Pathé Films and Philippe Rousselet’s Vendôme Group production banner have signed an exclusive new film production partnership to develop and produce English-language films for the international marketplace.

The three-year revolving co-development and co-producing deal will aim to produce one to two films a year initially with the flexibility to ramp up to more projects over time. All films produced under the deal will be fully financed by Pathé and Vendôme and will be released theatrically in France through Pathé who will also oversee worldwide distribution of the titles.

The first film to be co-produced under the deal will be Coda – an English-language remake of the 2014 French box office hit La Famille Belier – written and to be directed by Sian Heder (Orange Is The New Black), which will start shooting this summer on location in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

As the only hearing child in a deaf family, the film follows sixteen year-old Ruby who finds herself torn between pursuing her love of music and her family’s reliance on her to be their connection to the outside world. Marlee Matlin (Children Of A Lesser God) and newcomer Emilia Jones will take leading roles in the film. Additional casting is due to be announced soon.

Philippe Rousselet and Fabrice Gianfermi, CEO and co-CEO of Vendôme Group will produce the film alongside Patrick Wachsberger’s Picture Perfect Entertainment. Former Lionsgate honcho Wachsberger and Rousselet will be actively selling the film, with the support of Pathé, at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Pathé and Vendôme have previously worked on Promise At Dawn and The Lost Prince by Michel Hazanavicius, starring Omar Sy.

In addition to Rousselet and Gianfermi, Vendome’s current executive team includes Sarah Borch Jacobsen, Head of Development and Production, who oversees the day to day development of the company’s English-language production slate across multiple genres.

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