The Iranian maestro Asghar Farhadi, a double Oscar-winner renowned for his masterpieces A Separation and The Salesman, has assembled an enviable ensemble of French cinematic luminaries for his forthcoming feature, aptly titled Parallel Tales. The Gallic all-star cast boasts Isabelle Huppert (Elle), Virginie Efira (Benedetta), Vincent Cassel (Black Swan), and Pierre Niney (The Count of Monte-Cristo), who will lead the French-language narrative alongside the promising Adam Bessa, a César Award nominee for Best Newcomer this year for his role in Jonathan Millet's Ghost Trail. Adding an extra layer of cinematic magic, French legend Catherine Deneuve will make a cameo appearance.
Scheduled to commence filming in the enchanting streets of Paris this autumn, Parallel Tales marks Farhadi's highly anticipated return to French cinema since The Past, starring Tahar Rahim and Berenice Bejo, in 2013. The film is a collaborative venture between French, Italian, and Belgian production houses – Memento Production helmed by Alexandre Mallet-Guy, Andrea Occhipinti's Lucky Red, André Logie's Panache Productions, and Gaëtan David's La Compagnie Cinématographique. Joining them is the U.S. group Anonymous Content as a co-producer. Mallet-Guy and Farhadi will spearhead the production alongside David Levine.
The executive producing credits are an impressive roster, including Carole Baraton, Yohann Comte, Pierre Mazars, Yousra Filali, Stefano Massenzi, Chadwick Prichard, Krzysztof Piesiewicz, Maciej Musial, and Lila Yacoub. Charades has stepped in to orchestrate the international sales, while UTA Independent Film Group will represent the U.S. rights. Memento will oversee the distribution in France, with a Spring 2026 release date set. At next month's Cannes film market, Charades and UTA will launch the project for pre-sales, promising a cinematic journey that promises to captivate and enchant audiences worldwide.
