Monday 18 September saw filming kick off on Camille Perton’s debut feature film Les Arènes. The cast stars Iliès Kadri (at his very best in Nobody’s Hero [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Alain Guiraudie
scheda film], similarly impressive in the series Le remplaçant and hitting cinemas next year in Javier Rebollo’s Dans la chambre du sultan), Sofian Khammes (recently well-received in South Sentinel [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Mathieu Gérault
scheda film] and November [+leggi anche:
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scheda film], and hitting cinemas in March 2024 via La promesse verte) and Edgar Ramirez (awarded the Best Newcomer César and nominated for the Best Actor Golden Globe for the mini-series Carlos [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] in 2011, also nominated for the Best Supporting Role Golden Globe in 2019 thanks to season 2 of American Crime Story, and hitting cinemas next year in Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Perez [+leggi anche:
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scheda film]).

Written by the director, the story revolves around Brahim, a promising 18-year-old footballer who’s gearing up to fulfil his dream: signing his first professional contract with his hometown club Lyon. But the rise of a powerful foreign agent within the club changes everything. In a race against time, with the help of his cousin and agent Mehdi, Brahim throws himself onto the transfer market, "the mercato" where no holds are barred...

Les Arènes is produced by Ève Robin and Judith Lou-Lévy (named a Producer on the Move by the European Film Promotion in 2022 – read our interview) on behalf of Les Films du Bal, in co-production with Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Cinéma. Pre-purchased by Canal+ and Ciné+, the feature film also enjoys an advance on receipts from the CNC and further backing from the SOFICA company Cinémage. The 30-day film shoot will continue until 6 November in the Lyon region, as well as in Nice, Monaco and Baku, with Martin Roux heading up photography. Distribution in France will be managed by The Jokers.

For the record, Les Films du Bal were recently in Venice unveiling (within Critics’ Week) Adrien Beau’s The Vourdalak [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Adrien Beau
scheda film] (released in France on 25 October) and are overseeing post-production on Aude Léa Rapin’s Planet B. (read our article – toplined by Adèle Exarchopoulos) and on Mati Diop’s documentary Le Retour.