10/12/2025 - The film is also toplined by the director, who is flanked by Nina Meurisse, Benjamin Tranié, Bernard Campan and Sarah Suco; Blagbuster and Nolita are producing, while Other Angle handles sales

After having kicked off on 5 November, the shoot for Gilles United, the feature-length directorial debut by actor Grégoire Ludig, is continuing in Brittany until 16 December. Standing out among the cast are the first-time director himself (Best Actor Award at Sitges in 2020 for Mandibles [+see also:
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interview: Quentin Dupieux
film profile], also popular in Three Friends [+see also:
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film profile] and Keep an Eye Out [+see also:
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film profile], among other movies), Nina Meurisse (nominated for the César Award for Most Promising Actress in 2020 for Camille [+see also:
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interview: Boris Lojkine
film profile], a winner in the Best Supporting Actress category this year for Souleymane’s Story [+see also:
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interview: Boris Lojkine
film profile] and also giving a strong performance last summer in the Toronto-screened Julian [+see also:
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interview: Cato Kusters
film profile]) and Benjamin Tranié (A Mother’s Special Love [+see also:
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film profile]).

Also among the cast are Bernard Campan (nominated for the César Award for Best Actor in 2003 for Beautiful Memories [+see also:
trailer
film profile], popular recently in Beautiful Minds [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and currently gracing screens in Jean Valjean), Sarah Suco (nominated for the César Award for Best Supporting Actress this year for The Marching Band [+see also:
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trailer
interview: Emmanuel Courcol
film profile]), Rose Lugué and Barbara Bolotner.

The story, written by Grégoire Ludig himself, revolves around 41-year-old Gilles Le Diben, a driving instructor and football fan who has always dreamed of having a professional career in England, just like Éric Cantona. However, he has wound up supervising hill starts on the byways of Brittany. His passion exasperates his daughter, who avoids him, and his wife, the manager of the driving school, has no choice but to fire him – and then leave him. But Gilles will keep his chin up. To win back the love of those dearest to him and be the apple of their eyes once again, he decides to start over from scratch and become that great football player he’s always dreamed of being. At the age of 41. Well, nearly 42…

Gilles United is being produced by Gurvan Riou for Blagbuster and by Mathieu Ageron, Maxime Delauney and Romain Rousseau for Nolita; it is being co-produced by TF1, and has also been pre-purchased by Disney+ and Prime Video. The feature, which has also secured support from the Brittany region and from the La Banque Postale Image Sofica, will be released in French theatres by Apollo Films. Its international sales have been entrusted to Other Angle Pictures.

(Translated from French)