Populaire: Romain Duris and Déborah François in speed contest

by Fabien Lemercier

03/10/2011 - Shooting starts today in Normandy on Régis Roinsard’s debut feature Populaire, an original French/Belgian comedy starring Romain Duris [pictured] (Heartbreaker [trailer], The Big Picture [trailer]) and Belgian actress Déborah François (The First Day of the Rest of Your Life [trailer], The Monk [trailer]). The cast also includes Bérénice Béjo (The Artist [trailer, film focus]), Nicolas Bedos (soon to be seen in Love Lasts Three Years), Mélanie Bernier (The Assault [trailer]), Eddy Mitchell (who has just filmed Oncle Charles) and Miou-Miou (The Concert [trailer, film focus]).

Co-scripted by the director, Daniel Presley and Romain Compingt, the film is set in the late 1950s. Rose (François) applies for a job as a secretary at the insurance firm run by Louis Richard (Duris). The interview goes badly, but Louis notices that Rose types on the typewriter at an incredible speed. With the insurance agent’s sportsmanlike mind kicking into action, he persuades her to take part in typing speed competitions and decides to train her.

Populaire is produced for €14.7m by Alain Attal for Les Productions du Trésor (Little White Lies [trailer], Poliss [trailer, film focus]). The budget includes co-production support from Mars Films, France 2 Cinéma, France 3 Cinéma and Belgian companies Panache Productions and CCE (Compagnie Cinématographique Européenne).

The 12-week shoot will take place in Normandy (in Lisieux, Bacilly and Vimoutiers), in the Paris area and in Liège. Pre-bought by Canal+ and Ciné+, the film will be distributed in France by Mars and sold internationally by Wild Bunch.

It should be noted that Les Productions du Trésor has another comedy in post-production: Romain Levy’s Radiostars, starring Clovis Cornillac, Manu Payet, Douglas Attal, Sam Karmann and Ana Girardot. The film, which traces the misadventures of two radio presenters who take to the road across France to win back their audience, will also be launched in French theatres by Mars Distribution.

(Translated from French)