Studiocanal has just revealed its latest collaboration with the French production and sales powerhouse, WTFilms, also known as What The Films.
This partnership is set to concentrate on crafting genre films, aiming to create French language and European content that will captivate audiences worldwide.
This move signifies Studiocanal’s ambition to expand its influence in the genre film sector. It comes on the heels of the news that Jed Benedict has rejoined the company to spearhead a new genre-focused label.
Studiocanal’s French production team is set to join forces with Benedict to steer the WTFilms partnership and its upcoming projects.
The deal, finalized at the end of February 2024, builds on the success of their collaboration on Xavier Gens’ action film “Farang” in 2023.
“Farang,” a film set in France and Thailand, gained international attention last summer when Deadline highlighted it as a Global Breakout. The movie stars Nassim Lyes, a former kickbox champion, who portrays Sam, a prisoner whose past leads him into a life on the run.
The film showcased the combined efforts of Gens and UK action designer Jude Poyer, who initially met on the set of the Sky Atlantic and AMC crime thriller, “Gangs of London.”
WTFilms took the lead in producing the movie, while Studiocanal managed international sales and the distribution in France. The film premiered in France last July, earning over $1.5 million.
In the U.S., the movie was released under the title “Mayhem!” by IFC Films, following its North American debut at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal in August.
The partnership between Studiocanal and WTFilms is set for a minimum of two years. Studiocanal will co-produce and distribute selected WTFilms projects, covering genres like action, thriller, science fiction, and horror.
François Mergier, Studiocanal’s Director of French Production, and Assia Barge, Head Of French Production, who were instrumental in finalizing the deal, expressed their enthusiasm. They highlighted the trust, creativity, and successful collaboration on “Farang” as the foundation of this ongoing partnership.
They anticipate that the expertise of the WTFilms team in genre films will greatly benefit Studiocanal. Both parties are excited about the potential of this partnership to deliver outstanding genre projects to a global audience in the coming years.
WTFilms cofounders, Dimitri Stephanides and Gregory Chambet, shared their excitement about joining forces with Studiocanal. Their positive experience working on “Farang” has reinforced their commitment to genre cinema. They are eager to continue exploring this path with Studiocanal, aiming to produce commercially viable films for both the French market and international audiences.