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Variety, CA
May 18 2008
StudioCanal prepares projects
Montand film, Bouchareb thriller on slate
By JOHN HOPEWELL
France's StudioCanal is preparing a biopic on Gallic actor and singer
Yves Montand and producing a thriller from "Days of Glory" director
Rachid Bouchareb. Jean-Louis Livi, Montand's nephew, is co-writing
the screenplay for the untitled biopic with Patrick Rotman, author of
a book on Montand, and Christophe Ruggia.
The Montand bio will shoot in 2009, StudioCanal chairman-CEO Olivier
Courson said.
Bouchareb's new film, also shooting 2009, will be produced by Jean
Brehat.
Employing the same key cast as "Days of Glory," pic turns on the
activities in France of Algeria's National Liberation Front in Paris.
"The film is a thriller with a very strong political background
describing how the organization was financed," Courson said.
Both the Montand bio and Bouchareb's film will be budgeted at around
E15 million ($24 million), north of the $11 million-$19 million budget
range for local French productions.
Both projects show StudioCanal continuing to ramp up high-profile
Gallic projects. Company expects to release about 20 films this year,
10 or 12 of which will be French productions, Courson said.
StudioCanal has also greenlit the next film from Gallic auteur Robert
Guediguian ("Marius et Jeanette"). Titled "L'Armee du crimes," and
budgeted at $12.4 million, "Armee" deals with Armenian members of the
French resistance during World War II. It is now initiating
production.
Among StudioCanal's high-end projects, Johnny To's $35 million "Red
Circle" now has a start date of Sept. 20.
"Escape From New York," which Neil Moritz is producing for New Line
and StudioCanal, does not appear to be affected by New Line's
downsizing. It is skedded to shoot early 2009.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117985981 .html?categoryId=2505&cs=1
May 18 2008
StudioCanal prepares projects
Montand film, Bouchareb thriller on slate
By JOHN HOPEWELL
France's StudioCanal is preparing a biopic on Gallic actor and singer
Yves Montand and producing a thriller from "Days of Glory" director
Rachid Bouchareb. Jean-Louis Livi, Montand's nephew, is co-writing
the screenplay for the untitled biopic with Patrick Rotman, author of
a book on Montand, and Christophe Ruggia.
The Montand bio will shoot in 2009, StudioCanal chairman-CEO Olivier
Courson said.
Bouchareb's new film, also shooting 2009, will be produced by Jean
Brehat.
Employing the same key cast as "Days of Glory," pic turns on the
activities in France of Algeria's National Liberation Front in Paris.
"The film is a thriller with a very strong political background
describing how the organization was financed," Courson said.
Both the Montand bio and Bouchareb's film will be budgeted at around
E15 million ($24 million), north of the $11 million-$19 million budget
range for local French productions.
Both projects show StudioCanal continuing to ramp up high-profile
Gallic projects. Company expects to release about 20 films this year,
10 or 12 of which will be French productions, Courson said.
StudioCanal has also greenlit the next film from Gallic auteur Robert
Guediguian ("Marius et Jeanette"). Titled "L'Armee du crimes," and
budgeted at $12.4 million, "Armee" deals with Armenian members of the
French resistance during World War II. It is now initiating
production.
Among StudioCanal's high-end projects, Johnny To's $35 million "Red
Circle" now has a start date of Sept. 20.
"Escape From New York," which Neil Moritz is producing for New Line
and StudioCanal, does not appear to be affected by New Line's
downsizing. It is skedded to shoot early 2009.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117985981 .html?categoryId=2505&cs=1