Charades Steps Into ‘The Kitchen Brigade,’ ‘The Test’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Paris-based sales outfit Charades has boarded Louis-Julien Petit’s “The Kitchen Brigade” and Emmanuel Poulain-Arnaud’s “The Test.” Charades will begin sales on the pair of French films at the virtual UniFrance Rendez-Vous with French Cinema, which kicks off Jan. 13.

“The Kitchen Brigade” marks Petit’s follow up to “Invisibles,” a comedy-drama that tells the true story of homeless women reintegrating into society. The film was a box office hit in France with 1.3 million admissions sold, and was released in more than 30 territories.

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Exploring the world of French gastronomy, “The Kitchen Brigade” tackles the issues of social justice and inclusion through the story of Cathy (Audrey Lamy), a determined 40-year-old sous-chef who dreams of opening her own gourmet restaurant. As she faces financial difficulties, Cathy takes a job in the cafeteria of a shelter for young migrants. While she hates her new position, Cathy’s skills and passion for cuisine start to change the kids’ lives.

The film is also headlined by François Cluzet (“The Intouchables”) and several newcomers, notably Fatoumata Kaba — a social media star with more than 750,000 followers on Instagram. Charades said “The Kitchen Brigade” had “universal themes” and boasted a “strong and exciting cast.”

“The Test” stars Alexandra Lamy (“Rolling to You”) as Annie, the matriarch of a seemingly perfect family whose life is turned upside down after she finds a mysterious positive pregnancy test in the bathroom at home.

The movie also stars Philippe Katerine (“Sink of Swim”) and is produced by 24 25 Films. Apollo Films, which previously collaborated with Charades on “The Queen’s Corgi,” “Bigfoot Family” and “Invisibles,” will handle the French distribution of “The Kitchen Brigade” and “The Test.”

“After having closely followed Emmanuel Poulain Arnaud’s first work, we are also very excited about collaborating on ‘The Test.’ We are convinced the movie has the potential to reach wide and different generations of audiences,” said Charades.

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