Screen icons Jean Dujardin and Valérie Donzelli will headline a new production from Atelier du Production, the comedy-minded collective behind this year’s UniFrance Rendez-Vous in Paris opener, “Comédie Française,” and Bertrand Mandico’s new film “Roma Elastica,” starring Marion Cotillard and Noémie Merlant.
Dujardin will star opposite Julia Pierton in Montagne Russe (The Rollercoaster), a love story with mental health implications about a man with bipolar disorder who learns how to overcome his condition while trying to move forward emotionally and professionally. The film, which began filming in April, is director Cyril Gelblatt’s third feature and was co-written by Gelblatt, Sarah Kaminsky and Leticia Colombani.
Meanwhile, Donzelli will star alongside Andre Dusollier (Everything’s Wrong) and Can Cojandi (The Hot Ones) in Claude, a family reconciliation comedy about two middle-aged brothers who are forced to share custody of a newly single father. The film, written and directed by Clément Michel (Haute Saison), will be shot next month, with UGC Distribution handling French release and international sales.
Mathieu and Thomas Verhaeghe, heads of Atelier de Production, are also eyeing the launch of a major festival for Mandico’s Roma Elastica, a homage to Italian cinema set in the 1980s, in which Cotillard’s actress travels to Rome to shoot her final film. Producers are positioning the project as a potential breakthrough for the cult director.
“We deeply respect Bertrand’s work, but until now his films have reached more critics than audiences,” said producer Thomas Verhag. “With Roma Elastica, the idea was to go for a more story-driven film that could speak to a wider audience without sacrificing his style. The film is more approachable, but still fully retains his visual identity and cinematic language.”
The film, which is currently in post-production, promises a more expansive, big-screen look, employing 35mm instead of Mandico’s usual 16mm and favoring real locations over studio sets, including Cinecittà’s storied backlot and the natural surroundings of Rome, Nice, the Occitanie region, and the south of France. “Rush was beautiful and the actresses really shined on set,” Verhage added. “So we’re very hopeful.”
“Comédie Française”
In fact, 2026 is shaping up to be a banner year for the Paris-based group, which has long been known for cultivating eccentric writers like Quentin Dupieux.
Atelier de Production will present UniFrance Rendez-Vous’s opening film “Comédie Française” (directed by Bertrand Uskra Three impressive titles will premiere in competition, including director Martin Dallondeau (directed by Martin Dallondeau), Patrick Cassile’s quirky parenting romantic comedy It’s All Good, and suburban farce The Better Me. The story is about a bald man who is pushed to the brink by the arrival of a new neighbor. The doppelgänger is identical in all respects except for the thicker hair. Laurent Laffite plays a dual role opposite Blanche Gardin and Olga Kurylenko.
“These are not super mainstream studio comedies,” says Matthieu Verhaeghe. “Each one has a twist, a unique premise and a sensibility rooted in independent film. We also make more mainstream films, but this type of auteur-driven comedy is what sets us apart.”
At the same time, the producers have made notable forays into the arthouse mainstream since partnering with Juliette Schramek to launch production company Lumen in 2024. Since then, the Verhages have worked on projects such as Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel’s Eat the Night, László Nemeth’s Orphan and Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value. It premiered in Venice or Cannes. Next up are Lukas Dhondt’s war drama Coward and La Mas Dulce, the Atlas Workshop hit by Laila Malacki, both aiming to launch high-profile festivals later this year.
