23/02/2023 - BERLINALE 2023: Pierre Niney stars in The Count of Monte-Cristo, Tahar Rahim graces Monsieur Aznavour, Noémie Merlant will topline Emmanuelle by Audrey Diwan, while Adèle Exarchopoulos leads Planète B

Actor Pierre Niney, who will star in The Count of Monte-Cristo by Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de La Patellière (© Georges Biard)

Yesterday saw the curtain fall on the 73rd Berlinale’s European Film Market, where French international sales agents were anything but idle, notably on account of the eight titles in competition they’re selling (read our special EFM report here). But there were also a few new works enriching their line-ups, too.

Pathé International kicked off presales on The Count of Monte-Cristo [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de La Patellière, whose filming is due to commence in July, with Pierre Niney leading the cast. This new adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ novel will be produced by Chapter 2 and Pathé (who are also managing distribution in France) in co-production with Fargo Films and M6 Films (who have also pre-purchased the movie alongside Canal+ and Ciné+).

Tahar Rahim will play the lead role in the biopic Monsieur Aznavour by the directorial duo Grand Corps Malade - Mehdi Idir (Step By Step [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], School Life [+see also:
trailer
interview: Zita Hanrot
film profile]), a production steered by Kallouche Cinéma and Mandarin & Compagnie, which will start shooting in the summer.

There’s been a change in lead actor for the project Emmanuelle by Audrey Diwan (awarded Venice’s Golden Lion for Happening [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Anamaria Vartolomei
film profile]), a new adaptation (co-written by the director alongside Rebecca Zlotowski) of Emmanuelle Arsan’s erotic novel, which is now set to be toplined by Noémie Merlant. Shooting will commence in September, with Chantelouve, Rectangle Productions and Wild Bunch International managing production.

Also worth a mention on the subject of Wild Bunch International is their kicking off presales on Madame Luna by Sweden’s Daniel Espinosa. Currently in post-production, the movie (involving Swedish firm Momento Film, Italian outfit Dugong Films and Luxembourg’s Hercules Film Fund) charts the road walked by a female Eritrean migrant who has since become a human trafficker in Libya, with close links to the Italian mafia, and who eventually ends up stepping through the looking glass…

Orange Studio has commenced presales on Planet B, which is the second movie by Aude Léa Rapin (revealed in Cannes’ Critics’ Week 2019 via Heroes Don’t Die [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Aude Léa Rapin
film profile]). This Les Films du Bal production is due to be toplined by Adèle Exarchopoulos, among other names, who’ll be supported by Swiss actress Souheila Yacoub.

mk2 films has added two titles in post-production to its already copious line-up: the romantic comedy The Nature of Love [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Monia Chokri
film profile] by Quebec’s Monia Chokri (who presented her debut feature film La femme de mon frère in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section in 2019) and Holly [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Fien Troch
film profile] by Fien Troch (awarded the Orizzonti Prize for Best Director in Venice 2016) whose production is overseen by French firm Agat Films in co-production with Belgium’s Prime Time, Mirage, Les Films du Fleuve and Tarantula, and Dutch outfit Topkapi.

Newen Connect have kicked off presales on the English language sci-fi film Another End [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Piero Messina
film profile] by Italian director Piero Messina (who competed in Venice in 2015 via The Wait [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lou de Laâge
interview: Piero Messina
film profile]). Currently in post-production and steered by Roman firm Indigo Film, the movie is toplined by Mexico’s Gael García Bernal and Norway’s Renate Reinsve, who are notably joined by the French-Argentinian actress Bérénice Bejo.

Worth a final mention, amongst the various announcements punctuating the EFM, are two titles in post-production: Luxbox are commencing presales on Lazy Girls by Karim Dridi (Chouf [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Khamsa [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) and Best Friend Forever on Ramata-Toulaye Sy’s Banel & Adama [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ramata-Toulaye Sy
film profile] (a French-Senegalese co-production involving La Chauve-Souris and Take Shelter).

(Translated from French)