100 years after the death of Franz Kafka, a new mini-series aims to dive beneath the surface of an author who remains enigmatic even as his influence on the culture continues to grow.
Kafka, an ambitious German-language meta-drama written by Austrian writer/director David Schalko (Braunschlag) and best-selling author David Kehlmann (Measuring the World), is based on Reiner Stach’s exhaustive three-volume biography of Kafka and weaves together the writer’s life and work, finding the connections and gaps between the two.
Schalko, who spent more than a decade developing the series, and directs all six episodes, says he was well aware of the perils of trying to capture Kafka on screen. “Everything we think we know about Kafka has become a cliche,” says Schalko.
Kafka
There is a temptation to depict Franz Kafka, the writer, as a “Kafkaesque” character, and his work as simply a heightened reflection of his life.
Kafka, an ambitious German-language meta-drama written by Austrian writer/director David Schalko (Braunschlag) and best-selling author David Kehlmann (Measuring the World), is based on Reiner Stach’s exhaustive three-volume biography of Kafka and weaves together the writer’s life and work, finding the connections and gaps between the two.
Schalko, who spent more than a decade developing the series, and directs all six episodes, says he was well aware of the perils of trying to capture Kafka on screen. “Everything we think we know about Kafka has become a cliche,” says Schalko.
Kafka
There is a temptation to depict Franz Kafka, the writer, as a “Kafkaesque” character, and his work as simply a heightened reflection of his life.
- 6/6/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Worldwide box office May 31-June 2 Rank Film (distributor) 3-day (world) Cume (world) 3-day (int’l) Cume (int’l) Territories 1. The Garfield Movie (Sony) $41m $152.1m $27m $100.6m 61 2. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Warner Bros) $31.7m $114.3m $21m $64.7m 78 3. Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes (Disney) $24m $337m $15.2m $197.1m 52 4. If (Disney) $21.8m $138m $11m $57.6m 70 5. Doraemon The Movie: Nobita’s Earth (Toho) $12.2m $40.5m $12.2m $40.5m 1 6. Symphony Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle (various) $9m $95m $5.5m $91.5m 44 7. A Little Something Extra (Pan Distribution) $8m $49.1m $8m $49.1m 1 8. The Fall Guy (Universal) $7.6m $157.8m $3.4m $77.6m 82 9. The Strangers: Chapter 1 (various) $5.1m...
- 6/3/2024
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Australia is set to welcome some of the biggest names in Hollywood to a new industry conference, Future Vision.
Beef creator Lee Sung Jin, The Bear co-showrunner Joanna Calo and Big Little Lies producer Bruna Papandrea will feature at the event, which will be held in Melbourne on July 15-17. The summit is the latest globally-focused TV event on the crowded international calendar.
More speakers are set to be announced shortly, with the event streaming live around the world. Future Vision has been created with support from Australians in Film, Screen Australia and VicScreen, with Papandrea and The Slap showrunner Tony Ayres the co-chairs and Rebecca Yeldham, who led the content team at MasterClass, the Creative Director.
The Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning Lee created, wrote, executive produced and directed Netflix miniseries Beef, which starred Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, who also won acting prizes for the series.
Beef creator Lee Sung Jin, The Bear co-showrunner Joanna Calo and Big Little Lies producer Bruna Papandrea will feature at the event, which will be held in Melbourne on July 15-17. The summit is the latest globally-focused TV event on the crowded international calendar.
More speakers are set to be announced shortly, with the event streaming live around the world. Future Vision has been created with support from Australians in Film, Screen Australia and VicScreen, with Papandrea and The Slap showrunner Tony Ayres the co-chairs and Rebecca Yeldham, who led the content team at MasterClass, the Creative Director.
The Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning Lee created, wrote, executive produced and directed Netflix miniseries Beef, which starred Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, who also won acting prizes for the series.
- 5/29/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Kinology has boarded international sales to “The Big War,” an epic €30-million live action-cgi characters hybrid movie which will mark the directorial comeback of “La Haine” filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz.
The ambitious feature is adapted from “La Bête Est Morte,” an iconic two-part graphic novel illustrated by Edmond Calvo during War World 2 in Nazi-Occupied France and published after the country was liberated.
Pitched as a “”Paddington” meets ‘Saving Private Ryan,'” “The Big War” is a true passion project for Kassovitz who bought rights to “La Bête est Morte” nearly two decades ago and has now joined forces with well-respected animation producer Aton Soumache, whose credits range from literary adaptations such as the Cesar-winning “The Little Prince” to the global smash-hit “Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, the Movie.”
Kassovitz and Soumache have assembled a dream team for “The Big War,” including Caroline Thompson, the award-winning screenwriter of “Edward Scissorhands” and “The Nightmare before Christmas,...
The ambitious feature is adapted from “La Bête Est Morte,” an iconic two-part graphic novel illustrated by Edmond Calvo during War World 2 in Nazi-Occupied France and published after the country was liberated.
Pitched as a “”Paddington” meets ‘Saving Private Ryan,'” “The Big War” is a true passion project for Kassovitz who bought rights to “La Bête est Morte” nearly two decades ago and has now joined forces with well-respected animation producer Aton Soumache, whose credits range from literary adaptations such as the Cesar-winning “The Little Prince” to the global smash-hit “Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, the Movie.”
Kassovitz and Soumache have assembled a dream team for “The Big War,” including Caroline Thompson, the award-winning screenwriter of “Edward Scissorhands” and “The Nightmare before Christmas,...
- 5/10/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Hulu has released the official trailer for the upcoming drama Becoming Karl Lagerfeld, which stars Daniel Brühl as the iconic couturier. The series will premiere with all six episodes on Friday, June 7, on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.
In 1972, Karl Lagerfeld (Daniel Brühl) was 38 and not yet wearing his iconic hairstyle. He was a ready-to-wear designer unknown to the general public.
While he meets and falls in love with the sultry Jacques de Bascher (Théodore Pellerin), an ambitious and troubling young dandy, the most mysterious of fashion designers dares to take on his friend (and rival) Yves Saint Laurent (Arnaud Valois), a genius of haute couture backed by the redoubtable businessman Pierre Bergé (Alex Lutz).
Becoming Karl Lagerfeld plunges us into the heart of the ’70s, in Paris, Monaco, and Rome, to follow the formidable blossoming of this complex and iconic personality of Parisian couture, already driven...
In 1972, Karl Lagerfeld (Daniel Brühl) was 38 and not yet wearing his iconic hairstyle. He was a ready-to-wear designer unknown to the general public.
While he meets and falls in love with the sultry Jacques de Bascher (Théodore Pellerin), an ambitious and troubling young dandy, the most mysterious of fashion designers dares to take on his friend (and rival) Yves Saint Laurent (Arnaud Valois), a genius of haute couture backed by the redoubtable businessman Pierre Bergé (Alex Lutz).
Becoming Karl Lagerfeld plunges us into the heart of the ’70s, in Paris, Monaco, and Rome, to follow the formidable blossoming of this complex and iconic personality of Parisian couture, already driven...
- 4/24/2024
- by Mirko Parlevliet
- Vital Thrills
Two of France’s fastest-rising young stars, Lyna Khoudri and Rio Vega, will lead the French voice cast of animated feature “In Waves,” an unconditional first love story, and tale of loss and memories adapting American illustrator Aj Dungo’s same-titled multi-prized graphic novel.
An anticipated banner prestige animation title from Paris-based Silex Films, “In Waves” lead producer, the feature also marks the first animated co-production of both Anonymous Content and Charades, behind sales of Jeremy Clapin’s “I Lost My Body” and Mamoru Hosoda’s “Mirai,” both Oscar nominated titles.
In Waves is directed by Phuong Mai Nguyen, a former student of French animation schools Gobelins and La Poudrière who helmed episodes of the Silex-produced animated series “Brazen” and was Oscar-shortlisted for her short “My Home,” “In Waves” has just been announced as one of five titles at the Annecy Animation Showcase, part of Cannes’ Animation Day on May...
An anticipated banner prestige animation title from Paris-based Silex Films, “In Waves” lead producer, the feature also marks the first animated co-production of both Anonymous Content and Charades, behind sales of Jeremy Clapin’s “I Lost My Body” and Mamoru Hosoda’s “Mirai,” both Oscar nominated titles.
In Waves is directed by Phuong Mai Nguyen, a former student of French animation schools Gobelins and La Poudrière who helmed episodes of the Silex-produced animated series “Brazen” and was Oscar-shortlisted for her short “My Home,” “In Waves” has just been announced as one of five titles at the Annecy Animation Showcase, part of Cannes’ Animation Day on May...
- 4/23/2024
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Mathieu Kassovitz, whose last film was the 2011 French action-drama Rebellion, is returning behind the camera thirteen years later. According to Deadline, Kassovitz will be taking on a passion project — a film titled The Big War. The Big War will be an English-language film that aims to showcase a hybrid of live-action and animation. The script will reportedly be written by The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride and Edward Scissorhands screenwriter Caroline Thompson. Kassovitz explains, “This is a project I’ve been working on for twenty years.”
Kassovitz is also known for working in front of the camera as an actor on projects such as Amélie and Munich and the hit TV series Le Bureau Des Legendes. He expounds on his new upcoming film, “It is inspired by cult French graphic novel La Bete Est Morte, which was written during the Second World War. It reimagines that war as enacted by animals.
Kassovitz is also known for working in front of the camera as an actor on projects such as Amélie and Munich and the hit TV series Le Bureau Des Legendes. He expounds on his new upcoming film, “It is inspired by cult French graphic novel La Bete Est Morte, which was written during the Second World War. It reimagines that war as enacted by animals.
- 4/9/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Exclusive: La Haine filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz is returning to the director’s chair to make English-language passion project The Big War, which will mark the first movie he has helmed in 13 years.
“This is a project I’ve been working on for twenty years,” Kassovitz explained about the live action-animation hybrid project, which he has scripted with The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride and Edward Scissorhands scribe Caroline Thompson.
“It is inspired by cult French graphic novel La Bete Est Morte, which was written during the Second World War,” says the Frenchman, also known for starring in movies including Amélie and Munich and hit TV series Le Bureau Des Legendes. “It reimagines that war as enacted by animals. The Nazis are the wolves who go after the ‘vermin’ — the rabbits — who represent the war’s victims. The story focuses on two rabbits who go after their family who have been...
“This is a project I’ve been working on for twenty years,” Kassovitz explained about the live action-animation hybrid project, which he has scripted with The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride and Edward Scissorhands scribe Caroline Thompson.
“It is inspired by cult French graphic novel La Bete Est Morte, which was written during the Second World War,” says the Frenchman, also known for starring in movies including Amélie and Munich and hit TV series Le Bureau Des Legendes. “It reimagines that war as enacted by animals. The Nazis are the wolves who go after the ‘vermin’ — the rabbits — who represent the war’s victims. The story focuses on two rabbits who go after their family who have been...
- 4/9/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman and Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Mediawan Rights has boarded “Kabul,” a highly anticipated thriller series produced by France’s 24 25 Films and Cinétévé.
Shervin Alenabi (“Tehran”) and “Euphoria’s” Eric Dane (in a small role) have joined the international cast of the show, which already comprises Jonathan Zaccaï (“Le bureau des legendes”), Thibault Evrard (“The Night of the 12th”), Vassilis Kukalawi (“Kandahar”), Jeanne Goursaud (“Pax Massilia”), Gianmarco Saurino (“L’estate piu Calda”) and Valentina Cervi (“Medici: Masters of Florence”).
The series, set against the backdrop of U.S. troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan and Taliban’s sweep to power, just started filming on April 1. Mediawan Rights will introduce the gripping series project to international buyers at upcoming markets, and is handling worldwide distribution with the participation of Entourage.
“Kabul” explores the chaotic evacuation of various characters, from diplomats to soldiers to civilians, who desperately seek refuge and solidarity in a country in crisis, with the arrival of the Taliban in Kabul.
Shervin Alenabi (“Tehran”) and “Euphoria’s” Eric Dane (in a small role) have joined the international cast of the show, which already comprises Jonathan Zaccaï (“Le bureau des legendes”), Thibault Evrard (“The Night of the 12th”), Vassilis Kukalawi (“Kandahar”), Jeanne Goursaud (“Pax Massilia”), Gianmarco Saurino (“L’estate piu Calda”) and Valentina Cervi (“Medici: Masters of Florence”).
The series, set against the backdrop of U.S. troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan and Taliban’s sweep to power, just started filming on April 1. Mediawan Rights will introduce the gripping series project to international buyers at upcoming markets, and is handling worldwide distribution with the participation of Entourage.
“Kabul” explores the chaotic evacuation of various characters, from diplomats to soldiers to civilians, who desperately seek refuge and solidarity in a country in crisis, with the arrival of the Taliban in Kabul.
- 4/4/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Keshet Studios, the U.S. scripted arm of Keshet International, has acquired the U.S. remake rights to the French romantic fantasy thriller series “Vortex” from France TV Distribution.
Based on an original concept by Franck Thilliez, “Vortex” centers on a police captain who stumbles upon a time warp while examining a VR crime scene. He realizes that he can communicate with his lost love, just before her death in 1998. Determined to alter her fate and prevent her murder, Ludovic risks everything, including his life with his new family.
The deal, negotiated by Keshet Studios and Michelle Palant, international sales manager at France TV Distribution, marks Keshet Studos’ first remake deal for a French show.
“Within the first few minutes of watching ‘Vortex,’ I knew this had to be Keshet Studios’ first French adaption for the U.S.,” said Heather Brewster, Keshet Studios’ SVP of scripted. “A deeply emotional, inventive,...
Based on an original concept by Franck Thilliez, “Vortex” centers on a police captain who stumbles upon a time warp while examining a VR crime scene. He realizes that he can communicate with his lost love, just before her death in 1998. Determined to alter her fate and prevent her murder, Ludovic risks everything, including his life with his new family.
The deal, negotiated by Keshet Studios and Michelle Palant, international sales manager at France TV Distribution, marks Keshet Studos’ first remake deal for a French show.
“Within the first few minutes of watching ‘Vortex,’ I knew this had to be Keshet Studios’ first French adaption for the U.S.,” said Heather Brewster, Keshet Studios’ SVP of scripted. “A deeply emotional, inventive,...
- 3/15/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Drops of God creator Quoc Dang Tran is getting into business with HBO. The writer-producer has signed a two-year overall deal with the premium cable network to create and executive produce content exclusive to HBO.
Dang Tran recently gained recognition for creating Drops of God, Apple TV+’s eight-episode international series from Legendary Entertainment, an adaptation of the fan favorite manga about wine, which debuted in 2023.
Dang Tran previously served as a writer on the successful French series Call My Agent, which went on to become a global sensation on Netflix. In 2018, he also wrote on the acclaimed French espionage political thriller series The Bureau for Canal+. The Department (working title) adaptation from George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures, MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios based on the series, was recently given a straight-to-series order at Showtime.
More recently Dang Tran wrote the popular Netflix horror series Marianne,...
Dang Tran recently gained recognition for creating Drops of God, Apple TV+’s eight-episode international series from Legendary Entertainment, an adaptation of the fan favorite manga about wine, which debuted in 2023.
Dang Tran previously served as a writer on the successful French series Call My Agent, which went on to become a global sensation on Netflix. In 2018, he also wrote on the acclaimed French espionage political thriller series The Bureau for Canal+. The Department (working title) adaptation from George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures, MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios based on the series, was recently given a straight-to-series order at Showtime.
More recently Dang Tran wrote the popular Netflix horror series Marianne,...
- 3/13/2024
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Last week, the trades revealed details about “The Department,” a new espionage political thriller series based on the critically acclaimed hit French drama “Le Bureau des Legendes.” Michael Fassbender was cast in the lead role, and the series came from George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures shingle. While early reports said Clooney would direct, a new Paramount+ announcement revealed that he’s just executive producing the project and Golden Globe and multi-bafta winner Joe Wright will direct the series instead.
Continue reading Joe Wright To Direct ‘The Department’ Spy Series Starring Michael Fassbender at The Playlist.
Continue reading Joe Wright To Direct ‘The Department’ Spy Series Starring Michael Fassbender at The Playlist.
- 3/7/2024
- by The Playlist Staff
- The Playlist
Paramount+’s spy thriller The Department is starting to fill out its ranks.
The drama series, based on the French hit Le Bureau des Legendes, has tapped Joe Wright (Atonement, 2005’s Pride & Prejudice) as director of the first two episodes and Jez and John-Henry Butterworth (Ford v. Ferrari, Edge of Tomorrow) to write all 10 installments. The series, which comes from Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios, is aiming for a premiere date later this year on Paramount+ With Showtime.
The Department snagged a straight-to-series order in February 2023 at Showtime (shortly after Paramount Global announced the premium cabler would effectively be folded into Paramount+). At the time, George Clooney was announced as director, but he has ceded those duties to Wright. Clooney and producing partner Grant Heslov remain executive producers of the series, via their Smokehouse Pictures.
“Joe Wright is a visionary director with a gift of focusing on...
The drama series, based on the French hit Le Bureau des Legendes, has tapped Joe Wright (Atonement, 2005’s Pride & Prejudice) as director of the first two episodes and Jez and John-Henry Butterworth (Ford v. Ferrari, Edge of Tomorrow) to write all 10 installments. The series, which comes from Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios, is aiming for a premiere date later this year on Paramount+ With Showtime.
The Department snagged a straight-to-series order in February 2023 at Showtime (shortly after Paramount Global announced the premium cabler would effectively be folded into Paramount+). At the time, George Clooney was announced as director, but he has ceded those duties to Wright. Clooney and producing partner Grant Heslov remain executive producers of the series, via their Smokehouse Pictures.
“Joe Wright is a visionary director with a gift of focusing on...
- 3/5/2024
- by Rick Porter
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Director Joe Wright and writers Jez and John-Henry Butterworth have all boarded the upcoming Paramount+ series “The Department.”
The Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios series, which was announced with a straight-to-series order in February 2023, is based on the French drama series “Le Bureau des Legendes” created by Eric Rochant. Wright will direct the first two episodes and executive produce, while the Butterworths will writer and executive produce all episodes. George Clooney was originally announced as directing the series. He and Grant Heslov remain onboard as executive producers via Smokehouse Pictures.
“Joe Wright is a visionary director with a gift of focusing on intricate details to craft immersive and visually striking stories,” said Chris McCarthy, President and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios. “And, Jez and John-Henry are masterful writers whose witty and emotionally charged language dives deep into their characters’ moral complexities, while simultaneously creating a propulsive narrative. Bringing these powerhouse...
The Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios series, which was announced with a straight-to-series order in February 2023, is based on the French drama series “Le Bureau des Legendes” created by Eric Rochant. Wright will direct the first two episodes and executive produce, while the Butterworths will writer and executive produce all episodes. George Clooney was originally announced as directing the series. He and Grant Heslov remain onboard as executive producers via Smokehouse Pictures.
“Joe Wright is a visionary director with a gift of focusing on intricate details to craft immersive and visually striking stories,” said Chris McCarthy, President and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios. “And, Jez and John-Henry are masterful writers whose witty and emotionally charged language dives deep into their characters’ moral complexities, while simultaneously creating a propulsive narrative. Bringing these powerhouse...
- 3/5/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Joe Wright, director behind the Golden Globe and multi-bafta winning films Pride and Prejudice, The Darkest Hour and Atonement, is set to direct and executive produce The Department, based on the acclaimed French espionage political thriller The Bureau, from George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures, MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios. Wright replaces Clooney, who initially was slated to direct the series.
Also boarding the series are Tony Award-winning writer Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth, who will executive produce and pen all 10 episodes. Clooney and Heslov will executive produce through their Smokehouse Pictures along with David C. Glasser and 101 Studios.
Given a straight-to-series at Showtime in 2023, The Department will premiere on Paramount+ with Showtime later this year.
Michael Fassbender is reported to be in talks to star in the series.
“Joe Wright is a visionary director with a gift of focusing on...
Also boarding the series are Tony Award-winning writer Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth, who will executive produce and pen all 10 episodes. Clooney and Heslov will executive produce through their Smokehouse Pictures along with David C. Glasser and 101 Studios.
Given a straight-to-series at Showtime in 2023, The Department will premiere on Paramount+ with Showtime later this year.
Michael Fassbender is reported to be in talks to star in the series.
“Joe Wright is a visionary director with a gift of focusing on...
- 3/5/2024
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Michael Fassbender has entered into talks to join the cast of the George Clooney espionage thriller series ‘The Department.’
Based on ‘The Bureau,’ the hit French spy show, the story centres on a member of a clandestine branch of the French Secret Services (Dgse) who returns to his home base after a six-year mission in Damascus. As he struggles to let go of his false identity and illicit affair with a Syrian woman, he finds himself playing a double game between the Dgse and the CIA.
Also in news – Tom Cruise in talks to join Alejandro González Iñárritu untitled project
Produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios, the series will be executive produced by Keith Cox and Nina L. Diaz of Mtve Studios; David Glasser, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin and Bob Yari of 101 Studios (“Yellowstone”); Alex Berger for The Originals Productions; and Ashley Stern and Pascal Breton for Federation Studios/Federation Entertainment of America.
Based on ‘The Bureau,’ the hit French spy show, the story centres on a member of a clandestine branch of the French Secret Services (Dgse) who returns to his home base after a six-year mission in Damascus. As he struggles to let go of his false identity and illicit affair with a Syrian woman, he finds himself playing a double game between the Dgse and the CIA.
Also in news – Tom Cruise in talks to join Alejandro González Iñárritu untitled project
Produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios, the series will be executive produced by Keith Cox and Nina L. Diaz of Mtve Studios; David Glasser, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin and Bob Yari of 101 Studios (“Yellowstone”); Alex Berger for The Originals Productions; and Ashley Stern and Pascal Breton for Federation Studios/Federation Entertainment of America.
- 2/28/2024
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Michael Fassbender may be teaming up with George Clooney for a new Showtime series.
The 46-year-old Steve Jobs actor is in talks to star in the new espionage thriller series The Department, which will be directed by the 62-year-old Oscar-winning actor, Variety reports.
The show, which is set begin filming this spring in London, is based on The Bureau, the hit French spy show created, directed and produced by Eric Rochant.
Keep reading to find out more…“The Department, based on the riveting and brilliant series The Bureau, will follow in the great tradition of Homeland, one of the most successful and brand-defining shows at Showtime,” Chris McCarthy, President/CEO, Showtime and Paramount Media, previously revealed. “Just as Homeland elevated global espionage to new heights, The Department will take viewers even deeper into a world of intrigue and subterfuge with complicated characters who struggle with their own demons as they...
The 46-year-old Steve Jobs actor is in talks to star in the new espionage thriller series The Department, which will be directed by the 62-year-old Oscar-winning actor, Variety reports.
The show, which is set begin filming this spring in London, is based on The Bureau, the hit French spy show created, directed and produced by Eric Rochant.
Keep reading to find out more…“The Department, based on the riveting and brilliant series The Bureau, will follow in the great tradition of Homeland, one of the most successful and brand-defining shows at Showtime,” Chris McCarthy, President/CEO, Showtime and Paramount Media, previously revealed. “Just as Homeland elevated global espionage to new heights, The Department will take viewers even deeper into a world of intrigue and subterfuge with complicated characters who struggle with their own demons as they...
- 2/28/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Having returned from an acting break in a big way last year via Next Goal Wins and David Fincher's The Killer, Michael Fassbender is headed for TV. He's in talks to star in George Clooney's next stab at the small screen, espionage drama The Department.
If he makes a deal, Fassbender will lead the series, adapted by Eric Rochant from his show The Bureau, which was a big hit when it ran in France between 2015 and 2020, and starred Mathieu Kassovitz.
Assuming it keeps to the storyline of the original, the series would follow a spy who is great at his job, but has trouble when he returns home from a years-long mission. Caught between agencies and an illicit affair he had while pretending to be someone else, he struggles to let go of false personalities. The show will likely also touch on geopolitical themes and psychological issues.
Clooney...
If he makes a deal, Fassbender will lead the series, adapted by Eric Rochant from his show The Bureau, which was a big hit when it ran in France between 2015 and 2020, and starred Mathieu Kassovitz.
Assuming it keeps to the storyline of the original, the series would follow a spy who is great at his job, but has trouble when he returns home from a years-long mission. Caught between agencies and an illicit affair he had while pretending to be someone else, he struggles to let go of false personalities. The show will likely also touch on geopolitical themes and psychological issues.
Clooney...
- 2/27/2024
- by James White
- Empire - TV
The Killer and Prometheus star Michael Fassbender could go behind enemy lines for The Department, a forthcoming espionage thriller series with George Clooney (The Boys in the Boat) at the helm. With Clooney in the director’s chair, filming for The Department kicks off in London this spring. The project, which has a straight-to-series order by Showtime, is based on “The Bureau,” the hit French spy show created by Eric Rochant. In addition to his role as the project’s director, Clooney is producing alongside Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures, MTV Entertainment Studios, and 101 Studios.
The original French show starred the “bureau des légendes,” Matthieu Kassovitz as Guillaume Debailly — alias Paul Lefebvre, alias Malotru – a member of the “bureau des légendes,” the mythical powerhouse within the French Secret Service and its daredevil ghost agents. Malotru returns home after completing a six-year mission in Damascus. While struggling to retire his...
The original French show starred the “bureau des légendes,” Matthieu Kassovitz as Guillaume Debailly — alias Paul Lefebvre, alias Malotru – a member of the “bureau des légendes,” the mythical powerhouse within the French Secret Service and its daredevil ghost agents. Malotru returns home after completing a six-year mission in Damascus. While struggling to retire his...
- 2/27/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Michael Fassbender is in negotiations to star in “The Department,” an espionage thriller series executive produced by George Clooney.
Set to start shooting in London this spring, “The Department” is based on “The Bureau,” the hit French spy show created, directed and produced by Eric Rochant. It has already been given a straight-to-series order by Showtime. The series is produced by Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures, MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios.
The original French show starred Matthieu Kassovitz as Guillaume Debailly — alias Paul Lefebvre, alias Malotru — a member of a clandestine branch of the French Secret Services (Dgse) who returns to his home base after a six-year mission in Damascus. As he struggles to let go of his false identity and illicit affair with a Syrian woman, he finds himself playing a double game between the Dgse and the CIA. The show was a smash hit on...
Set to start shooting in London this spring, “The Department” is based on “The Bureau,” the hit French spy show created, directed and produced by Eric Rochant. It has already been given a straight-to-series order by Showtime. The series is produced by Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures, MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios.
The original French show starred Matthieu Kassovitz as Guillaume Debailly — alias Paul Lefebvre, alias Malotru — a member of a clandestine branch of the French Secret Services (Dgse) who returns to his home base after a six-year mission in Damascus. As he struggles to let go of his false identity and illicit affair with a Syrian woman, he finds himself playing a double game between the Dgse and the CIA. The show was a smash hit on...
- 2/27/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
French film promotional organization Unifrance put talent in the spotlight at this year’s Rendez-Vous in Paris, where the 10 actors and filmmakers selected as 2024’s Talents to Watch were fêted with flutes of champagne at France’s Ministry of Culture before being introduced to the international press at a dedicated event.
For more than a decade, the 10 to Watch program has pinpointed the creative talents breathing modernity and vitality into contemporary French cinema. Think of a Gallic artist that’s made international waves over the past decade, and chances are they made this list. Here are the voices taking the industry forward in the years to come.
Sofia Alaoui
Sofia Alaoui
Franco-Moroccan filmmaker Sofia Alaoui will build on the rugged eeriness of her 2023 Sundance jury prize winner “Animalia” with “Tarfaya” – a slow-burn thriller that mines Morocco’s sweeping landscapes for ambient unease.
The upcoming film will follow Meryam, a 40-something...
For more than a decade, the 10 to Watch program has pinpointed the creative talents breathing modernity and vitality into contemporary French cinema. Think of a Gallic artist that’s made international waves over the past decade, and chances are they made this list. Here are the voices taking the industry forward in the years to come.
Sofia Alaoui
Sofia Alaoui
Franco-Moroccan filmmaker Sofia Alaoui will build on the rugged eeriness of her 2023 Sundance jury prize winner “Animalia” with “Tarfaya” – a slow-burn thriller that mines Morocco’s sweeping landscapes for ambient unease.
The upcoming film will follow Meryam, a 40-something...
- 1/23/2024
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
A Prayer For The Dying from UK-France outfit The Bureau and Good Boy, produced by Jeremy Thomas’s Recorded Picture Company, are among the seven international co-productions to receive backing from the UK Global Screen Fund (Ukgsf).
In addition, 23 UK screen content businesses have been awarded funds to boost their international activities.
Ukgsf is financed through the UK government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Dcms) and administered by the British Film Institute (BFI). The latest batch of awards sees over £1.3m being allocated through the international co-production strand and over £2m being allocated through the international business development strand.
In addition, 23 UK screen content businesses have been awarded funds to boost their international activities.
Ukgsf is financed through the UK government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Dcms) and administered by the British Film Institute (BFI). The latest batch of awards sees over £1.3m being allocated through the international co-production strand and over £2m being allocated through the international business development strand.
- 1/17/2024
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Ginger & Fed, the new international film sales arm of Federation Studios headed by former TF1 Studio boss Sabine Chemaly, will launch several high profile titles at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous, including “The Future Awaits,” Niels Tavernier’s WWII-set drama based on the true story of a Holocaust survivor. Ginger & Fed will also bow sales on “Riviera Revenge,” a heartwarming comedy starring André Dussollier (“The Crime is Mine”), Sabine Azéma (“Tanguy”) and Thierry Lhermitte (“The Dinner Game”), along with continuing deals on “Rachel’s Game,” “Survive” and “Oldies and Goodies.”
Produced by Yves Darondeau at Bonne Pioche Cinema (“March of the Penguins”), “The Future Awaits” tells the story of Tauba Birenbaum, whose testimony was collected in July 1997 to become part of Steven Spielberg’s Institute for Visual History. The film opens in July 1942, during the Vel’ d’Hiv’ Roundup of Jewish families in Paris. 13-year-old Tauba and her parents, who are Polish Jews,...
Produced by Yves Darondeau at Bonne Pioche Cinema (“March of the Penguins”), “The Future Awaits” tells the story of Tauba Birenbaum, whose testimony was collected in July 1997 to become part of Steven Spielberg’s Institute for Visual History. The film opens in July 1942, during the Vel’ d’Hiv’ Roundup of Jewish families in Paris. 13-year-old Tauba and her parents, who are Polish Jews,...
- 1/15/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Chevrollier is behind hit French series including Oussekine and international hit thriller The Bureau
Paris-based sales house Pulsar Content has hopped aboard Antoine Chevrollier’s Block Pass and will kick off sales at Unifrance’s Rendez-Vous in Paris which takes place from January 16-23.
Block Pass is the anticipated debut feature from Chevrollier, who is well known as a series director in France. His credits including police brutality drama Oussekine, spy thriller The Bureau and political drama Baron Noir.
The film is produced by Nicolas Blanc’s Agat Films and reteams the director with Oussekine star Sayyid El Alami alongside fresh face Amaury Foucher,...
Paris-based sales house Pulsar Content has hopped aboard Antoine Chevrollier’s Block Pass and will kick off sales at Unifrance’s Rendez-Vous in Paris which takes place from January 16-23.
Block Pass is the anticipated debut feature from Chevrollier, who is well known as a series director in France. His credits including police brutality drama Oussekine, spy thriller The Bureau and political drama Baron Noir.
The film is produced by Nicolas Blanc’s Agat Films and reteams the director with Oussekine star Sayyid El Alami alongside fresh face Amaury Foucher,...
- 1/10/2024
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Federation Studios, the Paris-based indie production and sales outfit behind popular French series “The Bureau,” is preparing to hit the sales block, Variety has confirmed.
Federation Studios has started discussions with investment banks in recent weeks for an advisor role, according to Reuters, which was first to report the news and said the banner could be valued at over €500 million ($535 million).
The company, which was founded by industry veteran Pascal Breton, indeed started these preliminary talks with financial advisors months ago and is looking sell to large chunk of the outfit, if not a majority stake, according to sources. The sales process could be launched during the first half of 2024. Federation Studios declined to comment on the reports.
Federation Studios previously ramped up its international business with the backing of Montefiore Investment, a French private equity firm which invested €50 million into the outfit in 2021. Several companies are already potentially interested in the asset.
Federation Studios has started discussions with investment banks in recent weeks for an advisor role, according to Reuters, which was first to report the news and said the banner could be valued at over €500 million ($535 million).
The company, which was founded by industry veteran Pascal Breton, indeed started these preliminary talks with financial advisors months ago and is looking sell to large chunk of the outfit, if not a majority stake, according to sources. The sales process could be launched during the first half of 2024. Federation Studios declined to comment on the reports.
Federation Studios previously ramped up its international business with the backing of Montefiore Investment, a French private equity firm which invested €50 million into the outfit in 2021. Several companies are already potentially interested in the asset.
- 11/9/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
French production powerhouse Federation Studios is investigating strategic options that could include its full or partial sale, according to a Reuters news agency report on Thursday.
The report said that the Paris-based company been auditioning investment banks for an advisor role in recent weeks.
One source told Reuters that the company could begin an auction process next year, but the report also added that the current talks might not lead to any concrete sale plans.
A potential deal would see the company valued at around 500 million euros ($535m), it added.
Prolific French producer Pascal Breton launched Federation in 2015 and it has since grown into one of Europe’s leading production groups, with landmark shows including The Bureau and Around The World In 80 Days.
Montefiore Investment agreed to put €50m into the company in staggered phases in 2021, to accelerate its international grow.
The rest of the privately-owned company is mainly in the hands of Breton.
The report said that the Paris-based company been auditioning investment banks for an advisor role in recent weeks.
One source told Reuters that the company could begin an auction process next year, but the report also added that the current talks might not lead to any concrete sale plans.
A potential deal would see the company valued at around 500 million euros ($535m), it added.
Prolific French producer Pascal Breton launched Federation in 2015 and it has since grown into one of Europe’s leading production groups, with landmark shows including The Bureau and Around The World In 80 Days.
Montefiore Investment agreed to put €50m into the company in staggered phases in 2021, to accelerate its international grow.
The rest of the privately-owned company is mainly in the hands of Breton.
- 11/9/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Patrick Wachsberger’s Picture Perfect Entertainment is launching international sales on Jan Kounen’s “The Incredible Shrinking Man” starring Jean Dujardin, the Oscar-winning actor of “The Artist.”
The ambitious film is a modern adaption of Richard Matheson’s science fiction novel, which was previously brought to the big screen by Universal Pictures in 1957 with Jack Arnold’s “The Shrinking Man.”
The French movie is being produced by Alain Goldman at Pitchipoi Productions and Picture Perfect, the vehicle launched by Wachsberger, the former co-chairman of Lionsgate who won a best picture Oscar for “Coda” in 2021.
Slated to start shooting in May 2024, the movie tells the story of a man who gradually shrinks to less than an inch tall after an exposure to a combination of radiation and insecticide. With medical science powerless to help him, brushes with cats, mouse traps and spiders become a matter of life and death, and he...
The ambitious film is a modern adaption of Richard Matheson’s science fiction novel, which was previously brought to the big screen by Universal Pictures in 1957 with Jack Arnold’s “The Shrinking Man.”
The French movie is being produced by Alain Goldman at Pitchipoi Productions and Picture Perfect, the vehicle launched by Wachsberger, the former co-chairman of Lionsgate who won a best picture Oscar for “Coda” in 2021.
Slated to start shooting in May 2024, the movie tells the story of a man who gradually shrinks to less than an inch tall after an exposure to a combination of radiation and insecticide. With medical science powerless to help him, brushes with cats, mouse traps and spiders become a matter of life and death, and he...
- 11/3/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
France’s VFX workforce has grown by leaps and bounds over the past three years, with much credit due to a 10% across-the-board tax rebate bonus for international productions that spend more than $2.1 million with local digital outfits.
Of course, the fact that American studios could also benefit from the full 40% tax rebate wholly on post-production expenditures has only helped matters further, affording top-trained talent the chance to stay in France, proving their mettle on lavish blockbusters shot elsewhere.
The local VFX industry is “no longer viewed in the same way,” says the Yard founder and CEO Laurens Ehrmann. “Today, we get more work by word-of-mouth, as producers and editors pass along our name. Whereas before productions might spend the $2.1 million just to take advantage of the full tax credit, today productions that have never shot in France come to us directly” with much more substantial VFX buys.
Indeed, work on...
Of course, the fact that American studios could also benefit from the full 40% tax rebate wholly on post-production expenditures has only helped matters further, affording top-trained talent the chance to stay in France, proving their mettle on lavish blockbusters shot elsewhere.
The local VFX industry is “no longer viewed in the same way,” says the Yard founder and CEO Laurens Ehrmann. “Today, we get more work by word-of-mouth, as producers and editors pass along our name. Whereas before productions might spend the $2.1 million just to take advantage of the full tax credit, today productions that have never shot in France come to us directly” with much more substantial VFX buys.
Indeed, work on...
- 10/29/2023
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
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,...
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,...
- 10/13/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Marco Chimenz, Co-CEO of Italy’s Cattleya the prominent ITV-owned outfit behind “Gomorrah” and “ZeroZeroZero,” will be leaving the company in January to join pan-European powerhouse Federation Studios.
At Federation Chimenz will serve as group co-managing director of the expanding production and distribution studio that currently comprises 35 production companies, working closely with founder and CEO Pascal Breton and Federation co-director Lionel Uzan.
Founded in 2013, Federation is a production, financing and distribution studio with subsidiaries and associate production companies based in Paris, Los Angeles, Rome, Madrid, Berlin, Cologne, London, Brussels and Tel Aviv. The group’s best-known titles include “The Bureau,” “In Treatment,” “Baby,” “Hostages,” “Marseille,” “Bad Banks,” “Your Honor,” and “Around the World in 80 Days.”
Chimenz will continue to work with Cattleya’s Spanish affiliate on several productions until 2025. He will also continue to operate with longtime collaborator Joshua Berman, who is currently head of business affairs at Cattleya.
At Federation Chimenz will serve as group co-managing director of the expanding production and distribution studio that currently comprises 35 production companies, working closely with founder and CEO Pascal Breton and Federation co-director Lionel Uzan.
Founded in 2013, Federation is a production, financing and distribution studio with subsidiaries and associate production companies based in Paris, Los Angeles, Rome, Madrid, Berlin, Cologne, London, Brussels and Tel Aviv. The group’s best-known titles include “The Bureau,” “In Treatment,” “Baby,” “Hostages,” “Marseille,” “Bad Banks,” “Your Honor,” and “Around the World in 80 Days.”
Chimenz will continue to work with Cattleya’s Spanish affiliate on several productions until 2025. He will also continue to operate with longtime collaborator Joshua Berman, who is currently head of business affairs at Cattleya.
- 10/4/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli and Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
French TV sales broke an all-time record of €214.8 million ($230 million) in 2022, a 15.4% year-on rise, bolstered by premium TV series such as Newen’s procedural “Hpi,” Federation’s spy series “The Bureau” and Banijay’s period show “Marie Antoinette,” according to a study unveiled by the National Film Board and promotion org Unifrance.
The French org credited the spike in French TV exports to the end of the pandemic and the delivery of fresh content, as well as the return of in-person markets and business travel.
French linear channels still remain the main buyers of local TV content, accounting for 49% of sales, on par with 2021. But deals with streamers have played an increasingly significant role in recent years and represented 43% of all TV sales in 2022, compared with 33.5% in 2021 and 4.6% in 2013. As such, the U.S. was the leading export territory for French TV programs last year, partly thanks to U.S.
The French org credited the spike in French TV exports to the end of the pandemic and the delivery of fresh content, as well as the return of in-person markets and business travel.
French linear channels still remain the main buyers of local TV content, accounting for 49% of sales, on par with 2021. But deals with streamers have played an increasingly significant role in recent years and represented 43% of all TV sales in 2022, compared with 33.5% in 2021 and 4.6% in 2013. As such, the U.S. was the leading export territory for French TV programs last year, partly thanks to U.S.
- 9/5/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Like writers penning their memoirs, making movies about making movies is a rite of passage for many a director. Fellini famously did it with 8 ½, Truffaut with Day for Night, Godard with Contempt and Fassbinder with Beware of a Holy Whore. More recently, Tarantino gave us Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Spielberg The Fabelmans, Michel Hazavanicius made Final Cut and Damien Chazelle, Babylon.
Almost all behind-the-scenes movies share the same theme: Filmmaking is tough, high-stress work that weighs heavily on everyone involved, especially the directors themselves. That’s certainly one of the main takeaways from Cédric Kahn’s very French variation on the subject, Making Of, which premiered out of competition in Venice.
Kahn is both an actor (he played the douchey Gallic lover in Pawel Pawikowski’s Cold War) and talented director, with a series of strong features under his belt that include hard-hitting thrillers like L’Ennui,...
Almost all behind-the-scenes movies share the same theme: Filmmaking is tough, high-stress work that weighs heavily on everyone involved, especially the directors themselves. That’s certainly one of the main takeaways from Cédric Kahn’s very French variation on the subject, Making Of, which premiered out of competition in Venice.
Kahn is both an actor (he played the douchey Gallic lover in Pawel Pawikowski’s Cold War) and talented director, with a series of strong features under his belt that include hard-hitting thrillers like L’Ennui,...
- 9/5/2023
- by Jordan Mintzer
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
France’s TV sales market hit record levels thanks to deals such as ABC’s remake of crime drama High Intellectual Potential, as the U.S. became the biggest buyer of content from the European country.
Annual stats from the Cnc (National Center for Cinema and the Moving Image) and Unifrance released this afternoon show sales of French TV programs reached a record €214.8M ($232M) in 2022, an increase of 15.4% year-on-year and 4.7% higher than in 2017, the previous record year. U.S. sales made up nearly €20M of the total.
However, drops in pre-sales and co-production business led to an overall 15% fall in French TV exports. Pre-sales were down 50.3% and co-productions dipped 38.4% dip against a record 2021. This means the overall figure was €319.6M, down from €375.9M last year.
Despite the falls, the stats show U.S. has become the leading buyer of French programs for the first time, in no small part...
Annual stats from the Cnc (National Center for Cinema and the Moving Image) and Unifrance released this afternoon show sales of French TV programs reached a record €214.8M ($232M) in 2022, an increase of 15.4% year-on-year and 4.7% higher than in 2017, the previous record year. U.S. sales made up nearly €20M of the total.
However, drops in pre-sales and co-production business led to an overall 15% fall in French TV exports. Pre-sales were down 50.3% and co-productions dipped 38.4% dip against a record 2021. This means the overall figure was €319.6M, down from €375.9M last year.
Despite the falls, the stats show U.S. has become the leading buyer of French programs for the first time, in no small part...
- 9/4/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
French actor and director Mathieu Kassovitz is “worrying” condition after a motorcycle accident in Paris yesterday. Kassovitz, 56, was preparing for a role in an upcoming film when he was “very seriously injured,” according to French media.
The actor was taken to a hospital in Kremlin-Bicêtre, according to authorities in Essonne. His injuries include head trauma and a fractured pelvis. Le Parisien reported that Kassovitz was on a motorcycle training course, and that one of his daughters was on a motorcycle behind him with an instructor and witnessed the accident.
Kassovitz...
The actor was taken to a hospital in Kremlin-Bicêtre, according to authorities in Essonne. His injuries include head trauma and a fractured pelvis. Le Parisien reported that Kassovitz was on a motorcycle training course, and that one of his daughters was on a motorcycle behind him with an instructor and witnessed the accident.
Kassovitz...
- 9/4/2023
- by Emily Zemler
- Rollingstone.com
Actor famous for Amélie, The Bureau and La Haine, which he also wrote and directed, reportedly in a ‘worrying’ condition
The French actor and director Mathieu Kassovitz is in a “worrying” condition after a motorbike accident in greater Paris on Sunday, authorities say.
The 56-year-old, who is best known for his 1995 film La Haine and his role in the 2001 film Amélie, was on a motorcycle training course at the time, a police source told Agence France-Presse.
The French actor and director Mathieu Kassovitz is in a “worrying” condition after a motorbike accident in greater Paris on Sunday, authorities say.
The 56-year-old, who is best known for his 1995 film La Haine and his role in the 2001 film Amélie, was on a motorcycle training course at the time, a police source told Agence France-Presse.
- 9/4/2023
- by Angelique Chrisafis in Paris and Agence France-Presse
- The Guardian - Film News
Actor and director Mathieu Kassovitz has been in a serious motorcycle accident, a representative for Kassovitz confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
The La Haine filmmaker was driving along the Autodrome de Montlhéry, a motor racing circuit south of Paris, French news channel CNews and international news agency Afp reported Sunday. Kassovitz’s condition is said to be “worrying.”
Kassovitz was transported to the Kremlin-Bicêtre hospital, a source told the news outlets, after doing a motorcycle course on the circuit, a police source told Afp.
The director originally broke out in the industry in 1995 with La Haine, a French film that follows three men in the 24 hours after a violent riot takes place on the outskirts of Paris. The project, which Kassovitz also stars in and wrote, is regarded as an influential story that portrays racism and police violence in France.
“La Haine” is a French phrase that translates to “Hatred...
The La Haine filmmaker was driving along the Autodrome de Montlhéry, a motor racing circuit south of Paris, French news channel CNews and international news agency Afp reported Sunday. Kassovitz’s condition is said to be “worrying.”
Kassovitz was transported to the Kremlin-Bicêtre hospital, a source told the news outlets, after doing a motorcycle course on the circuit, a police source told Afp.
The director originally broke out in the industry in 1995 with La Haine, a French film that follows three men in the 24 hours after a violent riot takes place on the outskirts of Paris. The project, which Kassovitz also stars in and wrote, is regarded as an influential story that portrays racism and police violence in France.
“La Haine” is a French phrase that translates to “Hatred...
- 9/3/2023
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘La Haine’ Director Mathieu Kassovitz Seriously Injured in Motorbike Accident – French Media Reports
French actor and director Mathieu Kassovitz has been seriously injured in a motorbike accident on the Montlhéry circuit outside Paris, according to French media reports.
French news channel Bfmtv said the actor had been taken to the Kremlin-Bicêtre hospital in Paris. It said that according to the actor’s entourage, his life was not in danger.
Kassovitz broke out at home and internationally in 1995 for La Haine, which is still regarded as one of the seminal works tackling racism and police violence in France.
He won Best Director in Cannes in 1995 for the film, which also went on to win the French César for Best Film.
Other directorial credits include Crimson Rivers (2000) and Gothika (2003), starring Halle Berry and Penélope Cruz.
More recent credits have include episodes of the hit spy thriller series The Bureau, in which he also starred. His other notable acting credits include Amélie as well Birthday Girl,...
French news channel Bfmtv said the actor had been taken to the Kremlin-Bicêtre hospital in Paris. It said that according to the actor’s entourage, his life was not in danger.
Kassovitz broke out at home and internationally in 1995 for La Haine, which is still regarded as one of the seminal works tackling racism and police violence in France.
He won Best Director in Cannes in 1995 for the film, which also went on to win the French César for Best Film.
Other directorial credits include Crimson Rivers (2000) and Gothika (2003), starring Halle Berry and Penélope Cruz.
More recent credits have include episodes of the hit spy thriller series The Bureau, in which he also starred. His other notable acting credits include Amélie as well Birthday Girl,...
- 9/3/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Iconic French fashion house La Maison is to be spotlighted in an Apple TV+ drama series starring seven-time César Award nominee Lambert Wilson.
La Maison will take a behind-the-curtain look at how a family dynasty of an iconic fashion house is thrown into scandal and reinvention by a viral video featuring star designer Vincent LeDu (Wilson), leaving his family’s legendary haute couture house hanging by a thread. Perle Foster (Amira Casar), Vincent’s former muse who is still in his shadow, teams up with next-generation, visionary designer Paloma Castel (Zita Hanrot) to save and recreate the century-old Maison Ledu, claiming their rightful place in both the LeDu family and the fashion world.
Related: 2023 Apple TV+ Pilots & Series Orders
Wilson, who played The Merovingian in The Matrix trilogy and is this year’s Locarno Jury President, leads a cast featuring Carole Bouquet (En Thérapie), Zita Hanrot (Fatima), Pierre Deladonchamps (Stranger by the Lake...
La Maison will take a behind-the-curtain look at how a family dynasty of an iconic fashion house is thrown into scandal and reinvention by a viral video featuring star designer Vincent LeDu (Wilson), leaving his family’s legendary haute couture house hanging by a thread. Perle Foster (Amira Casar), Vincent’s former muse who is still in his shadow, teams up with next-generation, visionary designer Paloma Castel (Zita Hanrot) to save and recreate the century-old Maison Ledu, claiming their rightful place in both the LeDu family and the fashion world.
Related: 2023 Apple TV+ Pilots & Series Orders
Wilson, who played The Merovingian in The Matrix trilogy and is this year’s Locarno Jury President, leads a cast featuring Carole Bouquet (En Thérapie), Zita Hanrot (Fatima), Pierre Deladonchamps (Stranger by the Lake...
- 7/20/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Izhar Harlev, the co-creator and head writer for “Mossad 101” and “The Gordin Cell,” is set to showrun “Maggiore,” a thriller series revolving around the sinking of a boat full of Israeli and Italian intelligence officers on Lake Maggiore in the Swiss Alps.
Ordered by leading Israeli network Yes TV, “Maggiore” is being developed and produced by Dafna Prenner at Israel’s Artza Productions, the banner behind Netflix’s hit show “The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem”; Leo Maidenberg at Paris-based Place du Marché and Jad Ben Ammar at Kador (“Sisters in Arms“) and his new banner Talea Produzioni in Italy.
The eight-part series will revolve around the sinking of the small boat on Lake Maggiore on May 28 and the chain of events that followed the tragedy. The boat sank after being hit by a violent storm. Out of the 23 passengers on board, four people drowned, including a former agent of Israel’s spy agency Mossad,...
Ordered by leading Israeli network Yes TV, “Maggiore” is being developed and produced by Dafna Prenner at Israel’s Artza Productions, the banner behind Netflix’s hit show “The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem”; Leo Maidenberg at Paris-based Place du Marché and Jad Ben Ammar at Kador (“Sisters in Arms“) and his new banner Talea Produzioni in Italy.
The eight-part series will revolve around the sinking of the small boat on Lake Maggiore on May 28 and the chain of events that followed the tragedy. The boat sank after being hit by a violent storm. Out of the 23 passengers on board, four people drowned, including a former agent of Israel’s spy agency Mossad,...
- 6/26/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Leading French producer Michael Gentile’s Paris-based outfit The Film is about to start shooting Julie Delpy’s next directorial outing, “The Barbarians,” and Laurence Arné’s “Les Hennedricks” starring Dany Boon.
Delpy’s comeback to French filmmaking since “Lolo,” “The Barbarians” is a satirical comedy unfolding in a small town in Brittany which is preparing to welcome Ukrainian refugees after voting unanimously to greet them in exchange for subsidies from the government. But instead of seeing Ukrainians come into town, they see Syrian refugees, causing some tensions among locals and testing their liberal beliefs. Delpy will star in the film opposite Sandrine Kiberlain (“Mademoiselle Chambon”), Laurent Lafitte (“Elle”) and Ziad Bakri (“The Weekend Away”), India Hair (“Angry Annie”), Mathieu Demy (“The Bureau”) and Delpy’s father Albert Delpy.
Delpy penned the script with Matthieu Rumani (“Family Business”), in collaboration with Lea Domenech (“Bernadette”). “The Barbarians” will start filming on...
Delpy’s comeback to French filmmaking since “Lolo,” “The Barbarians” is a satirical comedy unfolding in a small town in Brittany which is preparing to welcome Ukrainian refugees after voting unanimously to greet them in exchange for subsidies from the government. But instead of seeing Ukrainians come into town, they see Syrian refugees, causing some tensions among locals and testing their liberal beliefs. Delpy will star in the film opposite Sandrine Kiberlain (“Mademoiselle Chambon”), Laurent Lafitte (“Elle”) and Ziad Bakri (“The Weekend Away”), India Hair (“Angry Annie”), Mathieu Demy (“The Bureau”) and Delpy’s father Albert Delpy.
Delpy penned the script with Matthieu Rumani (“Family Business”), in collaboration with Lea Domenech (“Bernadette”). “The Barbarians” will start filming on...
- 5/19/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
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...
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...
- 5/16/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Here’s a splashy European project to end the week: Gerard Butler’s Has Fallen film franchise is getting the television treatment, with filming set to get underway at the end of the month.
Respected French filmmaker and actor Mathieu Kassovitz will lead the cast of Paris Has Fallen, which will be made by StudioCanal, War of the Worlds producer Urban Myth Films, and two companies behind the film franchise: Millennium Media and Butler’s G-Base. Eclectic Pictures is also attached.
Howard Overman, the creator of BAFTA-winning series Misfits, is writing Paris Has Fallen. Oded Ruskin is directing having previously worked on series including Hulu’s No Man’s Land. Shooting will commence on May 30 in London and Paris.
Paris Is Fallen is set up at Canal+ in France; Zdf in Germany; Canal+ International in Poland and Africa; and M7 in Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. StudioCanal is preparing...
Respected French filmmaker and actor Mathieu Kassovitz will lead the cast of Paris Has Fallen, which will be made by StudioCanal, War of the Worlds producer Urban Myth Films, and two companies behind the film franchise: Millennium Media and Butler’s G-Base. Eclectic Pictures is also attached.
Howard Overman, the creator of BAFTA-winning series Misfits, is writing Paris Has Fallen. Oded Ruskin is directing having previously worked on series including Hulu’s No Man’s Land. Shooting will commence on May 30 in London and Paris.
Paris Is Fallen is set up at Canal+ in France; Zdf in Germany; Canal+ International in Poland and Africa; and M7 in Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. StudioCanal is preparing...
- 5/12/2023
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Oscar winner Juliette Binoche (The English Patient), Oscar nominee and BAFTA winner Tom Courtenay (Doctor Zhivago), Emmy winner Anna Calder-Marshall (Wuthering Heights) and Bridgerton breakout Florence Hunt are currently filming under-the-radar feature drama Queen At Sea in the UK.
Plot is largely being kept under wraps but we understand Binoche will play a woman who moves back to London with her teenage daughter (Hunt) amid concern for her ageing mother (Calder-Marshall).
The film will mark the second feature for writer-director Lance Hammer who 15 years ago made his debut with well-received Sundance drama Ballast, which won two awards in Park City, and played a host of festivals before winning the filmmaker a Gotham award for breakthrough director and garnering six Indie Sprit nominations.
Hammer, now in his 50s, went quiet after his debut 15 years ago so there will be intrigue around his second feature. Prior to Ballast the filmmaker was...
Plot is largely being kept under wraps but we understand Binoche will play a woman who moves back to London with her teenage daughter (Hunt) amid concern for her ageing mother (Calder-Marshall).
The film will mark the second feature for writer-director Lance Hammer who 15 years ago made his debut with well-received Sundance drama Ballast, which won two awards in Park City, and played a host of festivals before winning the filmmaker a Gotham award for breakthrough director and garnering six Indie Sprit nominations.
Hammer, now in his 50s, went quiet after his debut 15 years ago so there will be intrigue around his second feature. Prior to Ballast the filmmaker was...
- 4/18/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Comedian Amy Sedaris is coming clean, admitting that she doesn’t watch close friend, Andy Cohen‘s Real Housewives, or any Bravo programming.
The duo are often found on a red carpet together or hitting the gym. But Sedaris has yet to dive into Bravo. “And it’s so great because we’re good friends and he doesn’t hold it against me,” she dished with Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “But, you know, I haven’t gotten into the Housewives at all or any reality shows. But I’m not saying I never will.”
“I just did something with Michael Rapaport,” she recalled. Rapaport is a huge Bravo fan. But he is especially well-versed in all things Housewives. “He’s obsessed. He’s like, ‘You got to get into it. It is such good character work.’ So I promised him I’d get into it,” Sedaris said.
Which of the Andy...
The duo are often found on a red carpet together or hitting the gym. But Sedaris has yet to dive into Bravo. “And it’s so great because we’re good friends and he doesn’t hold it against me,” she dished with Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “But, you know, I haven’t gotten into the Housewives at all or any reality shows. But I’m not saying I never will.”
“I just did something with Michael Rapaport,” she recalled. Rapaport is a huge Bravo fan. But he is especially well-versed in all things Housewives. “He’s obsessed. He’s like, ‘You got to get into it. It is such good character work.’ So I promised him I’d get into it,” Sedaris said.
Which of the Andy...
- 4/4/2023
- by Gina Ragusa
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
If Hollywood writers go on strike — a possibility as we close in on the May 1 deadline without a new deal between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) — the impact will be felt far beyond New York and Los Angeles. Around the world, producers and distribution companies, not to mention non-wga affiliated writers, are closely watching the ongoing negotiations, with an expectation that a WGA walkout could mean a boost in demand for new international content.
“As with previous WGA strikes, we’d expect there will be an increased demand for content from outside the U.S., particularly from English-speaking countries like the U.K. and Australia,” says Martin Moszkowicz and Oliver Berben of German mini-major Constantin Film, producers of the English-language Resident Evil horror franchise as well as German films and series including We Children From Bahnhof Zoo, which streams on Amazon,...
“As with previous WGA strikes, we’d expect there will be an increased demand for content from outside the U.S., particularly from English-speaking countries like the U.K. and Australia,” says Martin Moszkowicz and Oliver Berben of German mini-major Constantin Film, producers of the English-language Resident Evil horror franchise as well as German films and series including We Children From Bahnhof Zoo, which streams on Amazon,...
- 3/30/2023
- by Scott Roxborough and Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Federation Studios has nabbed worldwide distribution rights to French political comedy and Series Mania winner Under Control.
The six-part series took home the award for Best Series in the French category at the Lille festival last week. Federation, which had Bardot and Six Women in competition for the same award, will now take it to the international market.
It follows Marie Tessier, a 45-year-old director of the fictional Ngo Doctors of the World, who is appointed France’s Secretary of State, just as five Europeans, including two French people, are taken hostage by terrorists in Sahel. She immediately goes rogue while striving to make it look like everything’s under control.
The show is produced by Ex Nihilo and written by Charly Delward in collaboration with Erwan Le Duc and César Award nominee Benjamin Charbit. Cast includes Léa Drucker, Samir Guesmi and Laurent Stocker.
The six-part series took home the award for Best Series in the French category at the Lille festival last week. Federation, which had Bardot and Six Women in competition for the same award, will now take it to the international market.
It follows Marie Tessier, a 45-year-old director of the fictional Ngo Doctors of the World, who is appointed France’s Secretary of State, just as five Europeans, including two French people, are taken hostage by terrorists in Sahel. She immediately goes rogue while striving to make it look like everything’s under control.
The show is produced by Ex Nihilo and written by Charly Delward in collaboration with Erwan Le Duc and César Award nominee Benjamin Charbit. Cast includes Léa Drucker, Samir Guesmi and Laurent Stocker.
- 3/27/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Disney+ will move forward on two new French series, tackling questions of euthanasia with “Lambert v. Lambert,” and intimacy in the social media age with the literary thriller “Les enfants sont rois.”
Adapted from a recent page-turner by “Based on a True Story” author Delphine de Vigan, “Les enfants sont rois” (“The Children Are Kings”) follows a reality-tv has-been turned mommy vlogger who fills her social media feeds with daily updates about her two precocious children. When her older daughter disappears and is thought kidnapped, the bereft momfluencer faces a police investigation that calls into question the very existence of child.
Described in one review as a mix of “Madame Bovary” and “Nineteen Eighty-Four” that plays as a “thriller, essay and court drama,” the caustic novel spans three decades, beginning with the rise of reality TV in 2001 and ending with an epigraph attributed to Stephen King: “We had a...
Adapted from a recent page-turner by “Based on a True Story” author Delphine de Vigan, “Les enfants sont rois” (“The Children Are Kings”) follows a reality-tv has-been turned mommy vlogger who fills her social media feeds with daily updates about her two precocious children. When her older daughter disappears and is thought kidnapped, the bereft momfluencer faces a police investigation that calls into question the very existence of child.
Described in one review as a mix of “Madame Bovary” and “Nineteen Eighty-Four” that plays as a “thriller, essay and court drama,” the caustic novel spans three decades, beginning with the rise of reality TV in 2001 and ending with an epigraph attributed to Stephen King: “We had a...
- 3/22/2023
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
Daniel Brühl is set to star as late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld in “Kaiser Karl,” the anticipated Disney+ original series which Gaumont (“Lupin”) is currently producing. The show is currently shooting in France, Monaco and Italy.
The six-part series will chronicle the rise of Karl Lagerfeld through the world of 1970s Parisian high fashion. In 1972, a 38-year-old Karl Lagerfeld aspired to become the most famous French fashion designer, at a time when Yves Saint Laurent reigned supreme. Lagerfeld went on to become the head designer and creative director of Chanel, Fendi and his own label.
The series will also explore the rivalry between Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent’s partner Pierre Berge, as well as his love story with Jacques de Bascher.
Along with depicting the clan rivalries and ego battles of the high fashion world, the series will also portray the epic partying and decadence, tragic love affairs and...
The six-part series will chronicle the rise of Karl Lagerfeld through the world of 1970s Parisian high fashion. In 1972, a 38-year-old Karl Lagerfeld aspired to become the most famous French fashion designer, at a time when Yves Saint Laurent reigned supreme. Lagerfeld went on to become the head designer and creative director of Chanel, Fendi and his own label.
The series will also explore the rivalry between Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent’s partner Pierre Berge, as well as his love story with Jacques de Bascher.
Along with depicting the clan rivalries and ego battles of the high fashion world, the series will also portray the epic partying and decadence, tragic love affairs and...
- 3/8/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Smokehouse TV and 101 Studios have made a multiyear overall deal for original scripted and unscripted content for television.
This formalizes a relationship that got underway with Smokehouse Pictures and 101 Studios already teaming on the upcoming docuseries about the decades-long abuse scandal in the athletic department at Ohio State University. Based on the Sports Illustrated article by Jon Wertheim, this docuseries will be distributed by HBO. Its focus is on the victims of Richard Strauss, a former sports physician at Ohio State who’s accused of sexually abusing more than 300 athletes over decades working at and with the university. Oscar and Emmy winner Eva Orner (Taxi to the Dark Side) directed the feature length docu.
Next up is The Department, which Clooney is directing and is EP. Showtime has given a straight-to-series order. The Department is based on the acclaimed French espionage political thriller The Bureau. Smokehouse Pictures produces...
This formalizes a relationship that got underway with Smokehouse Pictures and 101 Studios already teaming on the upcoming docuseries about the decades-long abuse scandal in the athletic department at Ohio State University. Based on the Sports Illustrated article by Jon Wertheim, this docuseries will be distributed by HBO. Its focus is on the victims of Richard Strauss, a former sports physician at Ohio State who’s accused of sexually abusing more than 300 athletes over decades working at and with the university. Oscar and Emmy winner Eva Orner (Taxi to the Dark Side) directed the feature length docu.
Next up is The Department, which Clooney is directing and is EP. Showtime has given a straight-to-series order. The Department is based on the acclaimed French espionage political thriller The Bureau. Smokehouse Pictures produces...
- 2/23/2023
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Emily Atef, who is presenting her latest film, “Someday We’ll Tell Each Other Everything,” in competition at the Berlin Film Festival, just moved to Paris to direct “La Maison,” a series depicting a fictional family-owned French luxury fashion empire.
While discussing “Someday We’ll Tell Each Other Everything” ahead of its world premiere, Atef told Variety that “La Maison” will be filled with a lot of drama and tragicomedy. “It’s very Shakespearean. There’s so much beauty and luxury with old mansions in Brittany, Parisian ‘hotel particuliers,’ and then behind all that there’s so much human poverty, and you see them ripping each other appart for power,” said Atef, who will direct the pilot and three more episodes.
The series was created and penned by Jose Caltagirone (“Les Combattantes”) and Valentine Milville (“The Bureau”), and will star a high-profile French ensemble cast, including Lambert Wilson (“Benedetta”), Carole Bouquet (“En Therapie...
While discussing “Someday We’ll Tell Each Other Everything” ahead of its world premiere, Atef told Variety that “La Maison” will be filled with a lot of drama and tragicomedy. “It’s very Shakespearean. There’s so much beauty and luxury with old mansions in Brittany, Parisian ‘hotel particuliers,’ and then behind all that there’s so much human poverty, and you see them ripping each other appart for power,” said Atef, who will direct the pilot and three more episodes.
The series was created and penned by Jose Caltagirone (“Les Combattantes”) and Valentine Milville (“The Bureau”), and will star a high-profile French ensemble cast, including Lambert Wilson (“Benedetta”), Carole Bouquet (“En Therapie...
- 2/17/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
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