France TV Distribution is bringing Romuald Boulanger’s “Mansour” again to Cannes with added manufacturing weight, as “Conclave” producer Michael Jackman boards the biopic of Iranian-born tennis participant and showman Mansour Bahrami.
The package deal has additionally been strengthened by casting director Constance Demontoy (“Titane,” “Stillwater”) and Paris-based Alambic Manufacturing, which has joined as an affiliate manufacturing accomplice.
The industrial and gross sales arm of French public broadcaster France Télévisions can also be launching worldwide gross sales on French-Cambodian filmmaker Neary Adeline Hay’s “Ducks,” an intimate story of grief, return and heritage.
“Mansour” stars Amir Jadidi, finest identified internationally for Asghar Farhadi’s Cannes Grand Prix winner “A Hero.”
Jackman arrives on “Mansour” off a serious awards run with Edward Berger’s “Conclave,” winner of each BAFTA finest movie and BAFTA finest British movie in 2025, in addition to a finest image nominee on the Academy Awards.
His broader profession spans growth, manufacturing and international distribution, with credit together with “Arrival” and “The Good Nurse,” in addition to work on movies by Martin Scorsese and Oliver Stone.
“I’m thrilled to be joining ‘Mansour.’ Besides being a fan of the man himself since I was a child, the script by Dawn McDaniel is inspiring and entertaining,” Jackman mentioned.
“Biopics can sometimes feel stuck in time but because of both the quality of the writing and the story’s topical nature, ‘Mansour’ feels current and relevant and our director Romuald brings a clear point of view.”
Jackman additionally singled out Jadidi’s casting, calling him “born to play this role” as each “an acclaimed Iranian actor and a semi-pro tennis player,” whereas praising the inventive management of screenwriter-producer Daybreak McDaniel and Boulanger.
Directed by Boulanger, whose credit embody “On the Line,” starring Mel Gibson, “Mansour” is written by McDaniel, with Philippe de Lyon as co-scribe. The movie is produced by R-Traces Productions (“On the Line,” “Like Me,” “Haters”) and McDaniel’s Unconditional Footage, with Jackman now becoming a member of as producer.
The challenge has additionally added Demontoy as casting director, additional strengthening its worldwide profile. Demontoy has labored with administrators akin to Denis Villeneuve, Jean-Marc Vallée, Cédric Klapisch and Paul Verhoeven, with latest credit together with the Palme d’Or-winning “Titane,” “Annette” and “Stillwater.” She can also be French casting director on Season 4 of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” presently taking pictures in France.
Alambic Manufacturing has boarded “Mansour” as an affiliate manufacturing accomplice. Led by Taha and Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Alambic’s credit embody the Oscar-winning quick “Two People Exchanging Saliva.” Zar Amir Ebrahimi gained finest actress at Cannes for “Holy Spider” and co-directed “Tatami.”
Spanning Nineteen Fifties Tehran and later Paris, “Mansour” charts Bahrami’s journey from a toddler barred from tennis courts, who normal a makeshift court docket in an empty swimming pool and used a frying pan as a racket, to a stateless immigrant in France who ultimately fulfilled his dream of taking part in at Roland Garros.
After fleeing Iran following the Revolution, Bahrami arrives in Paris penniless and with out authorized standing, sleeping within the locker room of Roland Garros whereas looking for his approach again to tennis. His aptitude, dedication and unmistakable type of play ultimately flip him right into a crowd favourite and multi-generational tennis legend.
“We are delighted to embark on ‘Mansour,’ a project filled with positive energy and strong international appeal,” mentioned Julia Schulte, SVP worldwide gross sales at France TV Distribution. “Mansour’s extraordinary journey is a powerful and uplifting story of resilience, determination, and hope. We believe ‘Mansour’ has all the ingredients to resonate with audiences worldwide.”
‘Ducks’ Takes Flight
RAFAEL WINER
France TV Distribution can also be launching worldwide gross sales at Cannes on “Ducks,” written and directed by Neary Adeline Hay. Starring Mellina Boubetra and Visal Bitter, the movie is produced by Particular Contact Studios and Katuh Studio.
“Ducks” follows Kerya, a profitable Paris DJ of Cambodian origin who has by no means visited her household’s homeland. After her father’s dying, she travels to Cambodia to scatter his ashes, just for circumstance to depart her answerable for 300 geese raised by her uncle, a duck herder.
Accompanied by her 11-year-old cousin Samnang and the flock, Kerya crosses a rustic she doesn’t know, regularly discovering its landscapes, tradition and her circle of relatives historical past. The journey strikes from mourning into self-discovery, as Kerya’s return turns into a primary actual encounter along with her Asian heritage.
Schulte described “Ducks” as “a heart-warming and uplifting story.” She added that the movie is “emotionally and visually outstanding,” pushed by Kerya’s passage by Cambodian landscapes whereas caring for the geese.
