The Wages of Fear is a French film directed by Julien Leclercq starring Franck Gastambide and Ana Girardot.
“The Wages of Fear” is a film based on Georges Arnaud’s novel, which, as you may already know, had a previous adaptation in 1953, directed by H.G. Clouzot. This has become a classic of French cinema and one of the best thrillers in film history.
In these current times, Julien Leclercq dares to create a new version of this story, modernizing it entirely and trying to maintain the character tension in this updated plot, although we’re not fully sure if it’s for the better.
It’s always a risk to compare yourself to a classic, but Julien Leclercq has the courage to try it.
Plot
To save a village during an oil extraction, four people must escort a convoy loaded with nitroglycerin in a desolate place, surrounded by armed gangs.
“The Wages of Fear” is a film based on Georges Arnaud’s novel, which, as you may already know, had a previous adaptation in 1953, directed by H.G. Clouzot. This has become a classic of French cinema and one of the best thrillers in film history.
In these current times, Julien Leclercq dares to create a new version of this story, modernizing it entirely and trying to maintain the character tension in this updated plot, although we’re not fully sure if it’s for the better.
It’s always a risk to compare yourself to a classic, but Julien Leclercq has the courage to try it.
Plot
To save a village during an oil extraction, four people must escort a convoy loaded with nitroglycerin in a desolate place, surrounded by armed gangs.
- 3/29/2024
- by Martin Cid
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
France’s highest appeals court, the court of cassation, on Wednesday dismissed rape accusations leveled at director and producer Luc Besson (Lucy, The Fifth Element) by Belgian-Dutch actress Sand Van Roy.
The Paris court rejected an appeal lodged by Von Roy after her initial claimant alleging she had been sexually assaulted by Besson was dismissed in 2021. In May 2018, Van Roy alleged she had been raped by Besson at the Le Bristol luxury hotel in Paris. The Belgian-Dutch actress has had small roles in Besson’s Taxi 5 and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, and had been in an intimate relationship with the director for two years.
In a statement sent to The Hollywood Reporter, Besson’s lawyer, Thierry Marembert said the ruling “confirms the dismissal in favor of Luc Besson and confirms all the decisions of the last five years which have found him not guilty. It...
The Paris court rejected an appeal lodged by Von Roy after her initial claimant alleging she had been sexually assaulted by Besson was dismissed in 2021. In May 2018, Van Roy alleged she had been raped by Besson at the Le Bristol luxury hotel in Paris. The Belgian-Dutch actress has had small roles in Besson’s Taxi 5 and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, and had been in an intimate relationship with the director for two years.
In a statement sent to The Hollywood Reporter, Besson’s lawyer, Thierry Marembert said the ruling “confirms the dismissal in favor of Luc Besson and confirms all the decisions of the last five years which have found him not guilty. It...
- 6/21/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Netflix Remaking French Classic ‘The Wages Of Fear’ With Julien Leclercq At Helm; Unveils First Look
Netflix has announced a remake of the 1950s French classic The Wages of Fear (Le Salaire de la Peur), in a production reuniting the platform with action-thriller maestro Julien Leclercq.
Production is currently underway on the untitled film for a scheduled release in 2024.
The 1953 original starred Yves Montand, Peter van Eyck, Charles Vanel and Folco Lulli as four down-on-their-luck men who are hired to drive trucks laden with nitroglycerine through the mountains as part of an operation to extinguish an oil well fire.
The work is regarded as one of the most suspenseful action-thrillers of all time.
Leclercq’s reboot stars Franck Gastambide, best known internationally for his role in Taxi 5, opposite Alban Lenoir (Lost Bullet), Ana Girardot (The House) and Sofiane Zermani (No Limit).
“To reunite this cast for the reboot of such a film, for a worldwide broadcast with Netflix, forces me to put all my heart and guts into it,...
Production is currently underway on the untitled film for a scheduled release in 2024.
The 1953 original starred Yves Montand, Peter van Eyck, Charles Vanel and Folco Lulli as four down-on-their-luck men who are hired to drive trucks laden with nitroglycerine through the mountains as part of an operation to extinguish an oil well fire.
The work is regarded as one of the most suspenseful action-thrillers of all time.
Leclercq’s reboot stars Franck Gastambide, best known internationally for his role in Taxi 5, opposite Alban Lenoir (Lost Bullet), Ana Girardot (The House) and Sofiane Zermani (No Limit).
“To reunite this cast for the reboot of such a film, for a worldwide broadcast with Netflix, forces me to put all my heart and guts into it,...
- 4/11/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Amazon Prime in France has unveiled its upcoming slate of director-driven Originals, including ‘Hawa,’ a new movie by “Cuties” director Maimouna Doucouré, Nicolas Bedos’ TV debut “Alphonse” and Franck Gastambide’s “”Medellín.”
“Hawa” follows the coming-of-age tale of a teenage girl who lives with her grandmother and worries she will be removed by social services. She sets off to get adopted by someone she admires more than anything, one of the most powerful woman in the world. “Hawa” is produced by Bien ou Bien Productions.
The movie is currently in post-production and is expected to launch globally on the streamer later this year. As with “Cuties,” Doucouré’s feature debut which won the director prize at Sundance and was acquired by Netflix, “Hawa” will be headlined by first-time actors, including Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Oumou Sangaré, as well as the popular singer Yseult and Sania Halifa.
Doucouré discussed “Hawa” along...
“Hawa” follows the coming-of-age tale of a teenage girl who lives with her grandmother and worries she will be removed by social services. She sets off to get adopted by someone she admires more than anything, one of the most powerful woman in the world. “Hawa” is produced by Bien ou Bien Productions.
The movie is currently in post-production and is expected to launch globally on the streamer later this year. As with “Cuties,” Doucouré’s feature debut which won the director prize at Sundance and was acquired by Netflix, “Hawa” will be headlined by first-time actors, including Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Oumou Sangaré, as well as the popular singer Yseult and Sania Halifa.
Doucouré discussed “Hawa” along...
- 4/12/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
After breaking ground in France, Franck Gastambide’s hit Canal Plus show “All the Way Up” (“Validé”), a comedy drama series unfolding on France’s vibrant rap scene, is set to roll out around the world. Canneseries opened Friday with season two of the show.
Studiocanal has sold the edgy title to WarnerMedia Latin America, exclusively for HBO Max, and to Radio-Canada.
HBO Max, which recently launched in 39 territories in Latin America and the Caribbean, will premiere season one of the half-hour series. Radio-Canada’s Ott platform Ici Tou.TV Extra has acquired both the first and second seasons.
The show marked the TV debut of Gastambide, one of France’s most successful directors who previously delivered top-grossing local comedies such as “Porn in the Hood” (“Les Kaira”), “Pattaya” and the latest instalment of the action franchise “Taxi 5.” And like everything Gastambide is doing, the series has gone viral,...
Studiocanal has sold the edgy title to WarnerMedia Latin America, exclusively for HBO Max, and to Radio-Canada.
HBO Max, which recently launched in 39 territories in Latin America and the Caribbean, will premiere season one of the half-hour series. Radio-Canada’s Ott platform Ici Tou.TV Extra has acquired both the first and second seasons.
The show marked the TV debut of Gastambide, one of France’s most successful directors who previously delivered top-grossing local comedies such as “Porn in the Hood” (“Les Kaira”), “Pattaya” and the latest instalment of the action franchise “Taxi 5.” And like everything Gastambide is doing, the series has gone viral,...
- 10/11/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Update, 11:28 Am: Luc Besson looks to be one step closer to seeing the rape claims against him dismissed.
The public prosecutor’s office in Paris has today requested Judge Marie-Claire Noiriel to toss out the three-year old case against the Lucy director by actress Sand Van Roy “At the end of the judicial investigation, it should be noted that the hearings and expert opinions of the civil party; the interrogation of Luc Besson, the investigations on rogatory commission did not make it possible to further characterize the elements constituting the offense of rape,” prosecutor Lecaroz Anne-Claire said in documents filed this week. “Whereas it does not appear from the information that there are sufficient charges against anyone for having committed the facts of rape on the person of Sandrine Van Roy.”
This request obviously was met with a good response among Besson’s reps.
“The Paris prosecutor’s request...
The public prosecutor’s office in Paris has today requested Judge Marie-Claire Noiriel to toss out the three-year old case against the Lucy director by actress Sand Van Roy “At the end of the judicial investigation, it should be noted that the hearings and expert opinions of the civil party; the interrogation of Luc Besson, the investigations on rogatory commission did not make it possible to further characterize the elements constituting the offense of rape,” prosecutor Lecaroz Anne-Claire said in documents filed this week. “Whereas it does not appear from the information that there are sufficient charges against anyone for having committed the facts of rape on the person of Sandrine Van Roy.”
This request obviously was met with a good response among Besson’s reps.
“The Paris prosecutor’s request...
- 10/8/2021
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Canneseries, the French Riviera-set festival dedicated to international drama series, will kick off Oct. 8 with “All The Way Up” (“Validé), a half-hour show taking place in the French rap scene.
“All The Way Up” was created and directed by Franck Gastambide (“Taxi 5”) who also stars in the series. Commissioned by Canal Plus’ Creation Originale label, “All The Way Up” has been a ratings hit, leading the pay TV group to order a second season which is set to launch in October. Studiocanal represents “All The Way Up” in international markets.
Albin Lewi, the artistic Director of Canneseries, pointed out the first season of the show was expected to premiere at Canneseries last year but “the health conditions have chosen differently.”
“The series received the Audience Award in Canneseries in 2020; since then, we wanted to welcome the second season for the 2021 edition,” said Lewi.
“It’s impossible to miss on...
“All The Way Up” was created and directed by Franck Gastambide (“Taxi 5”) who also stars in the series. Commissioned by Canal Plus’ Creation Originale label, “All The Way Up” has been a ratings hit, leading the pay TV group to order a second season which is set to launch in October. Studiocanal represents “All The Way Up” in international markets.
Albin Lewi, the artistic Director of Canneseries, pointed out the first season of the show was expected to premiere at Canneseries last year but “the health conditions have chosen differently.”
“The series received the Audience Award in Canneseries in 2020; since then, we wanted to welcome the second season for the 2021 edition,” said Lewi.
“It’s impossible to miss on...
- 9/9/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
A French judge on Monday ruled to dismiss further charges against Luc Besson in connection to the ongoing rape case brought against the director by actress Sand Van Roy.
Examining magistrate Marie-Claire Noiriel spent close to five hours in a closed hearing questioning Besson before deciding not to allow further charges in the case.
In May 2018 Van Roy alleged she had been raped by Besson — the director of The Fifth Element, Nikita, Lucy and Leon: The Professional — at the Le Bristol luxury hotel in Paris. The Belgian-Dutch actress has small roles in Besson’s Taxi 5 and Valerian and the City ...
Examining magistrate Marie-Claire Noiriel spent close to five hours in a closed hearing questioning Besson before deciding not to allow further charges in the case.
In May 2018 Van Roy alleged she had been raped by Besson — the director of The Fifth Element, Nikita, Lucy and Leon: The Professional — at the Le Bristol luxury hotel in Paris. The Belgian-Dutch actress has small roles in Besson’s Taxi 5 and Valerian and the City ...
- 1/25/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
A French judge on Monday ruled to dismiss further charges against Luc Besson in connection to the ongoing rape case brought against the director by actress Sand Van Roy.
Examining magistrate Marie-Claire Noiriel spent close to five hours in a closed hearing questioning Besson before deciding not to allow further charges in the case.
In May 2018 Van Roy alleged she had been raped by Besson — the director of The Fifth Element, Nikita, Lucy and Leon: The Professional — at the Le Bristol luxury hotel in Paris. The Belgian-Dutch actress has small roles in Besson’s Taxi 5 and Valerian and the City ...
Examining magistrate Marie-Claire Noiriel spent close to five hours in a closed hearing questioning Besson before deciding not to allow further charges in the case.
In May 2018 Van Roy alleged she had been raped by Besson — the director of The Fifth Element, Nikita, Lucy and Leon: The Professional — at the Le Bristol luxury hotel in Paris. The Belgian-Dutch actress has small roles in Besson’s Taxi 5 and Valerian and the City ...
- 1/25/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Caracas-based Veloz Distribución may be the only Venezuelan company attending Cannes’s Marché du Film this year, but the five-year-old shingle has some impressive film and TV projects in development, including the latest work by celebrated auteur Román Chalbaud.
Headed by actress Elaiza Gil and writer-director Edgar Rocca, Veloz is also in the process of launching VelozStreaming, a new VOD service described as “more of a virtual cinema” and “a little in the spirit of Mubi.” The company is on the lookout for films for the platform as well as for another new Venezuelan streaming service, Click a Cine, established by a group of filmmakers, producers and actors, among them producer Carlos Malavé.
Chalbaud, the iconic Venezuelan filmmaker whose debut feature, “Adolescence of Cain,” premiered in San Sebastian in 1959 alongside Alfred Hitchcock’s “North By Northwest,” is next directing “Violence,” a film about femicide, feminism and political corruption.
Chalbuad, says Rocca,...
Headed by actress Elaiza Gil and writer-director Edgar Rocca, Veloz is also in the process of launching VelozStreaming, a new VOD service described as “more of a virtual cinema” and “a little in the spirit of Mubi.” The company is on the lookout for films for the platform as well as for another new Venezuelan streaming service, Click a Cine, established by a group of filmmakers, producers and actors, among them producer Carlos Malavé.
Chalbaud, the iconic Venezuelan filmmaker whose debut feature, “Adolescence of Cain,” premiered in San Sebastian in 1959 alongside Alfred Hitchcock’s “North By Northwest,” is next directing “Violence,” a film about femicide, feminism and political corruption.
Chalbuad, says Rocca,...
- 6/26/2020
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
A new judicial investigation into an alleged rape by filmmaker Luc Besson has been opened. A French judge ordered the investigation after new charges were raised.
French prosecutors dropped an investigation in February 2019 of allegations that director Besson raped actress Sand Van Roy. The inquiry was closed because of insufficient evidence, the Paris prosecutor’s office said.
Actress Van Roy claimed she had been raped multiple times by Besson, director of Valerian, Nikita, Leon and The Fifth Element. Besson had called Van Roy’s claims “fantasist accusations.” She had minor roles in Besson’s Taxi 5 and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. After Van Roy’s complaint, eight other women came forward with accusations.
Besson’s French studio Europacorp has struggled since the release of Valerian, one of Europe’s most expensive films ever made. The firm posted a $101 million loss in December and the company has...
French prosecutors dropped an investigation in February 2019 of allegations that director Besson raped actress Sand Van Roy. The inquiry was closed because of insufficient evidence, the Paris prosecutor’s office said.
Actress Van Roy claimed she had been raped multiple times by Besson, director of Valerian, Nikita, Leon and The Fifth Element. Besson had called Van Roy’s claims “fantasist accusations.” She had minor roles in Besson’s Taxi 5 and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. After Van Roy’s complaint, eight other women came forward with accusations.
Besson’s French studio Europacorp has struggled since the release of Valerian, one of Europe’s most expensive films ever made. The firm posted a $101 million loss in December and the company has...
- 10/4/2019
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Updated with EuropaCorp statement: Luc Besson’s embattled EuropaCorp has responded to a report in French weekly, Le Journal du Dimanche, which said on Sunday the studio was entering a deal that would see NY-based Vine Alternative Investments come to its rescue. In a statement provided to Deadline, Europa confirmed discussions “with several financial partners including the group Vine, as part of the restructuring of its debt and the strengthening of its financial capacity.”
Vine, Europa said, “has expressed interest in a potential stake in the capital of the company” and talks are ongoing. As of March 31, EuropaCorp’s net debt stood at $181M. In May, the company was granted a six-month debt waiver to give it time to balance the books. Vine would be expected to convert Europa’s debt into capital shares.
A rescue deal between Europa and Vine was reportedly hatched on July 3 in the office of the French judicial administrator.
Vine, Europa said, “has expressed interest in a potential stake in the capital of the company” and talks are ongoing. As of March 31, EuropaCorp’s net debt stood at $181M. In May, the company was granted a six-month debt waiver to give it time to balance the books. Vine would be expected to convert Europa’s debt into capital shares.
A rescue deal between Europa and Vine was reportedly hatched on July 3 in the office of the French judicial administrator.
- 7/14/2019
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp has posted unflattering results for the 2018-19 financial year, including a loss of $125M, which was a 27% increase year-on-year.
The beleaguered French mini-studio was recently granted a six-month debt waiver from a French court to give it more time to balance its books. Talks are ongoing with French giant Pathé about the latter buying a majority stake in the company.
The Valerian and Anna outfit generated revenues of $170M for the year ending March 31, 2019, a 30% drop year-on-year while international sales generated $60M, $25M less than last year. On the plus side, there was a return to a positive operating margin of $32M. Following staff cuts, overheads were inevitably reduced by $8M year-on-year to $34M.
The company said net debt stood at $181M as of March 31, a reduction of almost $90M year-on-year, mainly due to the payment of production debts related to Anna, the series Taken, and Taxi 5.
The beleaguered French mini-studio was recently granted a six-month debt waiver from a French court to give it more time to balance its books. Talks are ongoing with French giant Pathé about the latter buying a majority stake in the company.
The Valerian and Anna outfit generated revenues of $170M for the year ending March 31, 2019, a 30% drop year-on-year while international sales generated $60M, $25M less than last year. On the plus side, there was a return to a positive operating margin of $32M. Following staff cuts, overheads were inevitably reduced by $8M year-on-year to $34M.
The company said net debt stood at $181M as of March 31, a reduction of almost $90M year-on-year, mainly due to the payment of production debts related to Anna, the series Taken, and Taxi 5.
- 6/28/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Financially ailing company in talks with Pathé for film group to acquire majority stake.
Luc Besson’s beleaguered French cinema empire EuropaCorp posted a loss of $139m (€109.9m) for the 2018-19 financial year, a 27.4% increase on its 2017-18 loss of $104m (€82.5m), as it continues to restructure its debts under the protection of a court ordered safeguard procedure.
According to final consolidated results released after the close of the Paris stock exchange on Thursday (27), the company generated revenues of $189m (€150m) in the financial year to March 31, 2019, against $286m (€226.5m) for the financial year to March 31 2018.
The company said that while losses had increased,...
Luc Besson’s beleaguered French cinema empire EuropaCorp posted a loss of $139m (€109.9m) for the 2018-19 financial year, a 27.4% increase on its 2017-18 loss of $104m (€82.5m), as it continues to restructure its debts under the protection of a court ordered safeguard procedure.
According to final consolidated results released after the close of the Paris stock exchange on Thursday (27), the company generated revenues of $189m (€150m) in the financial year to March 31, 2019, against $286m (€226.5m) for the financial year to March 31 2018.
The company said that while losses had increased,...
- 6/27/2019
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Snd, the film and TV production/distribution arm of French network M6, is teaming up with Paris-based company Superprod on the feature film adaptation of “Les blagues de Toto,” the popular French comics. Created by Thierry Coppée, “Les blagues de Toto” comprises of 13 volumes and have sold more than 3.7 million units.
The family comedy will start shooting later this month in live action. Pascal Bourdiaux, who directed another comics adaptation, “Boule et Bill 2,” is on board to direct “Les blagues de Toto.”
The cast is headlined by children and completed by Guillaume de Tonquédec (“What’s in a Name?”), Ramzi Bedia (“Taxi 5”) and Daniel Prevost (“Diner de cons”). The movie will follow the adventures of a mischievous little boy – whose parents are separated — and his friends at school.
On top of producing with Superprod, Snd has acquired French distribution and international sales rights to “Les blagues de Toto.” The...
The family comedy will start shooting later this month in live action. Pascal Bourdiaux, who directed another comics adaptation, “Boule et Bill 2,” is on board to direct “Les blagues de Toto.”
The cast is headlined by children and completed by Guillaume de Tonquédec (“What’s in a Name?”), Ramzi Bedia (“Taxi 5”) and Daniel Prevost (“Diner de cons”). The movie will follow the adventures of a mischievous little boy – whose parents are separated — and his friends at school.
On top of producing with Superprod, Snd has acquired French distribution and international sales rights to “Les blagues de Toto.” The...
- 6/13/2019
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
TF1 Studio has scored a raft of sales on Mohamed Hamidi’s comedy “New Biz in the Hood,” which just won the Audience Award at the Alpe d’Huez International Comedy Film Festival.
“New Biz in the Hood” marks Hamidi’s follow-up to “One Man and His Cow,” which grossed more than $10 million and was nominated for a European Film Award in 2016.
The film stars popular French actor-director Gilles Lellouche (“Sink or Swim”) as Fred Bartel, a Paris entrepreneur who has just won the contract of a lifetime, but government inspectors are threatening to shut down his company for tax fraud. Fred and his trendy, pampered team have to move the business to an underprivileged suburb on the outskirts of Paris, where he unexpectedly bonds with Samy, a local wheeler-dealer who shows him around the neighborhood.
Lellouche stars opposite up-and-coming actors Malik Bentalha (“One Man and his Cow”), Sabrina Ouazani (“Taxi 5”) and Camille Lou.
“New Biz in the Hood” marks Hamidi’s follow-up to “One Man and His Cow,” which grossed more than $10 million and was nominated for a European Film Award in 2016.
The film stars popular French actor-director Gilles Lellouche (“Sink or Swim”) as Fred Bartel, a Paris entrepreneur who has just won the contract of a lifetime, but government inspectors are threatening to shut down his company for tax fraud. Fred and his trendy, pampered team have to move the business to an underprivileged suburb on the outskirts of Paris, where he unexpectedly bonds with Samy, a local wheeler-dealer who shows him around the neighborhood.
Lellouche stars opposite up-and-coming actors Malik Bentalha (“One Man and his Cow”), Sabrina Ouazani (“Taxi 5”) and Camille Lou.
- 1/31/2019
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Gaumont is reteaming with “The Intouchables” and “C’est La Vie” production banner Quad on Mohamed Hamidi (“One Man and His Cow”)’s concept company “Queens of The Field.”
The movie is set in a small rural town which is on the verge of losing its funding along with its field. The threat leads the town women to join forces and launch a football crew in order to defend their city. But in a community where football has always been considered a men’s sport, the women’s team turns the town upside down.
“Queens of The Field” is headlined by a strong French cast, including Kad Merad (“Little Nicholas”), Alban Ivanov (“Sink or Swim”), Sabrina Ouazani (“Taxi 5”) and Céline Sallette (“The Returned”).
Hamidi previously directed “One Man and His Cow,” which grossed over $10 million and was nominated for a European Film Award in 2016.
Gaumont described the film...
The movie is set in a small rural town which is on the verge of losing its funding along with its field. The threat leads the town women to join forces and launch a football crew in order to defend their city. But in a community where football has always been considered a men’s sport, the women’s team turns the town upside down.
“Queens of The Field” is headlined by a strong French cast, including Kad Merad (“Little Nicholas”), Alban Ivanov (“Sink or Swim”), Sabrina Ouazani (“Taxi 5”) and Céline Sallette (“The Returned”).
Hamidi previously directed “One Man and His Cow,” which grossed over $10 million and was nominated for a European Film Award in 2016.
Gaumont described the film...
- 1/18/2019
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
After bouncing back in 2017, the overseas box office revenue of French movies plummeted by 51% to 237 million euros ($270 million) with 40 million admissions sold, a 52% year-on drop, in 2018.
The provisional box office figures were unveiled by UniFrance during a reception hosted at France’s culture minister during which Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache, the directors of “The Intouchables” and most recently “C’est La Vie” received the French Cinema Award.
Co-produced and sold by Gaumont, “C’est La Vie” grossed over 15 million overseas and was the second biggest French hit in international markets in 2018, following the EuropaCorp-produced “Taxi 5,” an action-packed film directed by Franck Gastambide.
The other French films ranking in the top 10 of 2018 include Dany Boon’s “La Ch’tite Famille” (Pathé), “Belle and Sebastian, Friends for Life” (Gaumont), the animated film “White Fang” (Sc Films International), “Rolling to You” (Gaumont), “Big Bad Fox & Other Tales” (StudioCanal), “The Young Karl Marx...
The provisional box office figures were unveiled by UniFrance during a reception hosted at France’s culture minister during which Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache, the directors of “The Intouchables” and most recently “C’est La Vie” received the French Cinema Award.
Co-produced and sold by Gaumont, “C’est La Vie” grossed over 15 million overseas and was the second biggest French hit in international markets in 2018, following the EuropaCorp-produced “Taxi 5,” an action-packed film directed by Franck Gastambide.
The other French films ranking in the top 10 of 2018 include Dany Boon’s “La Ch’tite Famille” (Pathé), “Belle and Sebastian, Friends for Life” (Gaumont), the animated film “White Fang” (Sc Films International), “Rolling to You” (Gaumont), “Big Bad Fox & Other Tales” (StudioCanal), “The Young Karl Marx...
- 1/17/2019
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Without a marquee English-language title to boost overall performance, French films in 2018 saw a precipitous drop in overseas admissions, totaling 40M versus 2017’s 82.5M. That 52% tumble is matched by a 51% slide in receipts to 237M euros, export body Unifrance reported today in Paris.
In its findings, Unifrance said it was clear that 2018 “was a disappointing year overall, with certain films performing below forecasts.” These annual ups and downs have become somewhat commonplace owing to the production cycle and the fact that animation and French movies produced in English skew performance in particular years.
Over the past few, such films as Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets, Leap! Le Petit Prince, Taken 3, The Transporter Refueled and Lucy have been the strongest earners outside the Hexagon. Many of those have in common that they hail from Luc Besson’s now beleaguered EuropaCorp, which, despite the struggles it is facing,...
In its findings, Unifrance said it was clear that 2018 “was a disappointing year overall, with certain films performing below forecasts.” These annual ups and downs have become somewhat commonplace owing to the production cycle and the fact that animation and French movies produced in English skew performance in particular years.
Over the past few, such films as Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets, Leap! Le Petit Prince, Taken 3, The Transporter Refueled and Lucy have been the strongest earners outside the Hexagon. Many of those have in common that they hail from Luc Besson’s now beleaguered EuropaCorp, which, despite the struggles it is facing,...
- 1/17/2019
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Italy was the biggest market for French films.
The international box office for French films fell 52% to 40m admissions worldwide in 2018, against 82.5m in 2017, according to figures released by Unifrance on Thursday (January 17).
French cinema export body published the preliminary data at its annual press conference, this year taking place at the Ministry of Culture, on the fringes of its annual Rendez-vous with French Cinema in Paris (January 17-21).
According to the Unifrance numbers, the admissions generated a box office of €237m against €468m the year before. The figures were similar to those of 2016 when there were 34m admissions worldwide.
The international box office for French films fell 52% to 40m admissions worldwide in 2018, against 82.5m in 2017, according to figures released by Unifrance on Thursday (January 17).
French cinema export body published the preliminary data at its annual press conference, this year taking place at the Ministry of Culture, on the fringes of its annual Rendez-vous with French Cinema in Paris (January 17-21).
According to the Unifrance numbers, the admissions generated a box office of €237m against €468m the year before. The figures were similar to those of 2016 when there were 34m admissions worldwide.
- 1/17/2019
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
In a year marked by civil unrest, strikes and the World Cup, France’s box office dropped by 3% to €1.3 billion ($1.5 billion) in 2018, according to Comscore France.
The number of theatrical admissions went down even further, by 4.3%, to 200.47 million tickets sold, but France remains Europe’s biggest nation of moviegoers, ahead of the U.K. (176 million tickets), Spain (92 million), Germany (90 million) and Italy (79 million), according to the Cnc, France’s National Film Board.
Several factors contributed to the decline in French cinema attendance, including heat waves, strikes, World Cup soccer – which had audiences glued to their TVs in the summer – and, more recently, the “Yellow Jackets” protests against the government, the National Exhibitors Assn. said in its analysis of the box office results.
Although Hollywood had six titles in the top 10 – “Incredibles 2,” which was No. 1, plus “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Black Panther,” “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald...
The number of theatrical admissions went down even further, by 4.3%, to 200.47 million tickets sold, but France remains Europe’s biggest nation of moviegoers, ahead of the U.K. (176 million tickets), Spain (92 million), Germany (90 million) and Italy (79 million), according to the Cnc, France’s National Film Board.
Several factors contributed to the decline in French cinema attendance, including heat waves, strikes, World Cup soccer – which had audiences glued to their TVs in the summer – and, more recently, the “Yellow Jackets” protests against the government, the National Exhibitors Assn. said in its analysis of the box office results.
Although Hollywood had six titles in the top 10 – “Incredibles 2,” which was No. 1, plus “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Black Panther,” “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald...
- 1/4/2019
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
After recording its third-highest number in the last 50 years in 2017, French theatrical admissions are on track for a 4% drop this year, with an estimated 201 million sold. In dollar terms, however, the French box office is expected to clock in at about €1.3 billion ($1.5 billion), on par with last year, bolstered by the increase of ticket sales for premium large formats such as Imax, Dolby Cinema and 4Dx.
While fewer Hollywood blockbusters drew in French audiences compared with last year, two domestic films managed to sell more than 5 million tickets (grossing more than $37 million each) and four ranked in the top 10. A pair of French comedies released by Pathé, “Les Tuche 3” and Dany Boon’s “La ch’tite famille,” ranked second and third, behind Disney’s “Incredibles 2,” which took in about $44.5 million.
The other top-grossing French films of 2018 were Gilles Lellouche’s “Sink or Swim” (pictured), a star-driven dramedy about a men’s synchronized swimming team,...
While fewer Hollywood blockbusters drew in French audiences compared with last year, two domestic films managed to sell more than 5 million tickets (grossing more than $37 million each) and four ranked in the top 10. A pair of French comedies released by Pathé, “Les Tuche 3” and Dany Boon’s “La ch’tite famille,” ranked second and third, behind Disney’s “Incredibles 2,” which took in about $44.5 million.
The other top-grossing French films of 2018 were Gilles Lellouche’s “Sink or Swim” (pictured), a star-driven dramedy about a men’s synchronized swimming team,...
- 12/28/2018
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Admissions down by 3% in France this year.
France’s road to FIFA World Cup victory combined with a heatwave in June and July as well as violent ‘yellow vest’ protests in November and December have taken their toll on the French box office throughout 2018.
According to the National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image (Cnc), admissions fell by 3% in the 12 months to the end of November to 203 million, against 210 million in the same period in 2017. The tally for the first 11 months of 2018 showed a 3.2% drop in entries to a preliminary figure of 180 million from 186 million for the period in...
France’s road to FIFA World Cup victory combined with a heatwave in June and July as well as violent ‘yellow vest’ protests in November and December have taken their toll on the French box office throughout 2018.
According to the National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image (Cnc), admissions fell by 3% in the 12 months to the end of November to 203 million, against 210 million in the same period in 2017. The tally for the first 11 months of 2018 showed a 3.2% drop in entries to a preliminary figure of 180 million from 186 million for the period in...
- 12/20/2018
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Radical restructuring plan has yet to stem losses as content pipeline runs dry.
French filmmaker and producer Luc Besson’s embattled film company EuropaCorp has posted a $101m (€88.9m) loss for the first half of the 2018-19 financial year, as it struggles to bring debts worth some $280m (€236m) under control.
The results come on the back of a turbulent three weeks for the company and its founder, after French media reported a fresh round of sexual misconduct accusations against Besson, following those of Belgian actress Sand Van Roy, who filed a police complaint against the filmmaker in May. Besson denies all allegations.
French filmmaker and producer Luc Besson’s embattled film company EuropaCorp has posted a $101m (€88.9m) loss for the first half of the 2018-19 financial year, as it struggles to bring debts worth some $280m (€236m) under control.
The results come on the back of a turbulent three weeks for the company and its founder, after French media reported a fresh round of sexual misconduct accusations against Besson, following those of Belgian actress Sand Van Roy, who filed a police complaint against the filmmaker in May. Besson denies all allegations.
- 12/14/2018
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Luc Besson, the French filmmaker whose credits include The Professional, The Fifth Element and La Femme Nikita, has been accused of sexual misconduct by nine women. Four women had previously accused him of misbehavior, and five more recently came forward, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The claims range from inappropriate behavior to sexual assault.
One of the women who came forward with new allegations, reported by the French publication Mediapart, claimed that she was one of Besson’s former assistants and that he “blackmailed” her into a sexual relationship. She wished to remain anonymous.
One of the women who came forward with new allegations, reported by the French publication Mediapart, claimed that she was one of Besson’s former assistants and that he “blackmailed” her into a sexual relationship. She wished to remain anonymous.
- 11/28/2018
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
Luc Besson has been accused of sexual harassment by a further five women – taking the total number of women accusing him of inappropriate behavior to nine. The accusations have been made by The Fifth Element and Leon director’s former assistant, a theatre producer, a former EuropaCorp employee and two students at Besson’s studio complex Cité du Cinéma.
They have been made in Mediapart, a French investigative website established by Edwy Plenel, former editor of Le Monde, which reported on the previous allegations.
The latest report comes after Taxi 5 actress Sand Van Roy filed a formal rape complaint against Besson in May, saying she had been abused at the Bristol Hotel near the Champs-Elysées in Paris. Besson “categorically” denied the allegations via his attorney at the time and it is thought to still be under investigation by police. Other accusations included an alleged assault on a casting director...
They have been made in Mediapart, a French investigative website established by Edwy Plenel, former editor of Le Monde, which reported on the previous allegations.
The latest report comes after Taxi 5 actress Sand Van Roy filed a formal rape complaint against Besson in May, saying she had been abused at the Bristol Hotel near the Champs-Elysées in Paris. Besson “categorically” denied the allegations via his attorney at the time and it is thought to still be under investigation by police. Other accusations included an alleged assault on a casting director...
- 11/28/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
The comedy has a 10-day total of $288.2m.
Hello Mr Billionaire stayed top in the week of Jul 30-Aug 5, followed by Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings, as the crop of new releases didn’t light up the Chinese box office.
Following a prosperous debut weekend, Hello Mr Billionaire continued to thrive with $159.4m, which represented about 66% of the week’s total box office. Its 10-day total of $288.2m propelled it to be the 12th top grossing film of all time, surpassing Transformers 4 and The Ex-File 3.
As Mahua FunAge’s latest comedy, Hello Mr Billionaire has already outgrossed by over 40% Goodbye Mr Loser,...
Hello Mr Billionaire stayed top in the week of Jul 30-Aug 5, followed by Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings, as the crop of new releases didn’t light up the Chinese box office.
Following a prosperous debut weekend, Hello Mr Billionaire continued to thrive with $159.4m, which represented about 66% of the week’s total box office. Its 10-day total of $288.2m propelled it to be the 12th top grossing film of all time, surpassing Transformers 4 and The Ex-File 3.
As Mahua FunAge’s latest comedy, Hello Mr Billionaire has already outgrossed by over 40% Goodbye Mr Loser,...
- 8/6/2018
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
“Hello Mr. Billionaire” continued its dominance of the Chinese box office for a second week. Its three-day tally of $65.5 million made it the second biggest film worldwide over the weekend.
Data from Ent Group show the comedy down exactly 50% in its second weekend, but it opened a gap on second placed “Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings.” “Billionaire” has a cumulative score of $295 million after 10 days of release. “Detective Dee” managed $12.5 million over the weekend (to take 10th place worldwide according to comScore) and a 10-day total of $76.9 million.
The weekend total for “Billionaire” included $2 million scored from 483 IMAX screens.
Operating from an overall screen count largely similar to “Detective Dee,” new fantasy animation “Wind Guardians” managed third place. It had a score of $8.95 million in three days.
“Shoplifters,” the Japanese drama which took the Palme d’Or at Cannes this year, opened in fourth place. Distributed (like “Detective Dee”) by Huayi Brothers,...
Data from Ent Group show the comedy down exactly 50% in its second weekend, but it opened a gap on second placed “Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings.” “Billionaire” has a cumulative score of $295 million after 10 days of release. “Detective Dee” managed $12.5 million over the weekend (to take 10th place worldwide according to comScore) and a 10-day total of $76.9 million.
The weekend total for “Billionaire” included $2 million scored from 483 IMAX screens.
Operating from an overall screen count largely similar to “Detective Dee,” new fantasy animation “Wind Guardians” managed third place. It had a score of $8.95 million in three days.
“Shoplifters,” the Japanese drama which took the Palme d’Or at Cannes this year, opened in fourth place. Distributed (like “Detective Dee”) by Huayi Brothers,...
- 8/6/2018
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Total box office in July reached new heights with $912m.
Just halfway through the summer holidays, a second Chinese blockbuster was born. Following the huge success of Dying To Survive, Hello Mr Billionaire raked in $127.3m from its three-day opening weekend in the period of Jul 23-29, not far from the former’s four-day debut on $190.1m.
Mainly thanks to these two strong titles, along with Skyscraper, Hidden Man and new opener Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings, the total box office in July reached new heights with $912m, representing a new record for the month of July of all time.
Just halfway through the summer holidays, a second Chinese blockbuster was born. Following the huge success of Dying To Survive, Hello Mr Billionaire raked in $127.3m from its three-day opening weekend in the period of Jul 23-29, not far from the former’s four-day debut on $190.1m.
Mainly thanks to these two strong titles, along with Skyscraper, Hidden Man and new opener Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings, the total box office in July reached new heights with $912m, representing a new record for the month of July of all time.
- 7/30/2018
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
In May, Taxi 5 actress Sand Van Roy filed a formal rape complaint against Luc Besson, saying she had been abused at the Bristol Hotel near the Champs-Elysées in Paris. Besson “categorically” denied the allegations via his attorney at the time. Van Roy has now reportedly filed a second complaint, sharing details of both with French online news outlet Mediapart. The site says it has also spoken to other women who alleged inappropriate sexual behavior on the part of the filmmaker, including a former casting director who is said to have written to the Public Prosecutor of Paris to detail her claims.
Mediapart says it conducted a months-long investigation into allegations and the work culture on Besson’s sets and at his EuropaCorp. Shares in the ailing studio fell 5.5% in morning trading today, “penalized by the revelations,” according to Le Boursier.
The former casting director wrote to the Public Prosecutor...
Mediapart says it conducted a months-long investigation into allegations and the work culture on Besson’s sets and at his EuropaCorp. Shares in the ailing studio fell 5.5% in morning trading today, “penalized by the revelations,” according to Le Boursier.
The former casting director wrote to the Public Prosecutor...
- 7/10/2018
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
More than a month after actress Sand Van Roy accused Luc Besson of rape, new allegations of sexual assault, harassment and workplace abuse have surfaced against the acclaimed French director, centering on alleged encounters dating back to 2000.
In an extensive report by French investigative magazine Mediapart, Besson is accused of assaulting a casting director and sexually harassing an employee of his film company, EuropaCorp, as well as another actress he first met in Los Angeles and later allegedly assaulted during a meeting in his Paris office. The women making the allegations spoke to Mediapart on condition of anonymity.
Besson has denied Van Roy’s rape allegation, which is under investigation, and declined to comment on the new accusations. His representative did not respond to repeated requests from Variety for comment Tuesday. Besson’s lawyer, Thierry Marembert, was quoted by Mediapart as saying that Besson was reserving his response for authorities...
In an extensive report by French investigative magazine Mediapart, Besson is accused of assaulting a casting director and sexually harassing an employee of his film company, EuropaCorp, as well as another actress he first met in Los Angeles and later allegedly assaulted during a meeting in his Paris office. The women making the allegations spoke to Mediapart on condition of anonymity.
Besson has denied Van Roy’s rape allegation, which is under investigation, and declined to comment on the new accusations. His representative did not respond to repeated requests from Variety for comment Tuesday. Besson’s lawyer, Thierry Marembert, was quoted by Mediapart as saying that Besson was reserving his response for authorities...
- 7/10/2018
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Preliminary figures show admissions were down 1.9% for first six months of 2018.
A heatwave and World Cup fever, as the French team secured its place in the semi-finals of the World Cup, taking place in Russia throughout June and July, have dented France’s box office for the first half of 2018.
Preliminary figures released by the Cnc on July 6 showed admissions were down 1.9% for first six months of the year, coming in at 103m entries against 105m in the same period for 2017. On a sliding year basis, admissions for the 12-month period to end-June stood at 207.4m against 211m for the period in the previous year,...
A heatwave and World Cup fever, as the French team secured its place in the semi-finals of the World Cup, taking place in Russia throughout June and July, have dented France’s box office for the first half of 2018.
Preliminary figures released by the Cnc on July 6 showed admissions were down 1.9% for first six months of the year, coming in at 103m entries against 105m in the same period for 2017. On a sliding year basis, admissions for the 12-month period to end-June stood at 207.4m against 211m for the period in the previous year,...
- 7/9/2018
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Company to re-focus on Besson’s signature action and sci-fi films.
Luc Besson’s struggling Paris-based film empire EuropaCorp has released a set of final results for the 2017-18 year that suggest the heavily indebted company is turning a corner.
According to the figures released after the close of the Paris Bourse on Wednesday evening, the company posted a $95m (€82.5m) net loss for the year ending March 31, 2018, against the record $135.8m (€119.9m) loss of last year.
As previously announced in preliminary results published in May, EuropaCorp’s overall turnover rose 49% to $261.7m (€226.5m), from $175.3m (€151.7m) in 2016-2017 bolstered...
Luc Besson’s struggling Paris-based film empire EuropaCorp has released a set of final results for the 2017-18 year that suggest the heavily indebted company is turning a corner.
According to the figures released after the close of the Paris Bourse on Wednesday evening, the company posted a $95m (€82.5m) net loss for the year ending March 31, 2018, against the record $135.8m (€119.9m) loss of last year.
As previously announced in preliminary results published in May, EuropaCorp’s overall turnover rose 49% to $261.7m (€226.5m), from $175.3m (€151.7m) in 2016-2017 bolstered...
- 6/28/2018
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Lack of EuropaCorp hit sees number dip below 100m.
The international box office for French films recovered some of its élan in 2017 after a difficult 2016, although the absence of a big hit from Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp meant admissions remained well below the 100m of recent years.
According to preliminary annual figures released by export body UniFrance on Friday evening (January 19) as part of its Rendez-vous with French Cinema in Paris programme, French films drew 80.5m spectators internationally in 2017 for a total box office of €468m ($572m).
The international box office also generated more admissions for French cinema than France, where local pictures sold 78.2m tickets in 2017. Unifrance said the 2017 international box office figure represented a 98% rise on 2016 figures, when French films drew 34m spectators worldwide.
Breaking the box office figure down, majority French productions accounted for 60.7m, or 76%, of these admissions. French-language productions generated 38m entries, accounting for 47% of the international box office.
UniFrance noted that French-language...
The international box office for French films recovered some of its élan in 2017 after a difficult 2016, although the absence of a big hit from Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp meant admissions remained well below the 100m of recent years.
According to preliminary annual figures released by export body UniFrance on Friday evening (January 19) as part of its Rendez-vous with French Cinema in Paris programme, French films drew 80.5m spectators internationally in 2017 for a total box office of €468m ($572m).
The international box office also generated more admissions for French cinema than France, where local pictures sold 78.2m tickets in 2017. Unifrance said the 2017 international box office figure represented a 98% rise on 2016 figures, when French films drew 34m spectators worldwide.
Breaking the box office figure down, majority French productions accounted for 60.7m, or 76%, of these admissions. French-language productions generated 38m entries, accounting for 47% of the international box office.
UniFrance noted that French-language...
- 1/20/2018
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.