent that has got lost on the way, romance blossoms between the two lonely hearts, Betty and Baptiste.
Written by the director, Magique borders on musical comedy, with the main characters occasionally bursting into song to express their feelings (written by Muyl and composed by Cali). The supporting cast will be rounded out by Spanish and Italian actors.
Produced by Nathalie Gastaldo for Pan Européenne, Magique attracted interest from KanZaman at the French-Spanish meetings in Paris last year organised by Unifrance. After a financial feasibility study, the high quality of the locations led to a more rapid setting-up of the French (65%)/Spanish (35%) co-production, which may yet receive Belgian tax shelter funding, as post-production took place in France and Belgium.
The film opens in French theatres in spring/summer 2008 through Wild Bunch Distribution and in Spain in autumn the same year.
International sales are still under negotiation.
(Translated from French)
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