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RELEASES France

Political comedy Coluche, histoire d’un mec hits screens

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"I call on lazy people, dirty people, drug addicts, alcoholics, gays, women, parasites, youngsters, old people, artists, apprentices, black people, pedestrians, long-haired men, mad people, transvestites, former communists, confirmed non-voters, all those who are unimportant to politicians, to vote for me." In September 1980, popular French comic, Coluche, thus announces his intention to run for president in the 1981 election.

His failed attempt forms the subject of Antoine de Caunes’ fourth feature, Coluche, histoire d’un mec [+see also:
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(“Coluche, Story of a Bloke”), which is being launched today by Mars Distribution on 483 screens.

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Starring an outstanding François-Xavier Demaison (The First Day of the Rest of Your Life [+see also:
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) in the title role, alongside Denis Podalydès, Léa Drucker and Belgium’s Olivier Gourmet, the film (written by the director and Diastème) wavers between comedy and the portrayal of the failure of a man caught up in an uncontrollable spiral and spurred on by the 17% of voting intentions in his name.

Produced by Cipango Films, Coluche, histoire d’un mec was made for €8.5m. The budget included co-production support from Studio 37 and France 2 Cinéma, pre-sales from Canal + and Ciné Cinéma and backing from the Ile-de-France region. International sales are being handled by Kinology.

This week’s eight other new releases include Pascal ThomasLe crime est notre affaire [+see also:
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(“Crime is Our Business”), a quirky French comedy acclaimed by critics. Adapted from an Agatha Christie detective novel, the film stars Catherine Frot and André Dussollier, alongside Chiara Mastroianni, Melvil Poupaud and Annie Cordy.

Produced by Les Films Français for €12m, the feature was co-produced by StudioCanal, France 2 Cinéma, Rhône-Alpes Cinéma and Ah ! Victoria ! Films. The title is being released on over 300 screens by StudioCanal, who are also handling international sales.

Also hitting screens are three-part film Tokyo! [+see also:
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by Michel Gondry, Léos Carax and Joon-Ho Bong, which was unveiled at the latest Cannes Film Festival (Haut et Court Distribution - 66 screens); Olivier Weber’s documentary La fièvre de l'or (“Gold Fever”, Zootrope Films/ Rosem Distribution); and Magnus Carlsson’s Swedish animated film Desmond and the Swamp Barbarian Trap (Les Films du Préau - 41 screens). All these films will compete for audiences alongside four US productions.

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(Translated from French)

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