Daniele Thompson's ensemble dramedy Fauteuils d'Orchestre has been selected to represent France in the race for this year's foreign language Academy Award nomination.

The film is produced by Thelma Films and set in the Parisian theatre world with an all-star cast including Cecile De France, Valerie Lemercier, Albert Dupontel, Laura Morante, the director's son and co-scriptwriter Christopher Thompson and with a cameo by Sydney Pollack.

A respected writer and director who hails from a showbiz family, Thompson was previously nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 1977 for Cousin, Cousine.

Selected by a committee that includes Unifrance president Margaret Menegoz and Cannes artistic director Theirry Fremaux, the film scored roughly 2m admissions following its February 2006 release in France. ThinkFilm will release in the US.