‘Gregory’ Producer Imagissime Delivers True Crime, Human Interest Documentaries With French Touch (EXCLUSIVE)

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentFrance’s most famous Catholic priest, Abbé Pierre, will be portrayed in a €15 million ($17.5 million) biopic movie produced by SND and Wassim Beji, who previously teamed on “Yves Saint Laurent.”Titled “Abbé Pierre, a Century of Devotion,” the movie will be directed by Frederic Tellier (“Goliath,” “Through the Fire”) with Benjamin Lavernhe (“The Speech”) playing the title role, alongside Emmanuelle Bercot (“Mon Roi,” “Polisse”).SND, the commercial arm of

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorFrench media conglomerate Mediawan is to adapt Leonine Studios’ digital event show “YouTopia” for the French market. The deal is an early example of a pan-European collaboration between the two companies, who recently set up a European studio that united 61 production companies from France, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia, Spain and the U.K.“YouTopia” is an innovative format, developed by i&u TV – a Leonine Studios company.

Opening in 14 cities, “The French Dispatch” is estimated to earn $1.3 million this weekend for an average of around $25,000 per venue. By comparison, the per-theater average for “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” which set a post-shutdown opening record of $90 million in wide release, had an average of $21,300.

Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch did what a glum arthouse market was waiting for, revved it up with a smashing three-day average. “If Wes builds it, they will come,” said an elated Searchlight Pictures after a two year wait to get the film into theaters.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter“The French Dispatch,” director Wes Anderson’s tribute to 20th-century magazines, opened at the domestic box office with a robust $1.3 million from only 52 theaters.For platform releases like “The French Dispatch,” the key metric is per-theater average rather than overall box office tally because indie movies kick off in a handful of theaters while commercial pictures start in thousands of venues.

Jon Burlingame editorEvery Wes Anderson film is filled with musical delights, from offbeat songs to unexpected score cues, and “The French Dispatch” is no exception.Composer Alexandre Desplat and music supervisor Randall Poster are among the first to read any new Anderson script.

After a long Covid delay, The French Dispatch opens this weekend with distributor Searchlight Pictures and the industry hoping the whimsical Wes Anderson’s film brings a touch of Grand Budapest Hotel-ish coin to the specialty box office.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“History of the World, Part I” is finally getting a Part II, with Hulu ordering a variety series followup to the classic Mel Brooks comedy film, Variety has learned exclusively.“History of the World, Part II” is described as a sequel to the 1981 film. The film was made up of segments set during different periods of world history.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentRomain Quirot’s “Paul W.R.’s Last Journey,” an ambitious film mixing science fiction and ecological tale, has been sold by Kinology (“Annette”) to major distributors, including Samuel Goldwyn Films in North America.

Naman Ramachandran Media group Vivendi has acquired a stake in France and U.K. headquartered Pernel Media, the independent production company behind “Legends of the Pharaohs,” “The Real War of Thrones,” “Wheeler Dealers France,” “Attila’s Forbidden Tomb” and “Ancient Superstructures.Pernel will remain an autonomous entity led by Samuel Kissous and will keep expanding the range of broadcast partners and platforms it is working with in France and internationally.

Sony Pictures Classics has taken global rights sans France and Germany, to Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine’s documentary Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentThierry Ardisson, a famous French TV journalist, host and producer known for roasting some of the biggest stars and political figures in modern history, has teamed up with Mediawan’s 3eme Oeil Productions to resuscitate late icons in “L’hotel du Temps.” Pioneering the use of an A.I.-generated tool called FaceRetriever, “L’Hotel du Temps” has allowed Ardisson to fulfil his wildest dream: Travel back in time and bring back legendary figures, including

Paul Webster, the prolific British film producer whose credits include Pride And Prejudice and Atonement, said he broke one of his cardinal rules while making his buzzy Princess Diana biopic Spencer.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentAfter breaking ground in France, Franck Gastambide’s hit Canal Plus show “All the Way Up” (“Validé”), a comedy drama series unfolding on France’s vibrant rap scene, is set to roll out around the world.

Clayton Davis Audrey Diwan’s “Happening,” one of the three shortlisted films to represent France for the upcoming 94th Academy Awards, will make its North American premiere at the Chicago Film Festival as part of the Global Currants and Women in Cinema program on Saturday, Oct.

Ed Meza @edmezavarThe Lumière Festival’s International Classic Film Market (MIFC) in Lyon, France, bows Tuesday, again bringing together distributors, exhibitors, streamers, TV programmers, film restorers and festival reps for one of the world’s leading heritage cinema events.This year’s market looks set for a much more upbeat atmosphere compared to the 2020 edition, which took place right before the pandemic’s second wave that led to months-long cinema closures.“It’s more about getting back on

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentTarak Ben Ammar’s Eagle Pictures and “Green Book” director Peter Farrelly are teaming up on the film adaptation of French author Guillaume Musso’s bestselling novel “Seras-tu là,” Variety has learned.“Seras-tu là” revolves around Elliott, a 60-year old widowed and renowned surgeon who lives in San Francisco and has a daughter, Angie. Although he leads a successful life, he never totally recovered from the death of his beloved wife 30 years prior.