FilmNation and Charades are teaming up to present “Alpha,” the new film from Julia Ducournau, to buyers at Cannes.
It’s the same place where Ducournau caused a sensation with 2021’s “Titane,” her subversive and divisive body horror film, which won the Palme d’Or, the festival’s top award. Ducournau became the second female director to win the award, following Jane Campion (“The Piano”). “Anatomy of a Fall” director Justine Trietwould become the third female winner in 2023. Ducournau’s other films include 2016’s “Raw,” a coming-of-age film about a young vegetarian who develops a taste for cannibalism.
“Alpha’s” cast includes Golshifteh Farahani, who appeared in “The Patience Stone” and “Paterson,” as well as César award-winning Tahar Rahim, best known for his work in “The Mauritanian,” “A Prophet” and “The Serpent.”
“‘Alpha’ is Julia’s most personal, profound work yet, and we are looking forward to a global audience discovering the story with as much excitement as we did,” FilmNation Entertainment and Charades said in a statement. “We can’t wait to bring the film to market in Cannes and to launch sales together for the first time and collaborate in this way.”
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But beyond saying it’s Ducournau’s “most personal, profound work,” there’s not much to be gleaned about the plot of “Alpha.” The two sales agents say they are keeping the logline for the project “under wraps.”
The film’s producers include Mandarin & Compagnie (Eric Altmayer and Nicolas Altmayer) and Petit Film (Jean des Forêts and Amélie Jacquis). It will be a co-production with Frakas Productions (Jean-Yves Roubin and Cassandre Warnauts).
“’Alpha’ is a new page in Julia Ducournau’s corpus that is both very consistent with the previous ones and entirely new in its tone,” the producers said. “To match an exceptional project, it was necessary to transcend conventions, as evidenced by the exceptional combination of producers on one hand and international sales companies on the other.”
This is the first partnership for Paris-based Charades and New York-based FilmNation Entertainment. The companies will collaborate on the world sales and Cannes launch of the film.
Ducournau is represented by Film Talents. Farahani is represented by Agence Adequat and CAA. Rahim is represented by Agence Adequat and UTA.
