Daniel Auteuil shoots Marius and Fanny

by Fabien Lemercier

08/06/2012 - After the success of his first feature film as a director, The Well Digger's Daughter [trailer] (1.4 million admissions in France in 2011), Daniel Auteuil is continuing to explore Marcel Pagnol's work, this time adapting his trilogy of theatrical plays Marius - Fanny - César (already adapted for cinema in the 1930s). He has already started shooting the trilogy's first two instalments at the Bry-sur Marne studios outside Paris. The film is to feature rising star Raphaël Personnaz (recently well reviewed in Cannes for his performance in Three Worlds [trailer]), the young Victoire Belezy, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Marie-Anne Chazel, Ariane Ascaride, Daniel Russo, Nicolas Vaude, and the director himself.

Marius (Personnaz) is about to make all his dreams come true by leaving on one of the boats that pass in front of his father César (Auteuil)'s waterfront bar. Fanny (Belezy), who sells seashells, has been secretly in love with Marius since childhood, and tries to stop him. She soon makes him jealous when master sailmaker Panisse (Darroussin) starts to court her. She then offers herself up to Marius. But in the end his passion for the sea with win and he will abandon Fanny.

Fanny then discovers that she is pregnant with Marius' child. To avoid disgrace, she accepts, with her mother Honorine (Chazel) and father's approval, to marry Panisse. The latter is 30 years older than her, but he agrees to bring up the child as his own. Several months after her wedding and the birth of their child, having realised that he loves Fanny, Marius returns to win her back…

Produced by A.S. Films (Alain Sarde) with Zack Films and Pathé Films, Marius and Fanny will be shot in about 11 weeks. Filming has been ongoing since May 14 at the Bry-sur-Marne studios, and will continue in Marseille from July until August 6. Pathé will be in charge of the film's distribution in France as well as international sales.

(Translated from French)