Picturehouse Entertainment has acquired U.K. & Ireland distribution rights to Sylvain Chomet’s (The Triplets of Belleville, The Illusionist) new feature film, The Magnificent Life of Marcel Pagnol, currently in production and due in late 2025. The deal with sales agency Elle Driver marks the distributor’s first animation acquisition.
Synopsis: In 1955, 60-year-old Marcel Pagnol is a well-known and acclaimed playwright and filmmaker. When the editoring chief of ELLE Magazine commissions a weekly column about Pagnol’s childhood, he sees this as a great opportunity to go back to his artistic roots: writing.
Realizing his memory is failing him and deeply affected by the disappointing results of his last two plays, Pagnol starts doubting his ability to pursue his work. That is until Little Marcel — the young boy he used to be — appears to him as if by magic. Together, they will explore Marcel Pagnol’s incredible life, his successes and failures, his joys and sorrows.
The journey of an artist, from a young teacher in Provence to a true pioneer of talking movies. An exceptional inventor who built his own film studios and held out through WWII. A self made man who never betrayed his free spirit or independence, even less his values and origins. A simple man and a bon vivant above all!
The French production hails from Onyx Films, What The Prod, Bidibul Productions and Walking The Dog. Producers are Ashargin Poire and Valerie Puech for What the Prod; Co-producers are Lilian Eche’s Bidibul Productions, Adrian Politowski’s Align and Aton Soumache for ON Classics (Mediawan Kids & Family), in collaboration with Nicolas Pagnol from Pagnol’s Estate.
Meanwhile, the charming anthology feature Animal Tales of Christmas Magic has sold to more than 50 territories through The Bureau sales division. Designed to resemble traditional media like paper cut-out and watercolor, the holiday title is making is market debut at Cannes and will have its World Premiere at Annecy Festival next month.
Synopsis: In a festive and fairytale atmosphere, animals from around the world are brought together through five poetic and humorous adventures to celebrate Christmas and wintertime. They will learn about the importance of helping each other, being generous and rediscovering the beauty of nature.
Pick ups have been ordered by Frenetic Films (Switzerland), Angel Films (Denmark), Rita & Luca Films (Spain), Satine Film (Italy), Teleview (Middle East), Storytelling Media (Norway), ADS Service (Hungary and Romania), Beta Film (Bulgaria), Heimili Kvikmyndanna – Bíó Paradís (Iceland), Ciné 7e Art (Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia), Cinobo (Greece), Estinfilm (Baltics), Filmladen (Austria), Folkets Bio (Sweden), JEF (Benelux), New Horizons Association (Poland) and Pilot Film (Czech Republic).
Aimed at young children and families, the France/Germany co-pro from Les Valseurs, Luftkind Filmverlieh and The Bureau comprises five Christmas-time animated adventures starring adorable animals, directed by six up-and-coming women directors from around the world: Camille Alméras (France), Caroline Attia Larivière (France), Ceylan Beyoglu (Turkey-Germany), Haruna Kishi (Japan-France), Natalia Chernysheva (Russia-France) and Olesya Shchukina (Russia-France).
The film’s animation was produced by Pulp Studio in Paris, Amopix in Strasbourg, Gaoshan on Réunion and Fabian & Fred in Hamburg.
[Sources: ScreenDaily, Elle Driver, Annecy Festival]
