Playtime Acquires Un Certain Regard Drama ‘Angel Face,’ With Marion Cotillard

Playtime has acquired international sales to Vanessa Filho’s feature debut “Angel Face,” which will world premiere in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival.


The film stars Oscar-winning actress Marion Cotillard as Marlene, a single mother who lives with her 8-year-old daughter, Elli, in a small town near the French Riviera. One day, Marlene suddenly chooses to abandon her daughter for a man she has just met during yet another night of excess. Elli must confront her mother’s demons to get her back.


Shot by star cinematographer Guillaume Schiffman (“The Artist”), “Angel Face” is produced by well-established producer Marc Missonnier (“Marguerite”) via his banner, Moana Films, and Carole Lambert (“Free Angela and All Political Prisoners”) through her new company, Windy Production. Stephane Celerier’s Mars Films is co-producing and will distribute it in France on May 23.


“Angel Face” was written by Filho, in collaboration with Alain Dias, aka Diasteme, a writer-director whose 2015 thriller “French Blood” played at Toronto, and François Pirot (“Mobile Home”).


Cotillard rarely stars in feature debuts. The actress’ recent French credits include Arnaud Desplechin’s “Ismael’s Ghosts,” which opened the Cannes Film Festival last year, and Nicole Garcia’s “From the Land of the Moon,” which competed at the festival in 2016.


Playtime also handles international sales on Marie Monge’s “Treat Me Like Fire,” a Paris-set tale of love and addiction starring Tahar Rahim (“A Prophet”), Stacy Martin (“Redoutable”) and Karim Leklou (“Heal the Living”), which will world premiere at Directors’ Fortnight. “Treat Me Like Fire” was produced by Michael Gentile. Bac Films will release the film in France.