Alain Attal and Hugo Selignac have formed a producing duo known for delivering original, starry French films that probe uneasy subjects that earn B.O. gold and critical laurels. Attal is in Cannes with Un Certain Regard title “Rosalie,” while Selignac has “Omar à la Fraise” in Critics’ Week.
‘L’Amour Ouf,” which stars François Civil, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Benoit Poelvoorde, Alain Chabat, Vincent Lacoste, Jean-Pascal Zadi and Élodie Bouchez, also boasts a pricey music score with well-known tunes of the 1980s and 1990s from artists including The Cure, New Order, Nas, Madonna and Jay-Z. The 18-week shoot started earlier this month for an expected delivery in October 2024.
“And Their Children After Them,” budgeted north of €12 million , follows three teenagers from a rural northern region across four summers, from 1992 to 1999. Attal added, “We want to put some romanesque inside the radical and austere world depicted in the book. We thought, ‘We’re not going to make it a joyful film, but we want to inject some beauty and light into this little town.’ That struck a chord.”
Selignac said times have changed since he started working in the industry nearly two decades ago, and directors play an increasingly big role in the promotion of their films. “Before the actors were at the center of film promotion, but we’re seeing that filmmakers are way more in demand to give interviews and discuss their movies. When people I know talk about a successful promotion campaign, they often mention hearing the directors talk about the subject of their films,” said Selignac.