Haut et Court

Source: Geraldine Aresteanu

Carole Scotta and Caroline Benjo

Need to know: Paris-based producer and distributor Haut et Court was created in 1992 by Carole Scotta, who was later joined by partners Caroline Benjo, Simon Arnal, Barbara Letellier and Laurence Petit. As well as its 30th anniversary, the company is also marking 25 years since its first production in Cannes with Belgian director Alain Berliner’s Ma Vie En Rose, which debuted in Directors’ Fortnight. The company has since racked up more than 50 feature credits. Highlights include Laurent Cantet’s 2008 Palme d’Or winner The Class, Anne Fontaine’s 2009 Coco Before Chanel and Cannes 2020 label breakout Gagarine by Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Trouilh. In 2021, it spearheaded The Creatives, a three-year partnership with Fremantle involving 10 independent production companies to support joint ventures and information sharing. Haut et Court was one of the first independent film companies in Europe to embrace high-end drama with the pioneering fantasy series The Returned and as a co-producer on Paolo Sorrentino’s The Young Pope and The New Pope.

Key personnel: Carole Scotta, Caroline Benjo, Simon Arnal, Barbara Letellier, producers; Laurence Petit, distributor; Martin Bidou, programmer and theatres management; Olivier Pasquier, financial director.

Incoming: Haut et Court produced The Night Of The 12th (Cannes Premieres), while Carine May and Hakim Zouhani’s Save Our School screens in the Cinéma de la Plage section. Its documentary arm Haut et Court Doc, run by associate Emmanuelle Lepers, also debuts bio-doc Christophe… Définitivement in the public-facing beach line-up. Post-production is complete on Olivier Babinet’s Normal, while Apple TV+ series Constellations (in co-production with Turbine Studios) is in pre-production.

Carole Scotta says: “We have seen over the last 20 years an amazing acceleration in content production and diffusion due to the digital revolution. Our aim is to resist this never-ending demand and continue developing and financing prototypes.” 

Contact: production@hautetcourt.com