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Following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard competition, the Marion Cotillard-starring Angel Face, which marked the feature directorial debut for French director Vaness Filho (Love Punch) was just picked up for North American distribution by Cinema Libre Studio.
Angel Face, based on an original screenplay developed by Filho with Alain Dias (aka Diastéme, writer of French Blood), will open later this year in the states via Cinema Libre after it already premiered in theaters in France last month.
The film stars Oscar-winner Cotillard as Marlene, a single mother who lives with her 8-year-old daughter, Elli, on the French Riviera. Marlene is more interested in partying and reality TV shows than taking care of her child, although she loves her dearly. Elli, with her mother as her only role model, starts to mirror behaviors, including wearing makeup and drinking alcohol. One day Marlene suddenly abandons her daughter for a man she has just met during yet another night of excessive partying. Elli, left alone, and in need of a parent, finds an unwitting father figure.
Elli is portrayed in Angel Face by newcomer Ayline Akso-Etaix, with additional roles played by Alban Lenoir (Taken), Amélie Daure “Frontiere(s) and Stéphane Rideau (Wild Reeds).
The film was produced by Moana Films Marc Missonnier (Marguerite) and Carole Lambert (Free Angela and All Political Prisoners) via Windy Production with Mars Films which co-produced and distributed in France.
Following Chinese financier Lily Yangs expanded investment into Burbank-based Cinema Libre, announced at Cannes, its founder and CEO Philippe Diaz negotiated the deal with Nicolas Brigaud-Robert, partner and co-founder of the Playtime group.
“Angel Face (Gueule dAnge) was definitely the strongest and most powerful film I saw in Cannes this year–and I saw many of them,” said Diaz. “The film is illuminated by Marion Cotillards unbelievable acting which should earn her a new Oscar nomination for inhabiting this complex anti-hero so completely.”
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