EXCLUSIVE: Aside from continuing sales on Culinary Cuisine opener The Chef starring Jean Reno, which has recently sold to Germany (Senator), Canada (Remstar) and Japan (Gaga), Gaumont is set to unveil a slew of new titles at the EFM.
Among these is Jérôme Enrico’s comedy Paulette starring former Nouvelle Vague muse Bernadette Lafont, now in her early 70s, as a granny drugs pusher.
The topical tale is based on a true story about a group of impoverished pensioners who started selling drugs to make ends meet. Gaumont’s Cécile Gaget describes the film as: “Saving Gracemeets Weeds.”
The film, co-produced Alain Goldman’s Légende and Gaumont, is currently shooting and is due to wrap at the end of this month.
For full production details on all these films visit
Keeping up the vice theme, Gaumont will also start sales on Frank Gastamabide’s comedy Porn in the Hood, about three unemployed young men from the Paris projects who try to break into the porn business.
Mandarin Cinema — the company behind Jean Dujardin-starrers The Brice Man and 0SS 177 films; François Ozon’s Potiche, and last year’s political drama The Conquest – is producing.
Gaumont will also launch sales on Edgar Marie’s thriller Paris Countdown starring Jacques Gamblin and Olivier Marchal as two nightclub owners with a violent past, who seeking to escape the bloody vengeance of a man they betrayed years previously. The picture — produced by the makers of Point Black, A Gang Story and 36, Quai de Orfèves LGM Productions – goes into production in April.
Gaget will also unveil Luis Prieto highly anticipated remake of Nicolas Winding Refn’s Pusher – about a heavily indebted London drugs dealer battling to stave off violent creditor – with a private screening on Friday. Gaget says she hopes to seal a U.S. deal during the market.
The film, starring Richard Coyle and Agyness Deyn, is produced by Rupert Preston at Vertigo alongside Christopher Simon and Felix Vossen at Embargo, with Winding Refn taking an executive producer credit.
Gaumont will also continue sales on Anne Fontaine’s adaptation of Doris Lessing’s The Grandmothers, starring Naomi Watts and Robin Wright as two best friends who have affairs with each other’s sons, which started principal photography this week in Australia.
The film has already been picked up in Australia (E1), Canada (Remstar) and Switzerland (Pathé) and has deals pending in Germany and Italy.
Other previously announced titles include Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s provisionally entitled T.S. Spivet about a 12-year-old prodigy who runs away from his ranch home in Montana to the Smithsonian in Washington. The film is due to go into production in the autumn. The slate also includes Winding Refn’s upcoming Only God Forgives which is currently shooting in Thailand.
Other fresh additions include Noemie Lvovsky’s fantasy drama Camille Rewinds, about a 40-year-old woman who goes back in time to the period when she fell in love with her soon-to-be ex-husband as a 16-year-old.
Gaumont will also unveil Carine Tardieu’s The Dandelions (Du vent dans mes mollets) — a touching tale revolving around the inner hopes and fears of nine-year-old schoolgirl Rachel. Gaget says the feature has strong Cannes sidebar potential.
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