Melita Toscan du Plantier (the driving force behind Marrakech Film Festival) is working on the next Fanny Ardant directorial with Martin Scorsese attached.
Gerard Depardieu will star in the movie, which centers on a difficult relationship between siblings. Toscan du Planier, who splits her time between film production and organizing the Marrakech Film Festival is producing the movie with Julien Madon, whose banner Cheyenne Productions belongs to Federation.
Ardant and Jacques Fieschi, co-screenwriters of the untitled project, penned the script. “Lost Illusions”And “Mal de Pierres.” Toscan du Plantier said Scorsese will be creatively involved in the production, from the script – which was translated for him — to the editing.
The project is being developed by Toscan du Plantier and Julien Madon’s banner with whom Toscan du Plantier has a first look deal. Scorsese is already in contact with the pair. “Funny Birds,” Marco La Via and Hanna Ladoul’s comedy drama starring Catherine Deneuve and Andrea Riseborough.
“Martin Scorsese is a dear friend and we’re partnered up to work on movies from new filmmaking talents, new voices,”Toscan du Planier looked glamorous in a silk shirt and beige suit. “He knows that France has a unique positioning in the world of independent cinema thanks to its many international co-production treaties and varied sources of public subsidies, from the CNC [National Film Board]You can also subscribe to TV channels such as Canal+ or Arte.
“He just celebrated his 80th birthday but he still has a child’s soul with such passion for cinema. He could be resting on his laurels, but instead he wants to be involved in smaller films from promising new directors,”According to the producer from Paris, Madon has several other projects.
Toscan du Plantier and her husband Daniel Toscan du Plantier, an internationally renowned, charismatic French producer, helped to launch the festival. After his death, she took over the festival and has turned it into one of the most prestigious and best curated festivals of the Arab world, attracting powerhouse talents and filmmakers such as Scorsese, who’s attended the fest seven times, as well as Francis Ford Coppola and Robert de Niro and Guillermo del Toro.
Toscan du Planier managed to attract a powerful jury that included Vanessa Kirby and Nadine Labaki, as well as Tahar Rahim, Nadine Nagaki, Laila Marrakchi, and others. It’s quite an exceptional feast considering the timing – the middle of the awards season — and the fact that Marrakech has only a fraction of the Red Sea festival’s budget – most of which comes from private sponsors — and isn’t paying guests to attend.
“It takes me months and months to assemble the jury and bring together all these filmmakers and actors — it’s like a puzzle,” said Toscan du Plantier. “We’re taking in consideration the number of men and women, as well as nationalities represented and then we have to convince them to dedicate 10 days of their busy lives to seeing three movies a day — It’s a big commitment”She continued.
It was difficult to bring back the festival after it was cancelled two years ago due to the pandemic. However, Toscan du Plantier stated that the key to getting Moroccans excited was to make them want to go again. Remi Bonhomme and she toured film schools for several weeks before the festival began to tease the movies. Online accreditations were also available. This 19th Marrakech edition hosted a record number.
It’s also the first edition of Remi Bonhomme, who previously worked closely with Charles Tesson at Cannes’ Critics Week and spearheaded the Atlas Workshops, the industry sidebar running alongside the Marrakech Film Festival.
“Under Bonhomme’s helm, the festival is continuing its mission to highlight emerging talents from everywhere and we’re proud of keeping up this tradition,” said Toscan du Plantier, who noted that Alexander Payne’s’ “Sideways”Alicia Vikander (for “Hotell”Before being awarded Oscars, ) was awarded prizes in Marrakech.