23/10/2006

A stellar cast is on the cards for Paris, the ninth feature by Cédric Klapisch, which will bring together two big stars, Juliette Binoche and Romain Duris, as well as François Cluzet, Fabrice Luchini, Albert Dupontel, Karine Viard, Mélanie Laurent, Gilles Lellouche, Julie Ferrier and Zinedine Soualem.

Klapisch, who will celebrate his 45th birthday this year, will be directing Duris for the sixth time. The director first began working with the actor in 1995 in Good Old Daze. Duris’ starring role in Euro Pudding made the film a big hit (almost 3m admissions in France in 2003 and over €12m in box office takings in the rest of the world), as did his part in Russian Dolls [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (2.9m admissions in France in 2005). Viard and Luchini starred in the director’s first feature, 1992’s Riens du tout.

An ensemble film recounting several destinies that cross paths, Paris, which was written by Klapisch and whose storyline is still under wraps, will certainly give the director an opportunity to explore sociocultural comedies, a genre in which he excels.

Once again, the story is set in the French capital like all his previous films since his first short, from the Montesquieu school in Good Old Daze to the department stores in Little Nothings, the Bastille area in When the Cat’s Away, the futuristic city under sand in Maybe and Bercy and Montmartre in Potluck. "I’m in love with Paris and I have the feeling that I will never know this city," said the director.

Produced by Bruno Levy for Ce Qui Me Meut, Paris has a 14-week shooting schedule that begins on November 13 and carries a budget of approximately €13m, including support from France 2 Cinéma, Canal +, TPS Star and StudioCanal, who are to handle international sales.

The film’s theatrical release is scheduled for 2007.

(Translated from French)