A few of the biggest names in French film are combining forces next year to develop an animated film that is sure to attract film fans from around the world. Variety is reporting that Michel Hazanavicius is teaming with the Dardenne brothers on a new animated film about the Holocaust.
The untitled film is based on Jean-Claude Grumberg’s best-selling novel, “La plus precious des marchandises.” Co-written by Hazanavicius and Grumberg, with Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne along as producers, the film tells the story of a Jewish family and a childless couple during WWII. While the Jewish family is being transported to a concentration camp, the father puts one of his newborn twins in a box and throws the box into the snow. That’s where the baby is found by the childless couple, who take the child in.
“Opposing the force of life to the industry of death, Grumberg’s tale succeeds in finding something beautiful to tell about [a period] that will forever remain a stain on the history of mankind,” Hazanavicius said.
The film is set to begin production in 2020, with animation company Prima Linéa on board to bring it to life. The studio’s previous film was the award-winning “The Red Turtle.”
Hazanavicius is no stranger to awards either, having won the Oscar for Best Director and Best Picture for his 2011 film, “The Artist.” In addition to writing, directing, and producing the upcoming animated film, Hazanavicius is also going to be the one who comes up with the look and feel of the animation.
“The look of the animation will be rather classical and inspired by many traditions, from ‘Snow White’ to Japanese features and 19th-century Russian aesthetic,” he said.
And because animated films aren’t the fastest projects in the world, it’s expected that the feature will premiere sometime in 2022.
