Gaumont Unveils Female-Powered Thriller ‘The Colors of Fire’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Elsa Keslassy
·2 min read

Gaumont is set to unveil sprawling period thriller “The Colors of Fire,” based on Pierre Lemaitre’s international bestseller.

Directed by Clovis Cornillac, “The Colors of Fire” is headlined by a prestigious cast, including Lea Drucker (pictured), the Cesar-winning actor of “Custody,” as well as Benoit Poelvoorde (“Sink or Swim”), Olivier Gourmet (“Karl Marx”), Fanny Ardant (“DNA”), Alice Isaaz (“Elle”) and Cornillac.

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Set for delivery in the second half of 2021, “The Colors of Fire” is budgeted at $16 million — a big budget by French standards — and is being produced in-house by Gaumont, as part of the company’s recent mandate to fully finance and produce select films. The movie is in post and shot entirely in Paris.

Lemaitre, author of “The Colors of Fire,” previously wrote “See You Up There,” whose film adaptation directed by Albert Dupontel won five César Awards and sold more two million theatrical admissions in France.

“Although ‘The Colors of Fire’ will be very different from ‘See You Up There,’ it shares the same ambition to be a great popular film,” said Alexis Cassanet, EVP of international sales and distribution at Gaumont.

The executive describes “The Colors of Fire” as a modern and suspenseful period film about a woman’s emancipation, and a revenge story driven by a strong female character, played by Drucker.

“The Colors of Fire” opens in February 1927 with the funerals of Marcel Péricourt, the most powerful banker in Paris. Madeleine, his daughter, is bound to inherit his financial empire, but a conspiracy takes shape, aimed at robbing her of everything she has. Setting off to avenge herself, Madeleine will have to face the adversity of the men surrounding her and the rampant corruption in France during the two wars.

“It’s a huge literary success that has already been translated in many languages, and that gives the film great potential to travel in big territories,” said Cassanet.

Besides France, the book has already been published in Germany, Bulgaria, China, Korea, Japan, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Greece, Italy, Taiwan, Romania, The Netherlands, Poland, Norway and Russia. Next up, it will be published in the U.K., among others.

Gaumont’s previous production credits include Jean-Pascal Zadi’s “Tout simplement noir,” Olivier Marchal’s “Bronx” and Franck Dubosc’s “Rumba Therapy.” Cornillac’s directorial credits include “Belle et Sebastien.”

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