French actress Michele Laroque's production company OrianeProductions has optioned two books to be adapted as English-language featuresstarring Laroque - Don't You Want Me by India Knight and Caroline Bongrand's French bestseller Pitch.

Oriane Productions has also acquired English-language remakerights to The Upstairs Neighbour, based on the hit TF1 French TV film co-produced by and starringLaroque.

Don't You Want Me centres on a thirtysomething single mother who craves sex, while Pitchfollows the romanticexploits of a Parisian arriviste in Hollywood whose mock pitch is takenseriously by producers.

The Upstairs Neighbour is a farce centring on neighbours who pretend to be engagedin order to make one of their ex-spouses jealous. David Young is writing theEnglish-language adaptation in which Laroque will star.

"It has always been a goal of mine to produce my own film andtelevision projects in America, as I have done in France," Laroque said in astatement. "I have some wonderful producing partners and the timing is rightfor me to move to the United States.

"I love comedy and this trio of projects allows me to show thatside of me. But I also love drama, such as Malabar Princess and Ma Vie En Rose, and look forward to developing dramaticroles for myself in English. I work frequently for other producers, but stillhave the desire to develop and create projects myself."

Don't You Want Me was brokered by Roeg Sutherland of CAA on behalf of OrianeProductions and by Nick Harris of AP Watt in London on behalf of India Knight.

Pitch wasbrokered by Jean-Michel Stazzu for Oriane and Zagzig Productions and by BernardBarrault of Editions Robert Laffont on behalf of Caroline Bongrand.

Sutherland also negotiated the deal for The Upstairs Neighbour on behalf of Oriane with ChristianCharret of Geteve.

Laroque has beennominated for two Cesars Awards for Pedale Douce and La Crise. Her other credits include FrancisVeber's The Closet,as well as Serial Lover and Ma Vie En Rose.

Topics