Quebec director Ken Scott will direct the first-ever French film produced by Amazon Prime.
Published yesterday at 11:10am.
My Mother, God and Sylvie Vartan, a co-production between Gaumont, Amazon and the Quebec house Christal Films, is released following the decree signed in July 2021 transposing the European Audiovisual Media Services Directive into French law. This essentially forces Amazon Prime and other Netflix companies in the world to spend between 20 and 25% of their turnover in France on the production of French cinema and audiovisual works.
The film, starring Leïla Bekhti and Jonathan Cohen, is a cinema adaptation of the book by Roland Perez. The scenario, based on true events, tells the story of Roland, who was born with a disability but was able to achieve his dreams with the unwavering support of his mother Esther, a strong woman who had a soft spot for the legendary French singer Sylvie Vartan.
The cast of the feature film is completed by Naïm Naji, Milo Machado Graner, Lionel Dray, Joséphine Japy, Jeanne Balibar and Anne Le Ny. Sylvie Vartan also makes a brief appearance on the screen.
“It is a unique opportunity to work with Ken Scott on the adaptation of Roland Perez’s poignant novel. His talent for telling both funny and moving stories is undeniable, Sidonie Dumas, general director of Gaumont, said in a press release, specifying that the film is “a touching story about family and differences.”
In accordance with French regulations, “My Mother, God and Sylvie Vartan” will be released in cinemas in France 17 months before its online broadcast on the Amazon Prime platform. We currently do not know the exact release date of the film, neither for France nor for Quebec.