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The year is 1995, and as Jacques Chirac ascends to the French presidency, the Élysée Palace prepares for a new master. Yet, Léa Domenach’s sharp political satire, The President’s Wife, quickly turns its gaze away from the man at the podium.

Its true subject is the woman standing just behind him, Bernadette Chirac. Played by the formidable Catherine Deneuve, Bernadette is introduced as a figure out of time, a relic in dated suits whose stern public face has made her an object of quiet ridicule. She is an inconvenient fixture in her husband’s administration, a political spouse relegated to the margins.

After years of enduring her husband’s public power and private indiscretions, she refuses to remain a decorative piece in the halls of government. The film charts her decision to stop being a bystander in her own life and to instead forge a new kind of power...

It’s a pity that the English title of Cédric Klapisch’s pretty, lighthearted then-and-now drama does not have the same number of entendres as the French version. Not only does “La venue de l’avenir” (literally “the coming of the future”) trip more merrily off the tongue, it also has resonances lost in the comparatively one-note “Colours of Time” — specifically a pun on “La venue” and “L’avenue” which references a scene that is a survey of Paris from Montmartre hill at the moment the electric lights first go on along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. But then, perhaps it’s a suitable representation of a pleasant film that should land well with mainstream domestic viewers and French Impressionism fans abroad, who will see more colors in “Colours of Time” than other international audiences.

A few dozen strangers, all descendants of one Adèle Meunier, have been called to a meeting in...

Studiocanal has racked up several deals on Cedric Klapisch‘s “Colours of Time” ahead of its world premiere in the official selection at the Cannes Film Festival.

“Colours of Time” tells the story of four cousins who inherit an old house in rural Normandy and retrace the steps of their ancestors in 19th century Paris, most specifically Adèle, who had a unique destiny after living her hometown to search for her mother in Paris in 1895. She discovered there a city on the cusp of modernity, bustling with new-found avant-garde creativity, with the rise of photography and the birth of Impressionist painting. The script was penned by Klapisch and Santiago Amigorena, who collaborated on many films, including “Peril Jeune,” “Ce qui nous lie,” “Deux moi” and “En corps.”

Both a coming-of-age tale and family drama, the film stars up-and-comers such as Suzanne Lindon, who plays Adele who previously broke through in “Spring Blossom” which she wrote,...

Chicago – In another era there was a First Lady whose president husband was very popular, and somewhat of a philanderer … but she wasn’t named Hillary. Catherine Deneuve is Bernadette Chirac, the spouse of President Jacque of France, and she stars in “The President’s Wife,” co-written and directed by Léa Domenach.

The President’s Wife

Photo credit: Cohen Media Group

Rating: 4.0/5.0

This French film is a satirical profile of the real-life Bernadette Chirac (Deneuve), during the period of her husband’s power as president (1995-2007). Shuffled aside during the campaigns, even by her politico daughter (Sarah Giraudeau), Bernadette decides to start a PR campaign to curry favor from the French citizenry. This persona, with help from PR flack Barnard (Denis Podalydés), ups the first lady’s popularity, much to the consternation of husband President Jacque (Michel Vuillermoz).

Catherine Deneuve takes a bite out of this sour apple role and brings a nuanced humanity to it.

French director Jean-Paul Salomé has kicked off production on The Money Maker(L’Affaire Bojarski) about real-life counterfeiter Jan Bojarski, who was nicknamed “the Cézanne of fake money”.

The Bureau Sales has boarded for international sales and will launch the film at the upcoming European Film Market (EFM).

Set in post-Second World War France, the film stars Reda Kateb as Bojarski, a Polish refugee in France who forged near-perfect counterfeit money and eluded police for nearly 15 years. Bastien Bouillon plays a police commissioner who sets off on a high-stakes cat-and-mouse chase to hunt down the sophisticated swindler. Sara Giraudeau and...

For fans of international TV, news of the return of South Korean smash hit Squid Game for a third and final season was the big takeaway from Netflix’s global program showcase this week. But beyond the bloodsport, Netflix’s international line-up included several tantalizing new projects, featuring some of the world’s biggest stars, including French actor Omar Sy, German talent Matthias Schweighöfer, and Mexican VIP Alfonso Herrera, who all unveiled new local originals for the streaming giant.

Sy, who went from local to global superstar on the back of Netflix’s Lupin, will bring his latest feature, French Lover, to the platform this year. The romantic drama sees Sy falling for Marion (The Bureau actress Sara Giraudeau), the literal girl next door. Schweighöfer, whose 2021 action comedy Army of Thieves, was a surprise hit for Netflix, returns with Brick, from Tribes of Europe director Philip Koch. The high-concept sci-fi...

Netflix France has revealed a first look at Lupin and Untouchable star Omar Sy in romantic comedy French Lover.

The new role marks a fresh direction for the actor whose previous characters have rarely had success in romance.

The French arm of the global platform teased the image at its Next on Netflix event in Paris on Wednesday evening, running simultaneously with events in the U.S. and worldwide.

Sy stars as an A-list actor who unexpectedly falls for a girl-next-door, played by Sara Giraudeau, who crosses his path. They are joined in the cast by Pascale Arbillot, Alban Ivanov and Agnès Hurstel.

It is the debut feature of Lisa-Nina Rives who previously worked with Sy as a second unit director on Lupin.

Producers are Zazi Films, Federation Studio France and Korokoro Productions, with the participation of TF1. No date has been revealed for its launch.

Other big local productions...

Netflix showed off its sprawling footprint across Europe during its Next on Netflix event, held simultaneously in multiple locations on Jan. 29. Hotly anticipated titles were teased, such as the Omar Sy movie “French Lover,” Italy’s reimagining of the classic novel “The Leopard,” Norwegian action-adventure movie “Troll 2” and Lena Dunham’s upcoming series “Too Much.”

Netflix’s international original content strategy for 2025 looks to bank on flagship IP, big local stars and romance and crime titles, underscoring its foothold in local industries and an ambition to appeal to all demos as well as dive deeper into crowd-pleasing movies.

“French Lover,” which unveiled a first look (above) at the Paris presentation, is a sexy romantic comedy starring Omar Sy, the charismatic French actor of heist show “Lupin,” alongside Sara Giraudeau (“Bernadette”). In the high-concept movie, Sy stars as Abel Camara, the biggest star of the moment, who crosses paths with...

Cedric Klapisch, one of France’s most celebrated filmmakers who notably directed cult French movies such as “The Spanish Apartment” and “Peril Jeune,” will once again explore youths in his next movie, “Colours of Time,” but this time in 19th century Paris.

The movie, budgeted at 15.6 million euros ($16 million), is being represented internationally by Studiocanal which unveiled a trailer to distributors during the Unifrance’s Rendez-Vous With French Cinema.

The film weaves coming-of-age tale and family drama, starring a cast of up-and-comers such as Suzanne Lindon, Abraham Wapler, Zinedine Soualem, Paul Kircher and Vassili Schneider, alongside seasoned actors such as Sara Giraudeau, Cécile de France, Olivier Gourmet and Vincent Macaigne.

In “Colours of Time,” four cousins leading very different lives discover they share a mysterious family history. “In 1895, their ancestor Adèle, then aged 21, leaves her hometown to search for her mother in Paris. She discovers a city on the cusp of modernity,...

Studiocanal has boarded Cedric Klapisch’s time-jumping family drama Colours Of Time (La Venue De l’Avenir) about cousins who inherit an old house in rural Normandy and retrace the steps of their ancestors in 19th-centuryParis.

The supercharged cast of local stars is headed by Suzanne Lindon, Vincent Macaigne, Zinedine Soualem, Paul Kircher, Vassili Schneider, Sara Giraudeau, Cécile de France, Olivier Gourmet and Abraham Wapler.

Klapisch has written the script with Santiago Amigorena and produces with Bruno Levy via their Ce Qui Me Meut banner.

Studiocanal will unveil the film to buyers at the Paris Rendez-Vous later this month.

The...

Quick Links An Award-Winning Series Inspired 'The Agency' Can Michael Fassbender Create the Same Type of Show with 'The Agency?'

Whether the newly released dramatic spy series happens to gain a large following overnight or instead takes a few episodes to gain some serious momentum, November 29 will be known as the day Paramount+ made its mark on the streaming hemisphere. Crafted by legendary Hollywood actor George Clooney and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Grant Heslov, this budding production duo is bringing a show called The Agency to life.

While the initial premise (which revolved around long-term undercover agents recruiting potential allies to their cause) might have sent some viewers away, the trailer for the Michael Fassbender-leading saga proved those naysayers wrong by impressing both critics and home audiences. The first two episodes seem to be doing fine as well in terms of reception. Even before all the fanfare, though,...

The 2024 International Emmy Awards took place Monday night in New York, honoring the finest shows made outside of the United States, with nominees coming from 21 countries, per The Hollywood Reporter.

The night’s big winners were Apple TV+’s French-Japanese anime adaptation “Drops of God,” which won best drama series; Netflix’s Argentinian satire “División Palermo” winning best comedy series; Netflix’s German thriller “Liebes Kind” winning best limited series; Timothy Spall, who won best actor for the BBC’s crime drama “The Sixth Commandment;” and Aokbab-Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, who won best actress for Netflix’s Thai chef drama “Hunger.”

Two honorary awards were given out during the ceremony, which was hosted by comedian Vir Das. Sidonie Dumas, CEO of French film and TV producer Gaumont, received the International Emmy Directorate Award, which “Lupin” star Omar Sy presented to her. And legendary TV producer David E. Kelley received the International Emmy Founders Award,...

The best in global television was honored in New York on Monday night at the 2024 International Emmy Awards, with winners picked across nominees from 21 countries.

The big winners on the night were Drops of God winning best drama series, Timothy Spall winning best actor, Aokbab-Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying winning best actress, División Palermo winning best comedy and Liebes Kind winning best miniseries.

In the best drama category, Apple TV+’s French-American-Japanese manga adaptation Drops of God, produced by Legendary Television, won out against 1980s-set Australian series The Newsreader; the Amazon Prime Video Argentina espionage thriller Yosi, the Regretful Spy; and the Disney+/Hotstar series The Night Manager, an Indian adaptation of the 2016 BBC show of the same name.

British acting legend Timothy Spall went into the ceremony as favorite in the best actor category, nominated for his turn in the BBC true-crime tale The Sixth Commandment, and duly walked away with the award.

French-Japanese drama series “Les Gouttes de Dieu [Drops of God],” Argentinian comedy series “División Palermo” and actor Timothy Spall were among the winners at the 52nd annual International Emmy Awards.

Hosted by stand-up comedian Vir Das, the ceremony took place Monday at the New York Hilton Midtown Hotel. This year, 21 countries were represented across 14 categories and 56 nominees.

During the evening, French actor Omar Sy presented the International Emmy Directorate Award to Gaumont CEO Sidonie Dumas, while writer and producer David E. Kelley received the International Emmys Founder Award from Michael Pressman.

See the full list of winners below.

Arts Programming

“Pianoforte” (Telemark sp. z o.o.)

Poland — Winner

“Robbie Williams” (Rsa Films Ltd. / Netflix)

United Kingdom

“Virgilio” (House of Chef / Astromax)

Argentina

“Who I Am Life” (Wowow Inc. / Wood’s Office)

Japan

Best Performance by an Actor

Julio Andrade, “Betinho: No Fio da Navalha [Living on a Razor’s Edge]” (Globoplay / AfroReggae Audiovisual / Formata Produções e Conteúdo)

Brazil

Haluk Bilginer,...

Streaming giants are a force to be reckoned with in the race for the 52nd International Emmys, organized by the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, as they approach the awards on Nov. 25 in New York.

Nominees for drama series include Season 2 of Prime Video’s Argentine thriller “Yosi, the Regretful Spy,” based on the real story of an Argentine police agent who infiltrates a Jewish community. Also nominated is Disney+ Hotstar’s Indian remake of BBC/AMC’s John le Carré adaptation “The Night Manager,” about a corrupt and dangerous arms dealer.

They compete alongside Apple TV+’s “Drops of God,” adapted from a manga series, about the estranged daughter of a French wine expert who must compete with her father’s Japanese protégé in a series of tests; and Season 2 of Prime Video’s “The Newsreader,” about the cut-throat world of Australian news media in the 1980s.

Clementine Gayet and Jimmy Desmarais, a pair of senior executives in charge of Netflix’s French scripted originals, are set to step down from the streamer at the end of the year, Variety has learned.

They follow a string of high-profile exits at Netflix in France, including Damien Couvreur, VP of series and documentaries, who left the streamer over the summer. A junior executive, Ingha Mago, who is creative associate of French Original Series at Netflix, will also be stepping down at the same time as Desmarais and Gayet. Netflix declined to comment.

Netflix’s French team has been spearheaded by Pauline Dauvin, the former VP at The Walt Disney Company France, since the start of 2024 in the newly created position of VP of content in France.

Spearheaded by Dauvin, the French team is now comprised of head of unscripted series Dolores Emile, scripted series boss Pierre Saint-André and Gaelle Mareschi,...

A project initially scheduled for a 2023 shoot has finally been greenlit, with Cineuropa confirming that Meryem Benm’Barek has been filming her sophomore feature since midway point last month. Behind the Palm Trees stars Sara Giraudeau and Driss Ramdi in leading roles, with strong support from Carole Bouquet, Olivier Rabourdin, Rachel O’Meara, and Nadia Kounda. Benm’Barek’s debut feature Sofia was a 2018 Cannes Un Certain Regard selection – winning the Best Screenplay in the section. Production is taking place in Tangier and Benm’Barek has re-teamed with her cinematographer Son Doan. A project was part of the 2022 Atlas Workshops in Marrakech, Tessalit Productions’ Jean Bréhat is producing.…...

Just days after the 2024 Primetime Emmys were handed out, we have the nominees for the 52nd International Emmy Awards. See the full list of 14 categories below.

The shows vying for the Drama Series prize are Australia’s The Newsreader, Argentina’s Yosi, the Regretful Spy, France’s Drops of God and India’s The Night Manager. Three of those countries also are in the running for the Comedy Series prize as Australia’s Deadloch, Argentina’s División Palermo, France’s Hpi — whose American remake High Potential premiered on ABC this week — battle South Korea’s Daily Dose of Sunshine.

Argentina also is in the running for the Arts Programming award with Virgilio, alongside Poland’s Piano Forte, the UK’s Robbie Williams and Japan’s Who I Am Life. Winners will pick up their hardware November 25 at the International Emmy Awards Gala in New York City.

The UK and Australia...

It’s always Emmys time. With the Primetime Emmys wrapping on Sunday, and the News and Documentary Emmys set to announce their winners next week, the International Emmys have also entered the conversation — revealing on Thursday the nominations for the 2024 International Emmy Awards.

The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced a roster of 56 International Emmys nominees across 14 categories and spanning 21 countries. Leading the pack was the United Kingdom, with nine nominees, followed by France with seven and Brazil with five.

“Every year the international television community competes to be recognized on the International Emmys’ much coveted global stage,” said International Academy president/CEO Bruce L. Paisner in a statement. “We congratulate the Nominees for their outstanding programs and performances, they are once again a testament to the universal appeal of great storytelling across all genres, countries and cultures.”

Thus year’s nominees came from Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Chile,...

The Larrieu brothers’ Cannes melodrama Jim’s Story has sold to multiple territories as it enjoys a strong opening in its first week in French cinemas for Pyramide Distribution.

Pyramide International has sold the film to Filmin in Spain, Jmh in Switzerland, K-Films in Quebec, Panda in Austria, Paradiso in Benelux, Beta Film in Bulgaria, Falcon in Indonesia, and Nachson in Israel.

After debuting as a Cannes Premiere, Jim’s Story was released on August 14 and has sold 143,016 tickets (approximately €1.1m) in its first week in theatres, a strong opening for an arthouse title particularly during an August holiday week in the country.

The lead of Netflix's hit series Lupin has officially signed on for a steamy new project. A new report from Variety announced that Omar Sy, who portrays Assane Diop in the mystery heist series, will star in the upcoming romantic comedy French Lover. The film will be the directorial debut of Nina Rives, who worked recently as a script supervisor on Love at Second Sight, A Man in a Hurry, and (Girl)Friend. Sy will star alongside Sara Giraudeau, Pascale Arbillot, and Alban Ivanov.

Nicole Garcia and Virginie Efira as mother and daughter in Disney+ series Everything Is Fine Photo: @ Disney+/Thibault Grabherr The role of matriarch is one that rather appeals to Nicole Garcia, one of the grand doyennes of French film and theatre, in both private and professional circumstances.

She has relished her role as head of the family in the Disney+ series Everything Is Fine (Tout va bien) in which her self-help guru character Anne Vasseur is plunged into emotional turmoil when her youngest daughter’s child Rose, seven, falls ill with leukaemia and has to undergo a bone marrow transplant. The trauma brings together Anne and her oldest daughter Claire (played by Virginie Efira) as well as other members of the family, including Sara Giraudeau as Marion, the mother of Rose.

Nicole Garcia on her character: 'I hope they keep offering me roles like this because they can provide a...

Cohen Media Group, the U.S. distribution company behind Matteo Garrone’s Oscar-nominated “Io Capitano,” has acquired North American rights to “The President’s Wife,” a biting movie starring Catherine Deneuve as France’s former first lady Bernadette Chirac.

The deal closed during the European Film Market currently taking place and running alongside the Berlin Film Festival.

The movie, which marks the feature debut of director Léa Domenach, is nominated for a Cesar Award for best first film. The deal was negotiated by Robert Aaronson, executive VP of Cohen Media Group, and Charlotte Boucon, head of world sales at Orange Studio — newly acquired by Studiocanal — on behalf of Warner Bros Picture France.

The film opens in 1995, as Jacques Chirac becomes president of France. “His wife Bernadette now expects to be treated with the respect due to her lifelong work in the shadow of her husband. But mocked as too corny, she’s cast aside.

Exclusive: The Bureau creator Eric Rochant is today formally unveiling his production banner, Maui Entertainment, which has quietly launched with backing from Federation Studios.

In an exclusive interview to announce Maui, Rochant said creative talent “must be at the origin and center” of its projects, with a business model geared towards helping new writers and producers become showrunners. He also revealed he was working on a spy drama and a series with Spanish writer Isabel Coixet.

“I learned from Todd Kessler, who made Damages and Bloodline, that a good series must come from a writer who can explain why he’s the only one who can make a specific show,” said Rochant.

Maui quietly launched last year up with a Disney+ order, for Tout va Bien (Everything is Fine), but today marks its market launch. We can reveal the series is due to launch on November 15.

The eight-part show is from Camille de Castelnau,...

Arte France Cinéma have come onboard in a co-producer capacity for upcoming projects by Jonathan Millet, veteran Italian filmmaker Francesca Comencini and the Larrieu Bros. All of these projects should premiere on the film fest circuit in 2024.

Arnaud Larrieu and Jean-Marie Larrieu are working on a book to film project titled Le roman de Jim. A 25 year spanning film, production has already begun with the likes of Sara Forestier, Bertrand Belin, Karim Leklou and Sara Giraudeau. Millet’s Les Fantômes (which we reported on back in November) will be the first film to move into production – and it has actors Adam Bessa and Tawfeek Barhom signed on for a July to September film production.…...

’Jim’s Story’ is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Pierric Bailly.

French filmmaking duo the Larrieu brothers, known for their eccentric comedies are turning to melodrama with Jim’s Story for which Pyramide International has rights and is kicking off sales at the Cannes Market.

Jim’s Story is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Pierric Bailly and stars Sara Forestier, Sara Giraudeau, Karim Leklou, and Valérie Donzelli, director of Cannes Premiere title Just The Two of Us, alongside Noé Abita.

The film is about a family living in the Jura...

The film will be released in cinemas by Universal Pictures International in France in 2024.

Other Angle Pictures has partnered with Universal Pictures International France and Focus Features to board Reda Kateb’s debut feature On the Edge (Sur Un Fil) and will kick off sales in Cannes for the title that will be released in cinemas by Universal Pictures International in France in 2024.

Kateb is a familiar face on French screens, nominated for the 2018 and 2020 Best Actor Cesars and winner of the Best Supporting Actor in 2015 for Hippocrate. He currently stars in Elias Belkeddar’s Cannes Midnight Screening title The King of Algiers...

After the launch of its first original content in 2022, Disney+ France is expanding, revealing a slate of new productions Wednesday at the Series Mania festival in Lille.

The announcement was made by Pauline Dauvin, Disney’s VP Programming, Original Productions and Acquisitions.

The projects include a mix of film and TV productions. The first is a new original series titled Les enfants sont roism (The Children Are Kings), adapted from Delphine Le Vigan’s novel of the same name. The series is currently in pre-production and is expected to shoot later this year.

Two original French films are also set to debut on the streamer this year. The first, Une Zone à Défendre, is billed as a “moving and intense melodrama” and stars Lyna Khoudri (The French Dispatch) and François Civil (The Stronghold). The pic is currently scheduled for a summer release. The second feature is Antigang: La Relève, an action film starring Alban Lenoir,...

Disney+ has ordered “Tout va bien,” a new French original series which will be co-directed and co-produced by ‘The Bureau’ creator and showrunner Eric Rochant. The anticipated series will also be directed by Xavier Legrand (“Custody”), Cathy Verney (“Vernon Subutex”) and Audrey Estrougo (“Supremes”).

Slated to start shooting in Paris soon, “Tout va bien” is created by Camille de Castelnau, a rising talent whose screenwriting credits include episodes of “The Bureau,” “Call My Agent” and “Standing Up.”

“Tout va bien” will be headlined by Virginie Efira (pictured) who stars in Rebecca Zlotowski’s upcoming Venice competition title “Les enfants des autres,” and Nicole Garcia (“Lupin”), among others.

The series, which will launch on Disney+ around the world in 2023, revolves around an dysfunctional Parisian family confronted to the tragic illness of one their children.

The cast also includes Sara Giraudeau, Aliocha Schneider, Bernard Le Coq, Eduardo Noriega, Yannik Landrein, Mehdi Nebbou and Angèle Mièle.

France’s leading film group Pathé isn’t done earning critical laurels with Sian Heder’s “Coda,” having just won the Hollywood Critics Association’s Spotlight Award, as well as the Hamilton Behind The Camera award for the film’s craft team.

“Coda,” produced by Philippe Rousselet’s Vendôme Group and Pathé as part of their production partnership, also received a pair of nods at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards — one for outstanding song, independent film for the song “Beyond the Shore,” and another for outstanding musical performance of a song, for Emilia Jones’ on-screen performance of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now.”

An English-language remake of the 2014 French box office hit “La Famille Belier,” the movie stars Oscar-winning actor Marlee Matlin and Jones. Pathé sold the movie to Apple after scooping four awards at Sundance.

The film follows 16-year-old Ruby, the only speaking member of a deaf family,...

Emmanuel Mouret’s “Love Affair(s),” Samir Guesmi’s “Ibrahim” and Elie Wajeman’s “Night Doctor” won top prizes at Colcoa, the French film and TV festival.

The festival, which marked its 25th edition, wrapped at the DGA on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles on Nov. 7. It was attended by 14,000 people.

The festival, programmed by Francois Truffart, is organized by the Franco-American Cultural Fund, a collaboration between the Directors Guild of America (DGA), the Motion Picture Association (MPA), The Writers Guild of America West (Wgaw) and France’s Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music (Sacem).

Colcoa shifted its spring dates to the fall in 2019 as the DGA was being renovated and is now ideally positioned at the start of the awards season in the U.S. The awards ceremony took place at the Sacem headquarters near Paris in the presence of many honorees, notably Guesmi and “Love Affair(s)” producer Frédéric Niedermayer,...

Charades has closed a raft of sales on the French comedy “The Speech” which is part of Cannes 2020’s Official Selection and is screening at Cannes’ virtual Marché du Film.

“The Speech” is adapted from Fabcaro’s novel “Le discours,” and is directed by Laurent Tirard, the popular French helmer of “Little Nicholas” and “Astérix and Obélix: God Save Britannia.” The movie is one of five comedies which are part of Cannes’ official selection.

“The Speech” tells the story of Adrien, who is going through an existential crisis and is about to get dumped by his girlfriend. During a family dinner, Adrien is asked to prepare a speech for the wedding ceremony of his sister and brother in-law. As he starts imagining what he would say, Adrien’s mind gets lost in a flurry of hilarious thoughts and twisted memories about his family.

In spite of the current coronavirus crisis...

Awarded the Label of the Official Selection, Elie Wajeman’s work will spearhead a line-up of 14 titles, including three market premieres. The Cannes Film Festival’s Online Marché du Film (running 22 - 26 June) is in the viewfinder of international sales agent Be For Films - a firm directed by Pamela Leu, also the Belgian subsidiary of French group Playtime - who will be negotiating on behalf of 14 titles at the event, including one work awarded the Official Selection Label: Night Doctor, by France’s Elie Wajeman.The filmmaker’s 3rd feature film, following on from Alyah (Directors’ Fortnight 2012) and Les Anarchistes (Cannes’ Critics’ Week 2015), stars Vincent Macaigne, Sara Giraudeau and Pio Marmaï in its cast and will be sold via a promo reel. Written by Elie Wajeman and Agnès Feuvre, the story centres around night doctor Mikael. His work is a vocation. Between two patient-visits in difficult neighbourhoods, he...

At a standstill since March, the director has resumed filming on his film starring Daniel Auteuil, Gilles Lellouche and Sara Giraudeau, a Vendôme production sold by Pathé. First started on 20 January and halted mid-March as a result of the Coronavirus lockdown, filming on Fred Cavayé’s Farewell Mr Haffmann started up again yesterday to enter into its final two-week film shoot. This will be the filmmaker’s 6th feature following on from Anything For Her, Point Blank, Mea culpa, Penny Pincher! (2.9 million in 2016) and Nothing to Hide (1.63m viewers in 2018). Shining bright at the head of the cast are Daniel Auteuil (Best Actor award in Cannes 1996, nominated 14 times for the Best Actor César – including this year for La Belle...

A tale of missed connections both earthly and ethereal, Pascal Bonitzer’s haunting “Spellbound” starts underground before it creeps upward to the atmosphere and beyond. Clad in a chic trench coat and styled with a noticeably old-fashioned, side-swept up-do, freelance writer Coline (Sara Giraudeau) is about to hear that ever-unpleasant delay announcement in the Paris metro. Once her train gets stalled, Coline exits, though almost shockingly unfazed, strolling through the streets until a chance encounter taps her on the shoulder. The man that’s appeared out of thin air is none other than Simon (Nicolas Duvauchelle), who evidently stepped out of the same shuttered subway line.

Through this brief foggy encounter and a few minutes of polite yet uncomfortable small talk, we grasp that there is some thorny history there, which Bonitzer’s intriguing yarn unpacks with otherworldly grace, but not always earthbound wisdom or authority. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing,...

Christophe Honoré’s On A Magical Night (Chambre 212), starring Chiara Mastroianni, Benjamin Biolay and Vincent Lacoste, traces memories with flesh and blood in light in the footsteps of Woody Allen and Ingmar Bergman Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

Dream logic pervades many of the films selected in this year’s New York UniFrance and Film at Lincoln Center Rendez-Vous with French Cinema, including Pascal Bonitzer’s Spellbound (Les Envoûtés), based on Henry James’s ghost story The Way It Came, starring Sara Giraudeau, Anabel Lopez and Nicolas Duvauchelle; Quentin Dupieux’s Deerskin (Le Daim) with Adèle Haenel (César nominated for Céline Sciamma’s Portrait Of A Lady On Fire) opposite Jean Dujardin (César nominated Roman Polanski’s An Officer And A Spy); Safy Nebbou’s Who You Think I Am (Celle Que Vous Croyez), adapted from Camille Laurens’s book, with Juliette Binoche, François Civil (Antonin Baudry’s César nominated The Wolf's Call) and Nicole Garcia,...

Charades, the sales firm launched three years ago by former execs at Wild Bunch, Gaumont and Studiocanal, will roll into the Berlinale’s European Film Market with a raft of pre-sales on anticipated French projects, including “The Rosemaker” with Catherine Frot and Laurent Tirard’s “The Speech.”

Charades will unveil the promos of both films, as well as “Madeleine Collins,” Antoine Barraud’s psychological drama headlined by Virginie Efira, and will be hosting the market premieres of Sebastien Demoustier’s “The Girl With a Bracelet” which is generating strong box office returns in France, where it opened last week, and Bruno Merle’s “Felicita.”

A psychological drama, starring Chiara Mastroianni and Roschdy Zem, “The Girl With a Bracelet,” has already attracted 100,000 admissions in five days. The film follows a 16-year-old who stands trial for the murder of her best friend and begins to confess to a secret life that she kept from her parents.

Vincent Macaigne, Sara Giraudeau and Pio Marmaï top the bill of the filmmaker’s third feature film, a Partizan Films production set to be sold by Be for Films. 9 December saw Elie Wajeman commence filming on Un médecin de nuit, his third feature film following on from Alyah (Directors’ Fortnight 2012) and Les Anarchistes (the opening film of Cannes’ Critics’ Week 2015). Shining bright in the cast are Vincent Macaigne, Sara Giraudeau and Pio Marmaï (nominated Best Actor at the 2019 Césars for The Trouble With You, and set to grace billboards in Comment je suis devenu super-héros in...

Benjamin Lavernhe and Sara Giraudeau play lead roles in this work produced by Les Films sur Mesure and sold by Charades, whose cast also includes Kyan Khojandi, Julia Piaton and François Morel. Laurent Tirard’s 8th feature film, Le Discours, has just wrapped its six-week film shoot in Paris. It’s a new comedy by a filmmaker who has often struck an impressive balance between artistic quality and respectable box-office results, as demonstrated by The Story of My Life, Molière (1.2 million viewers in France in 2007 and four nominations at the 2008 César Awards), Little Nicholas (5.5 million admissions in France in 2009), Asterix and Obelix: God Save Britannia (3.8 million viewers in 2012), Nicholas on Holiday (2.4 million admissions in 2014), Up For Love and Return of the Hero (816,000...

Netflix has set the premiere date for its police interrogation drama Criminal. The series, which stars For Life’s Nicholas Pinnock, Doctor Who’s David Tennant and Agent Carter’s Hayley Atwell, will launch on September 20.

The Svod service has also unveiled the first images for the format bending series.

Criminal consists of 12 episodes of 45 minutes with three episodes each set across four countries – France, Spain, Germany and the UK. The drama takes place exclusively within the confines of a police interview suite. It is a stripped down, cat-and-mouse drama that will focus on the intense mental conflict between the police officer and the suspect in question.

Pinnock, Cheat’s Katherine Kelly, Lee Ingleby, Mark Stanley, Rochenda Sandall and Shubham Saraf star in the UK episodes with Tennant and Atwell guest starring alongside Youssef Kerkour, and Clare-Hope Ashitey.

In France, Margot Bancilhon, Laurent Lucas, Stéphane Jobert, Anne Azoulay and Mhamed Arezki...

Here’s a series taking a new spin on the old British procedural. Netflix is bringing us an anthology series that set in four different countries, with different casts and directors, and different stories… that are all set in the interrogation rooms in police stations.

The series will be set in France, Spain, Germany and the U.K. The series is described by Deadline as a “stripped down, cat-and-mouse drama that will focus on the intense mental conflict between the police officer and the suspect in question” that will be written, directed, and produced by the local language and talent to each country.

Deadline reports the following descriptions and cast info for each installment:

Pinnock, Cheat’s Katherine Kelly Lee Ingleby, Mark Stanley, Rochenda Sandall and Shubham Saraf star in the UK episodes with Tennant and Atwell guest starring alongside Youssef Kerkour, and Clare-Hope Ashitey.

In France, Margot Bancilhon, Laurent Lucas,...

Nicholas Pinnock, star of ABC’s forthcoming legal drama For Life, Doctor Who’s David Tennant and Agent Carter’s Hayley Atwell are to star in Netflix’s police interrogation drama Criminal.

The format bending series consists of 12 episodes of 45 minutes with three episodes each set across four countries – France, Spain, Germany and the UK. The drama takes place exclusively within the confines of a police interview suite. It is a stripped down, cat-and-mouse drama that will focus on the intense mental conflict between the police officer and the suspect in question.

Pinnock, Cheat’s Katherine Kelly Lee Ingleby, Mark Stanley, Rochenda Sandall and Shubham Saraf star in the UK episodes with Tennant and Atwell guest starring alongside Youssef Kerkour, and Clare-Hope Ashitey.

In France, Margot Bancilhon, Laurent Lucas, Stéphane Jobert, Anne Azoulay and Mhamed Arezki star alongside guest stars Nathalie Baye, Jérémie Renier and Sara Giraudeau.

In Germany, Eva Meckbach,...

The most lauded of titles on this year’s MyFrenchFilmFestival, UniFrance’s online showcase featured by over 50 Ott services around the world, may not be a film but a drama series.

With four seasons aired, and a milestone in world sales on a French TV show, slow-boiling espionage series ‘Le Bureau des légendes’ (“The Bureau”) is tracking to become a French modern classic, its admirers say..

“This series is the best ever made in France,” trumpeted French newspaper Le Figaro.

A Canal Plus Création Originale produced by The Oligarchs Productions (Top) and Federation Entertainment Ent., which handles international sales, the series was created by screenwriter-director Eric Rochant whose “The Patriots,” with Yvan Attal as a Mossad operative, was selected for main competition at the 1994 Cannes Festival.

First released on Canal Plus in April 2015, Season 4 concluded last November. MyFrenchFilmFestival is screening Episodes 1 and 2 of Season 1 in its New Horizons showcase, out of competition.

Les amis des amis

French writer and director Pascal Bonitzer commences on his eighth feature, Les envoûtés (formerly titled Les amis des amis), which features a cast of notables including Nicolas Duvauchelle, Nicolas Maury, Josiane Balasko, Anable Lopez, Iliana Lolic and the lead Sara Giraudeau (2018 Cesar winner for Best Supporting Actress in Bloody Milk). It is the fourth film in a row from Bonitzer to be produced by Said Ben Said and Michel Merkt of Sbs Productions (their last venture together being 2016’s Right Here Right Now). Belgium’s Diana Elbaum of Beluga Tree is also co-producing. Dp Julien Hirsch lensed the feature.…...

Rosa Attab

Producer, Why Not Productions

Although she likes to keep a low profile, Attab is a key producer at Parisian outfit Why Not Prods., where she works with top filmmakers such as Cristian Mungiu, Arnaud Desplechin and Jacques Audiard, whose latest film “The Sisters Brothers” played at Venice and will screen next at Toronto. Attab’s first experience as a full-on producer was on Lynne Ramsay’s “You Were Never Really Here,” which world premiered in competition at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival and won prizes for actor (Joaquin Phoenix) and screenplay. Attab is developing an English-language feature with BAFTA-nominated helmer Yann Demange, who recently directed “White Boy Rick,” which unspooled at Telluride, and the feature debut of actor Samir Guesmi (“The Returned”).

Stephanie Bermann (pictured center)

Co-Founder, Domino Films

Bermann founded Domino Films with Alexis Dulguerian six years ago after heading acquisitions at leading independent distribution company Mars Films for eight years.

Jim Cummings’s “Thunder Road” won the Grand Prize at the 44th edition of the Normandie-set Deauville American Film Festival.

“Thunder Road” follows a broken cop who comes to grips with a death of his mom when giving a heartfelt eulogy at her funeral. The movie previously won the Grand Jury Award at South by Southwest. Paname Distribution will release the movie in France. “Thunder Road” is an expanded version of Cummings’s 2016 short film by the same name, which had won Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize.

Variety‘s Owen Gleiberman described “Thunder Road” as an “uncanny tale of a Middle American cop who’s a funny, crazy, moving, indelibly authentic lost soul.”

Deauville festival’s jury, which was presided by French actress Sandrine Kiberlain, handed out two Jury Prizes, to Bart Layton’s heist drama “American Animals” and Jordana Spiro’s “Night Comes On.” Meanwhile, Marc Turtletaub’s “Puzzle...

Morgan Freeman, Sarah Jessica Parker, Shailene Woodley and director Jacques Audiard are among those set to be honored at the Deauville Film Festival (Aug 31 – Sept 9) later this month in France.

Oscar-winner Freeman will receive a career homage while Sex And The City star Parker will get Deauville’s Talent prize. Cannes Palme d’Or winner Jacques Audiard, who will be at the festival with Joaquin Phoenix and John C Reilly to introduce their Western The Sisters Brothers, will receive an honorary award.

Parker will join Kate Beckinsale and Jason Clarke as honorees for the festival’s Talent prize. Elle Fanning and Shailene Woodley will receive this year’s Rising Star award while writer John Grisham is getting the event’s literary prize.

Freeman’s honor comes just months after CNN ran a story in which eight women accused him of inappropriate behavior and sexual harassment. The Oscar-winning actor has denied...

Jacques Audiard’s anticipated “The Sisters Brothers,” Melanie Laurent’s “Galveston” and Sahar Jessica Parker starrer “Blue Night” are among the 63 films set to play at the 44th edition of Deauville American Film Festival.

Running Aug.31 to Sept.9, the festival will wrap with Chris Weitz’s “Operation Finale” with Oscar Isaac an Sir Ben Kingsley who will both attend the screening.

Audiard, the Palme d’Or winning director of “Dheepan” and “A Prophet,” will attend the festival with “The Sisters Brothers” stars Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly ahead of the film’s North American premiere at Toronto. Audiard will receive an honorary award which Deauville’s artistic director Bruno Barde said was created for the helmer.

Barde said “The Sisters Brothers” was an instant classic in the veins of Michael Cimino’s masterpiece “Heaven’s Gate.” The artistic director also pointed out Audiard was one of the four French...

“Bpm” triumphed at the César Awards, taking home the prizes for Best Film, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Antoine Reinartz), Best Male Newcomer (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart), Best Original Score, and Best Editing. Robin Campillo’s drama about AIDS activists in Paris also won the Grand Prix at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, but wasn’t nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign-Language Film — a snub that was met with some controversy.

Andrey Zvyagintsev’s “Loveless,” which is nominated for the Oscar, won the equivalent award. Albert Dupontel’s “Au revoir là-haut” also had a big night, taking Best Director, Best Actress (Jeanne Balibar), and three other prizes. Full list of winners:

Best Film

“Bpm,” Robin Campillo

“Au revoir là-haut,” Albert Dupontel

“Barbara,” Mathieu Amalric

“Le Brio,” Yvan Attal

“Patients,” Grand Corps Malade, Mehdi Idir

“Petit Paysan,” Hubert Charuel

“C’est La Vie,” Eric Tolédano, Olivier Nakache

Best Director

Robin Campillo,...

Politically-charged annual celebration of French cinema highlights female rights, fight against Aids and plight of refugees.

Robin Campillo’s AIDS activism drama Bpm topped the awards at the 43rd edition of the French Césars on Friday evening (March 2), with the director clinching best film, editing and screenplay.

The film won in six of its 13 nominated categories, with additional awards for best original music for Arnaud Rebotini, best supporting actor for Antoine Reinartz and best male newcomer for Nahuel Pérez Biscayart.

The César triumph follows an award-winning run in France for the film charting the activities of the Paris branch of...