France’s Canal+ Group Acquires Stake in Scandinavian Streamer Viaplay

Marta Balaga IFC Films has acquired Xavier Gens’ action spectacle “Mayhem!” (“Farang”) from Studiocanal ahead of its premiere at Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival. Produced by Vincent Roget (Same Player) and Dimitri Stephanides (WTFilms), “Mayhem!” will be released in 2024. “Xavier Gens has crafted an energetic and propulsive film, showcasing some of the most impressive fight choreography we have ever seen,” said Scott Shooman, head of AMC Networks’ Film Group.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Amazon Prime Video France has signed a multi-year deal with leading French independent distributor Metropolitan FilmExport to bring over 100 movies to local subscribers. Metropolitan FilmExport ranks as one of France’s top purveyors of U.S. franchise films, such as “Lord of the Rings,” “Hunger Games,” and “John Wick.” As such, this deal positions Prime Video in France as a home for premium content for wide audiences.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent An edgy new voice within the world of French genre, Adrien Beau worked as a designer and scenographer for the likes of Dior, John Galliano and Agnes B before making his feature debut with the offbeat vampire movie “Vourdalak.” Produced by Judith-Lou Levy at Les Films du Bal, “Vourdalak” will world premiere at Venice Critics’ Week and will likely be one of its boldest entries. At a time when horror has become a mainstream genre overloaded with special effects, “Vourdalak” couldn’t be more radical.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Asacha Media Group has acquired a majority stake in leading U.K. factual producer Arrow International Media. The company’s recent hits include “See No Evil” and “American Monster” for Investigation Discovery, “Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom” for National Geographic and Disney+ and “Seven Days on Mars” for the BBC.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent While Greta Gerwig’s girl-power blockbuster “Barbie” is ruling over the French box office, another much younger female-led franchise, “Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir” has managed to pull approximately €8 million ($8.9 million) at the local B.O., from more than 1.1 million tickets, since bowing on July 5. Budgeted around $80 million and directed by Jeremy Zag, “Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir” ranks as one of France’s most ambitious animated films to date. Featuring eight original songs, a queer storyline and a postcard-worthy Parisian backdrop, the musical film broke ground as the first female-powered superhero movie set in the French capital. Even as it faces stiff competition from “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” “Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir” has enough legs to match or surpass recent non-U.S. animated hits such as “Ballerina,” which sold 1.8 million tickets in France. It garnered 318,144 admissions on its opening day in theaters, a record for a French animated film. In Germany, the movie sold 586,148 tickets in three weeks and is currently the leading family title at the box office.

Dalian Wanda Group is selling a 49% stake in its investment arm to local film and TV producer China Ruyi Holdings in an on-going effort to reduce debt. 

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent The double SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes are worrying exhibitors in France, where the box office is driven by Hollywood blockbusters. In an interview with French news channel BFM Business, Richard Patry, who presides over the National Federation of Cinemas, predicts “the strike might go on for a long time” because it’s aimed at streaming services. “Many U.S. films have already started to be delayed, and it worries us a lot for 2024,” Patry said. The dearth of U.S. releases during the pandemic hurt the French box office, which was down by about 30% in 2022. Even if French movies have a large market share domestically, U.S. blockbusters typically drive an upward trend. Case in point: the French B.O. finally recovered this year and has been up 33%, bolstered by a spike in anticipated American movies, which skyrocketed from 29 in 2022 to 51 in the first five months of 2023, according to Comscore France. 

Canal+ has taken a minority stake in embattled Nordic outfit Viaplay Group, which this morning announced it was making 25% of its workforce redundant.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent French film guilds representing authors, directors and producers have released a joint letter pledging their “full solidarity” with the SAG-AFTRA and WGA double strike. “This battle that’s shaping tomorrow’s industry crosses borders. It’s also ours,” reads the letter, which was signed by the ARP (authors, directors, producers) and SRF (society of French directors), the governing body of Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight. The letter says the double strike “signals a turning point where the questions of sharing of wealth and integration of new models and AI are central.”

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent French actor-director Nicolas Bedos, who is facing trial in February 2024 for an alleged sexual assault under the influence of alcohol dating from June 1, is now being investigated on rape and sexual assault charges after three complaints were filed with the Paris prosecutor. News of the preliminary investigation was first reported in a bombshell investigative report published by French outlet Mediapart. The investigation cites four women, two of whom addressed a letter to the public prosecutor. The prosecutor’s spokesperson confirmed to Variety that a preliminary investigation was opened on July 5 on charges of alleged sexual assault and rape “after receiving three distinct complaints against Nicolas Bedos.”

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Jane Birkin, the beloved British-French actor and singer who spent most of her life in France and is known for a tumultuous relationship with French singer-songwriter Charles Gainsbourg, died on Sunday (July 16) at her home in Paris, according to Le Parisien newspaper. She was 76. No cause of death has yet been confirmed. Birkin was best known internationally for her steamy 1969 duet “Je t’aime… moi non plus” which she sang with Gainsbourg, one year after meeting him. Together, Birkin and Gainsbourg had a daughter, the actor and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg (“Melancholia,” “Nymphomaniac”).

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Hollywood talent agency CAA is in advanced talks to sell a majority stake to Francois-Henri Pinault, the French billionaire behind luxury and fashion empire Kering, according to a report in Bloomberg. The deal would value CAA, which was founded in 1975 and is backed by TPG, at $7 billion, as per Bloomberg’s report, based on anonymous sources. Reached by Variety, a spokesperson for Pinault and his investment vehicle Artemis declined to comment. A rep for Kering, meanwhile, denied any involvement of the group. CAA did not respond to requests for comment by press time.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Les Films du Losange has unveiled the trailer for “Un Silence,” Joachim Lafosse’s thought-provoking film starring Daniel Auteuil and Emmanuelle Devos that will world premiere in competition at San Sebastian Film Festival. Tackling themes of abuse, the timely film revolves around Astrid (Devos), the wife of an acclaimed lawyer (Auteuil). Silenced for 25 years, her family balance suddenly collapses when her children initiate their own search for justice. One of Belgium’s leading filmmakers, Lafosse is best known internationally for 2012’s “Our Children,” a heart-wrenching drama based on a true story starring Emilie Dequenne and Tahar Rahim. “Our Children” represented Belgium in the Oscars race. “Un Silence” will mark Joachim’s follow up to “The Restless,” which competed at Cannes in 2021 and also explored imploding family dynamics.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Strand Releasing has acquired the North American rights to Pierre Creton’s “A Prince,” a French film which world premiered at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. “A Prince” won the SACD Prize from France’s Writers’ Guild for the best French-language film at Directors’ Fortnight. Represented in international markets by Andolfi, “A Prince” follows a horticultural student, Pierre-Joseph, whose sexual encounters with his botany teacher and mentors lead to a unique hybrid tale of science, sex and meditation. “We’re thrilled to be handling ‘A Prince,’ Creton’s work is such a rarified vision that fits so well with the Strand Releasing brand, we look forward to taking this out to some of the top festivals across North America,” said Marcus Hu at Strand Releasing. 

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent While Hollywood braces for an actors strike, the key cast of Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” — Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr. and Matt Damon — walked the red carpet at the Paris world premiere on Tuesday, but didn’t talk politics. Nolan, receiving rapturous applause as he walked into the theater, spoke onstage about his special bond with France and the 90-year old Grand Rex Theater, dating back to his 2000 film “Memento.” “When we made our first film ‘Memento,’ no one in the world would show this film,” Nolan said, until the Grand Rex Theater booked it. “Looking at the size of it I have no idea why, but people came and our lives changed and we love this theater,” added Nolan, who was surrounded by his cast and producers, including his wife Emma Thomas.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Mélanie Laurent, who broke through in Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” and has since made a name for herself as a filmmaker, is back in the director’s chair with “Wingwomen,” coming to Netflix Nov. 1. The movie, in which Laurent stars alongside Adèle Exarchopoulos, Manon Bresch and Isabelle Adjani, is a rare breed of action-comedy driven by fearless female characters. Laurent and Exarchopoulos star as high-profile thieves and best friends who decide to retire from their life on the run. They recruit Sam, a young and feisty car racer (Bresch) to assist them with one last job, but quickly clash with their godmother’s will (Adjani).

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Cesar-winning French actor Roschdy Zem (“Days of Glory”) and “Fauda” star Laëtitia Eïdo are co-starring in “Fatum,” a timely action film directed by Florent-Emilio Siri (“Hostage”) and scored by Oscar-winning Alexandre Desplat. “Fatum,” which started filming on July 4 in Morocco, is produced by Mathias Rubin at Récifilms (“November,” “Möbius”). Orange Studio is co-producing and has French distribution rights, as well as handles international sales. The film is also co-produced by France 2 Cinéma which pre-bought it along with Canal+, Disney+ and Palatine Etoile 21. Zem, one of France’s most bankable actors who previously won a Cannes prize with “Days of Glory” and recently won a Cesar Award with “Oh Mercy!” stars in “Fatum” as Elyas, a former Special Forces soldier who has become solitary and paranoid since serving Afghanistan. Elyas is recruited to provide the security for Amina (Eido) and her daughter Nour who fled the Emirates and found refuge in a French castle. When a commando tracks down Amina and Nour, Elyas once again becomes the fearless soldier he was on the frontlines to rescue the pair.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Taylor Swift’s French fans are disarray as sales for the singer’s Eras Tour in Paris have been abruptly halted on Ticketmaster on Tuesday (July 11). Ticketmaster said on Twitter that “The Taylor Swift sale | The 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Eras Tour for Paris La Défense Arena has been put on hold.” The ticketing website added that it will keep people “posted with a new on-sale time as soon as possible.” It also said that “all codes not already used will remain valid.” The issue appears to stem from a technical glitch on Ticketmaster causing people to be unable to log into the website with their passwords. Swift is slated to perform in Paris, at the Défense Arena concert hall, as part of her Eras Tour on May 9, 10, 11 and 12 mai 2024.

Blue Fox Entertainment has picked up U.S. rights to the stop-motion adventure comedy The Inventor, starring Stephen Fry as Leonardo da Vinci. Also starring Daisy Ridley, Marion Cotillard, Gauthier Battoue and Matt Berry, the film is set for an exclusive release in theaters nationwide on August 25th.

Charna Flam Blue Fox Entertainment has acquired the rights to Jim Capobianco’s directorial debut “The Inventor” and will release the film in theaters nationwide on Aug. 25. The stop-motion film includes the voices of Daisy Ridley, Marion Cotillard, Stephen Fry, Gauthier Battoue and Matt Berry. “Ratatouille” screenwriter, Capobianco wrote, produced and directed “The Inventor,” alongside co-director Pierre-Luc Granjon. “The Inventor” follows famed inventor and artist Leonardo da Vinci after he leaves Italy for France. In his new country, da Vinci joins the French court where he experiments with flying contraptions, invents machines and studies the human body, all in an effort to answer the question: “What is the meaning of life?”