07/10/2013 - The Oscar-winning director of The Artist has been shooting for the past five weeks with the greatest discretion. Topping the bill: Bérénice Bejo

Since August 29, Michel Hazanavicius (photo) has been shooting his 5^th fiction feature film, The Search, a free remake of the film of the same name by Fred Zinneman (1948 - French title Les anges marqués). The highest level of secrecy surrounds this new opus by the director of OSS 117, Le Caire nid d'espions [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (2.3 million admissions in 2006), OSSS 117, Rio ne répond plus [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (2.56 million spectators in France in 2009) and the worldwide hit The Artist [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Michel Hazanavicius
film profile] (five Oscars in 2012 - including those for Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor -, a Best Actor award in Cannes, three Golden Globes, six Césars, seven Baftas and receipts of 122 M$ worldwide). The only certainties at the moment are that the director's wife is topping the bill (Bérénice Bejo, Best Actress in Cannes this year for The Past [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) and the presence of Guillaume Schiffman (Oscar nominee 2012 and the director's partner for the 4th time) as director of photography.

Written by Michel Hazanavicius, the screenplay could explain the unusual discretion surrounding the shooting, which began in Georgia and will be continued in Paris, as Bérénice Bejo will play (under all reserves) an NGO employee on assignment in Chechnya. Lots of mystery, which will probably be unveiled for international distributors by the film's sales agent (Wild Bunch) at the next major markets on the agenda.

Produced by Thomas Langmann and Emmanuel Montamat for La Petite Reine, The Search is being coproduced by France 3 Cinéma. Pre-purchased by Canal+ and Ciné+, the film is also backed by Sofi TV Ciné. Distribution in France will be handled by Warner with international sales piloted by Wild Bunch, in other words, all the partners who accompanied the phenomenal success of The Artist. 

La Petite Reine also currently has the crime story Colt 45 in post-production, directed by Fabrice du Welz (article), and the comedy Les Francis by Fabrice Begotti.

(Translated from French)