02/12/2005

Shooting starts on Monday on Mauvaise Foi, first feature directed by actor Roschdy Zem who shares the bill with Cécile de France and Pascal Elbé in a comedy centred around the religious differences at the heart of a mixed couple, Jewish and Muslim. An actor highly appreciated by French filmmakers, Roschdy Zem (born in 1965) who has made around fifty films since he started in the early 90s, he is currently having success in the theatres with The little lieutenant by Xavier Beauvois, after a fine performance in Live and become [+see also:
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Mauvaise Foi follows the misadventures of Ismaël, music professor (Roschdy Zem) and of Clara psychometrician (Cécile de France), a happy young couple, each living in their own community. One morning, Clara discovers that she is pregnant by Ismaël. Before making their union official, by telling their parents, the couple will find themselves confronted with reticence that will turn the best day of their lives into a nightmare. Ismaël understand very quickly that the Muslim family will accept the situation with difficulty while Clara realises that her parents, Ashkenaze Jewish, open and modern, are not at all ready to welcome an Arab.

Produced by Pan Européenne who also handle French distribution, Mauvaise Foi has a budget of 4,7 million euros and shooting will last almost 8 weeks in Paris and its region. Co-producer of the film, StudioCanal holds the video rights, TV sales in France and international sales. Roschdy Zem’s directorial debut is a new demonstration of the rise to power of Pan Européenne since its association with Wild Bunch. The production and distribution company, headed by Philippe Godeau, is involved notably with the L’homme de sa vie, the new film by Zabou Breitman currently in post-production, and the next projects by Valérie Guignabodet and Alexandra Leclère whose first features Mariages! and Les sœurs fâchées had box office success in 2004.

(Translated from French)