French producer Sylvie Pialat unveils new Cannes projects by Fendrik, Gálvez and Wei

The French producer who has won Cesar awards, Sylvie Pialat, is present at Cannes with an extraordinarily diverse collection of films on the Croisette. This includes a revenge thriller set in the Alps by Argentine director Pablo Fendrik, a geopolitical story about Augusto Pinochet starring Sebastian Stan and Ana de Armas, and the debut animated film by Céline Devaux.

Under the leadership of Pialat and Benoit Quainon, Les Films du Worso is in the process of developing “Black Glacier,” helmed by Fendrik with Samuel Kircher and Andranic Manet starring. 

The project, initially planned as an Argentine film, had to be re-envisioned for French production due to the political and economic instability in Argentina.

“The financial support fell through. So, we thought — if he was on board — to relocate the narrative to France and film it in French,” Pialat revealed during a conversation at Cannes.

"France truly captivates dreams at a certain point," she noted, highlighting the trend of global filmmakers shifting projects to France amid tightening production and financing conditions elsewhere. "Cinema isn't quite the same anywhere else. There's a formidable industry here, with skilled technicians and performers.”

The thriller is scheduled to be filmed in the French Alps next year, chronicling the story of a young man, distanced from his family, whose individual pursuit for retribution entangles his entire family group.

Even though Fendrik does not speak French, he managed auditions in Paris, and will conduct directing in French through translators and key team members on set.

Fendrik, an acclaimed Argentine director, had his first two films, “The Mugger” and “Blood Appears,” showcased at the Cannes’ Critics Week. His third movie, “El Ardor,” was featured as a Special Screening at Cannes. Additionally, he directed HBO's “The Bronze Garden” and the mini-series “Amongst Men,” which debuted in Berlin.

Another global project from Les Films du Worso is "49 Days," led by Chinese filmmaker Hu Wei. He gained international recognition with his Oscar-shortlisted short, "A Lonely Cow Weeps at Dawn." 

Filmed in French and Chinese, entirely in France, the narrative follows a Chinese couple coming to France to reclaim their son’s body after his suicide in Paris, as they strive to understand his life. The title represents the traditional Chinese mourning period after death. Memento Distribution will release the film in France.

Animation signals a new direction for the company with “Quatre saisons et deux idiots," Devaux's first animated feature following her praised film, “Everybody Loves Jeanne,” and her Cesar-awarded short “Sunday Meal.” 

The film will be released in France by Diaphana, with support from Canal+ and France 3. The project, selected for the Annecy MIFA pitch sessions, was described by Pialat as a depiction of today’s urban 30-to-40-year-olds, “addressing their worries and joys with Devaux’s unique humour and handcrafted animation style.”

“She articulates her generation — the contemporary world of it — extremely well, with humour,” she added.

Pialat’s firm is also joining forces with Domenech and Pathé for “Impunity,” a bold spy thriller by Chilean director Felipe Gálvez, featuring de Armas and Stan. Based on a book by Philippe Sands, the film narrates the global attempt to bring former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet to justice following his 1998 detention in London.

Filming will occur in Britain, Spain, and Chile. "Impunity" is produced by Rei Pictures' Spanish division, the UK-based Quiddity, the newly formed Chilean company Ronda Cine, and Les Films du Worso, alongside Zeta Studios in Spain, Denmark's Snowglobe, and Pathé in France, who manages international sales and distribution for France, Switzerland, and Benelux. Both Stan and de Armas are executive producers.

Pialat expressed that the film resonates significantly within today's political landscape. “The prevalence of dictators currently is overwhelming,” she remarked. “The film escalates into a spy thriller. Suddenly, for varying motives, there's a collective desire to prosecute him. Yet, everyone knows how it ends: he returned to Chile nearly a hero and was never made to stand trial.” Knowing how it concludes “doesn’t prevent us from being engrossed by the events as they unfold,” she elaborates.

Pialat has also recently completed filming “The Enraged,” directed by Emmanuelle Bercot. The €17 million movie stars Marion Cotillard, Benoît Magimel, and newcomer Aaron Debarre.