28/05/2009

Having first come to attention with his debut feature The Killer [+see also:
trailer
film profile], selected at last year’s Rotterdam and Karlovy Vary festivals, Cédric Anger (see interview) began shooting last week in Montpellier on his second film, L’avocat (“The Lawyer”).

This film noir stars Benoît Magimel, Gilbert Melki, Aïssa Maïga, Eric Caravaca, Samir Guesmi and director Barbet Schroeder in a minor role.

Written by Anger, a former Cahiers du Cinéma journalist and screenwriting partner of Xavier Beauvois (on To Mathieu and The Young Lieutenant [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), L’avocat centres on Léo Mazurier (Magimel). Recently admitted to the bar, he works as an intern in the chambers of Maître Mecco (Schroeder) with the aim of learning the tricks of the trade and earning fast money.

When he is offered the chance to become the lawyer to a local “godfather” (Melki) behind a large-scale illegal cigarette sale operation, it doesn’t take him long to make up his mind. For a comfortable salary, all he has to do is draw up contracts for bogus companies and defend the gang members when they get arrested. But Léo plunges into the depths of a dark, violent and ruthless world.

Produced by Thomas Klotz for Sunrise Films, L’avocat has a budget of around €5m. This includes an advance on receipts from the National Film Centre (CNC), a pre-sale from Canal + and backing from the Languedoc-Roussillon region.

Shooting is scheduled to last 35 days, half of which will be spent in Montpellier and the surrounding area, before the cast and crew relocate to Paris. SND will release the film domestically in the first half of 2010, while international sales are still under negotiation.

(Translated from French)