Actor-director Daniel Auteuil and filmmaker Jean-Baptiste Pouilloux have secured their next feature films with Les Films Velvet, the production company known for its auteur-driven projects. The company is behind this year’s Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Paris opener The Musicians and the upcoming Jodie Foster-led thriller Vie Privée by Rebecca Zlotowski.
Following the success of his Cannes debut An Ordinary Case, Auteuil will return to directing with the World War II drama Une Nuit (One Night). Co-written by Auteuil and Camille Lugan, the film tells the remarkable true story of a 1942 mission to save over one hundred Jewish children from a deportation camp near Lyon. Frederic Jouve of Les Films Velvet will produce the film alongside Adrien Nussenbaum.
Pouilloux, an accomplished assistant director who has collaborated with Jacques Audiard, Zlotowski, and Nadav Lapid, recently worked on the second unit for Emilia Perez and directed the Canal Plus series Iris. His feature debut, Merci Maman (Thanks Mom), is a comedy about a mother who drags her son to couples therapy. Pouilloux has written the film, and casting is currently underway, with production set to begin later this year.
Les Films Velvet is also preparing for comedian Charlotte Gabris’ directorial debut, Au Frais. Co-produced with Marine Alaric of Orta Films, the comedy follows a 38-year-old woman who, after being dumped by her boyfriend, is sent by her family to freeze her eggs in Barcelona.
Looking ahead, Velvet is also developing new features from filmmakers Thierry de Peretti (In His Own Image), Guillaume Renusson (White Paradise), and Farid Bentoumi (Red Soil), as well as the Amazon series Glam Squad, created by Zlotowski and Olivier Nicklaus.
Les Films Velvet’s commitment to nurturing long-term relationships with filmmakers is evident, as many of these directors have previously worked with the production company.
Frederic Jouve, founder of Velvet, emphasizes the importance of building careers over time rather than focusing on single-hit projects. “It’s fundamental to think long-term,” Jouve says. “Careers are built over multiple films, so I’m more focused on developing filmmakers, growing together, and building lasting partnerships. Rebecca Zlotowski is a great example—we’ve worked together on six films, starting with her first, and we’re already planning more.”
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