The highly prolific Quentin Dupieux has struck again with a new film already in post-production, entitled Full Phil, on which StudioCanal will officially launch international sales at the European Film Market (12-18 February) during the 76th Berlinale. Billed as a surreal black comedy, the movie is perfectly in line with the French filmmaker’s previous work but nonetheless marks Dupieux’s return to the English language, which he’d left behind back in 2014.

Headlining the cast are US stars Kristen Stewart (seen in 2024 in Love Lies Bleeding and whose directorial debut, The Chronology of Water, was presented in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section last year) and Woody Harrelson (nominated for the Best Actor Oscar in 1997 and for Best Supporting Actor in 2010 and 2018, and recently seen in Triangle of Sadness), Canadian Charlotte Le Bon (nominated for 2015’s Best Supporting Actress César via Yves Saint Laurent and recently seen in the series The White Lotus, as well as in Niki) and French-British actress Emma Mackey (of Eiffel, Hot Milk and the series Sex Education).

Written by the filmmaker, the screenplay centres on Philip Doom, a very wealthy American businessman who tries to reconnect with his daughter Madeleine on a lavish trip to Paris. But French cuisine, a 1950s horror film and an overbearing hotel employee soon threaten to throw their trip off course.

For the record, Quentin Dupieux has already featured in Cannes four times (opening the Official Selection in 2024 with The Second Act, in an Official Selection Midnight Screening in 2022 with Smoking Causes Coughing, in the 2019 Directors’ Fortnight with Deerskin and in Critics’ Week 2010 with Rubber) and three times in Venice (screened out of competition in 2020 and 2023 via Mandibles and Daaaaaali !, and showcased in the 2014 Orizzonti line-up via Reality). He was also selected in Sundance in 2012 with Wrong, in Berlin out of competition in 2022 with Incredible But True, and twice in Locarno (on the Piazza Grande in 2013 with Wrong Cops and in competition in 2023 with Yannick). His most recent film is The Piano Accident, released last year.

Full Phil was produced by Hugo Sélignac for Paris-based company Chi Fou Mi Productions.