Director Cedric Jimenez (The Man With The Iron Heart) is reportedly making some history with Studiocanal’s latest placement on upcoming crime thriller, Bac Nord. As Elsa Keslassy’s report at Variety notes, Gilles Lellouche (pictured) will lead the cast for a story centered on a police brigade that’s ventured into the dangerous northern neighborhood of Marseille, where crime levels are higher than anywhere else in France.
Rounding out the cast is a roster of award-winning and nominated talent listing actors Francois Civil (Wolf’s Call) and Karim Leklou (The World Is Yours), and actresses Adele Exarchopoulos (Blue Is the Warmest Color) and Kenza Fortas (Shéhérazade). A Marseilles native, Jimenez co-penned the script in a collaborative effort with Audrey Diwan (The Connection, The Man With the Iron Heart) and Benjamin Charbit (En liberté!).
Studiocanal has acquired all rights along with international sales and will serve to co-produce with France 2 Cinéma. Paris-based Hugo Sélignac and Vincent Mazel at Chi-Fou-Mi Productions, marking their fifth partnership with Studiocanal.
According to the report, Jimenez describes the story for Bac Nord as one that will be told from the cops’ perspective, spotlighting the strain of pressure and politics from the hierarchy to achieve results at all costs. The film will also bare the same underlying themes of being crushed by their higher-ups, much like Jimenez’s two last films.
Production begins South of France on August 5 for a Spring 2020 release.