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PRODUCTION France

Family and organised crime in Le Premier Cercle

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Nice, Antibes, Nîmes: since May 5, shooting has been underway on the Côte d’Azur on Laurent Tuel’s fourth feature: Le Premier Cercle (“The First Circle”).

Exploring yet another genre after Le Rocher d'Acapulco (“The Rock of Acapulco”, 1996 – selected at Cannes in the Cinemas in France section), Children’s Play (2001) and Jean-Philippe [+see also:
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(1.29m admissions in 2006), this time the director is trying his hand at a thriller. The stellar cast includes Jean Reno, Gaspard Ulliel, Vahina Giocante and Sami Bouajila.

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Co-written by Tuel and Laurent Turner, the film focuses on Malakian (Reno), an Armenian gang leader who is as virtuoso as he is violent, and considered a “godfather” on the Côte d’Azur. As he prepares a big operation that is set to be his last before he retires, he notices that Anton (Ulliel), his only remaining son, is growing apart from him.

The young man has fallen in love with a nurse (Giocante) and dreams of another life. But he must accept the consequences of his choices, for the First Circle is mapped out through blood ties.

A violent confrontation thus ensues between the patriarch and his son and, in order to break free, Anton also has to escape from the policeman (Bouajila) who has vowed to bring about his father’s downfall and break up the gang.

Produced by Alain Terzian and Christine Gozlan for Alter Films and Thelma Films, Le premier cercle will have a 10-week shoot, including a stopover in Italy.

The crew also includes Argentinean set designer Carlos Conti (2007 David di Donatello Award for The Golden Door [+see also:
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).

The film will be released domestically by TFM Distribution on March 11, 2009. TF1 Film International got international sales underway at Cannes.

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(Translated from French)

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