‘Emilia Perez,’ ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ to Be Showcased at the American French Film Festival’s Comeback Edition in Los Angeles
The American French Film Festival (previously called COLCOA) is back with a bang after being canceled last year due to the WGA and SAG/AFTRA strikes.
The 28th edition of the festival will play two of the year’s most buzzed-about French movies, Jacques Audiard’s redemption thriller “Emilia Pérez” and epic adventure film “The Count of Monte Cristo.” They’re also two of the four films submitted by France’s Oscars committee for the international feature film race.
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“Emilia Pérez,” which won two prizes at Cannes and played at both Telluride and Toronto, will kick off festivities on opening night, as part of a red-carpet event presented in association with Netflix on Oct. 29; and “The Count of Monte Cristo,” a sweeping three-hour period film starring Pierre Niney in the titular role, be play on closing night on Nov. 3.
A genre-defying musical thriller, “Emilia Perez” won the jury prize at Cannes (from a jury presided over by Greta Gerwig), on top of a best actress nod for its female ensemble cast, including Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Salda?a, Selena Gomez, and Adriana Paz. “Emilia Perez” will have a second screening at the festival on Oct. 30.
“The Count of Monte Cristo,” meanwhile, was penned and directed by Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de La Patellière, based on Alexandre Dumas’ literary masterpiece. The movie world premiered out of competition at Cannes and has smashed the French box office, selling more than 8 million tickets since being released by Pathé in late June. Samuel Goldwyn Films picked up U.S. rights.
Both films will play in competition at the American French Film Festival whose awards ceremony will be held in Paris on Nov. 8.
“We are beyond excited to have Emilia Pérez as our curtain-raiser and The Count of Monte Cristo wrap up the Festival this year – two films that feature music in spectacular ways,” said Cécile Rap-Veber, President of The Franco-American Cultural Fund and CEO of SACEM.
“The American French Film Festival has become the place to shine for French films and series at the beginning of Awards season in Los Angeles. There is so much excitement and awards chatter around these two films,” Rap-Veber continued.
“Emilia Pérez” stars Emilia (Karla Sofía Gascón) as a fearsome cartel leader who enlists Rita (Zoe Salda?a), an unappreciated lawyer stuck in a dead-end job, to help fake her death so that Emilia can finally live authentically as her true self. “Emilia Perez” boasts 16 original songs as part of a score composed by a musical duo formed by Camille and Clément Ducol. Producers are Why Not Productions, Page 114, Saint Laurent Productions, France 2 Cinema, and Pathé Films. Netflix will premiere the film in select theaters in the U.S. on Nov. 1 and will launch it on its service in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. on Nov. 13.
“The Count of Monte Cristo” is a swashbuckling 19th-century-set film starring Niney as Edmond Dantès, who was freshly promoted to ship’s captain and finally in a position to marry his secret love. However, on the very morning of their wedding day, Edmond is wrongfully arrested for a crime he knows nothing of — a plot hatched by three of the most ruthless of rivals— and shipped off to the formidable Chateau d’If prison off the coast of Marseille. The movie, scored by Jér?me Rebotier, brings together a starry ensemble cast, including Anamaria Vartolomei, Ana?s Demoustier, Laurent Lafitte, Bastien Bouillon, Patrick Mille, Vassili Schneider and Pierfrancesco Favino, along with Niney.
“The Count of Monte Cristo” is produced by Chapter 2, Pathé Films, Fargo Films, Logical Content Venture, Umedia, and M6. The Count of Monte Cristo is distributed in the US by Samuel Goldwyn Films and will have a US theatrical release in Q4 2024.
The American French Film Festival will unveil its lineup of series and documentary selections after Sept. 15. The full roster including all feature films will be announced on Oct. 2.
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