European Films

A stellar cast is on the cards for Paris, the ninth feature by Cédric Klapisch, which will bring together two big stars, Juliette Binoche and Romain Duris, as well as François Cluzet, Fabrice Luchini, Albert Dupontel, Karine Viard, Mélanie Laurent, Gilles Lellouche, Julie Ferrier and Zinedine Soualem. Klapisch, who will celebrate his 45th birthday this year, will be directing Duris for the sixth time. The director first began working with the actor in 1995 in  Le péril jeune (Good Old Daze). Duris’ starring role in L'auberge espagnole (The Spanish Apartment/Euro Pudding) made the film a big hit (almost 3 million admissions in France in 2003 and over €12 million in box office takings in the rest of the world), as did his part in Les poupées russes (Russian Dolls)  with 2.9 million admissions in France in 2005. Viard and Luchini starred in the director’s first feature, 1992’s Riens du tout (Little Nothings).

 

An ensemble film recounting several destinies that cross paths, Paris, which was written by Klapisch and whose storyline is still under wraps, will certainly give the director an opportunity to explore sociocultural comedies, a genre in which he excels.

Once again, the story is set in the French capital like all his previous films since his first short, from the Montesquieu school in  Le péril jeune to the department stores in  Riens du tout, the Bastille area in Chacun cherche son chat (When the Cat’s Away), the futuristic city under sand in Peut-être (Maybe) and Bercy and Montmartre in L'auberge espagnole. "I’m in love with Paris and I have the feeling that I will never know this city," said the director.

Paris (not to be confused with Dans Paris/Inside Paris from Christophe Honoré, which also stars Duris) has a 14-week shooting schedule that begins on November 13 and carries a budget of approximately €13 million. The film’s theatrical release is scheduled for 2007.