“Serial (Bad) Weddings” hit French comedy helmer to direct “Pleeeeeze”

PanARMENIAN.Net - Philippe de Chauveron, whose comedy “Serial (Bad) Weddings” was a box office mega-hit, will team up with French film studio SND on “Pleeeeeze,” another high-concept, culture-clash laffer toplining French star Christian Clavier, Variety reports.

Produced by Pulsar Productions, Clavier’s Ouille Productions and co-produced by SND, “Pleeeeeze” will also star Belgian comedy fixture Francois Damiens (“Heartbreaker,””La Famille Belier”) and Canadian thesp Anne Dorval (“Mommy”).

While Clavier played a provincial bigot in “Serial (Bad) Weddings,” he will star in “Pleeeeeze” as Jean Etienne Fougerolle, a brilliant and popular left-wing intellectual married a rich heiress (Dorval). Their lives take an unexpected turn after he participates in a talk show to promote “You’re welcome!” a new book meant to encourage everyone to offer shelter to those in need. Confronted by a pugnacious journalist who suggests he is hypocrite and should welcome Romanian Gypsies to his own house, Fougerolle shares his address on TV. By the next morning, Fougerolle finds a crazed Gypsy father (Damiens) on his doorsteps, leading to a cohabitation that will put the Fougerolles’ convictions to test.

“I’m very excited to reunite on this project with Philippe de Chauveron and have the opportunity to work with François Damiens. Philippe has a unique sense of comic timing and François a natural hack to play weird lovable characters,” said Clavier. “‘Pleeeeeze’ has a great script, memorable characters and non-stop comic reliefs that will work with audience worldwide,” added Clavier.

“Serial (Bad) Weddings”(pictured above) was a local and international hit, selling 12.3 million admissions in France and grossing over 67 million Euros abroad.

“Pleeeeeze” brings together a strong and highly-bankable comedic duo: Clavier made a big comeback in “Serial (Bad) Weddings,” while Damiens recently starred in “La Famille Bélier,” the hit dramedy which was last year’s highest-grossing French-language film.

SND said “Pleeeeeze” marks Damiens’ return to the type of wacky characters he played in “OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies” and “Heartbreaker.”

Known as Xavier Dolan’s muse, Dorval, is also known for her role in the TV spoof series “Sins of Love.” Her upcoming films include Katell Quillévéré’s “Heart.”

“Pleeeeeze” will start shooting in early June. SND will handle worldwide sales and French distribution.