Tehran – Famous Iranian filmmaker Asgal Farhadi is set to return to Paris for his next film, Parallel Tales, 12 years after making his French directorial debut in The Past (2013).
The film brings together a powerful French cast including Isabel Hooppat (“El”), Virgy Ephila (“Benedetta”), Vincent Cassel (“Black Swan”), Pierre Niney (“The Earl of Monte Cristo”), and Adam Bessa (“Ghost Trail”). Iconic French actor Katherine DeNuve will also appear in the film, Honaronlein reported.
The cast of “Parallel Tales” is particularly exciting as it mixes a range of generations and film horizons, especially some of the biggest names of the French films of Happart and Ephila. Meanwhile, Bessa is a growing French talent that was nominated for a Cesar Award for her performance on the “Ghost Trail” earlier this year.
The story was written by Farhadi and adapted by Masosuum Rahijji, but for the time being there is a wrap.
Parallel Tales is scheduled to begin filming in Paris this fall. The film was founded as a co-production of French-Italian Belgians.
The prestige project, produced by longtime collaborator Alexandre Mallett Guy along with Farhady and David Levine, will be launched by Charade and UTA Independent Film Group in the upcoming Cannes Film Market. Charades handles international sales, while UTA Independent Film Group is responsible for US rights. Memento handles the distribution in France and will be released in spring 2026.
Farhadi, who has been obsessed with France through his friendship and collaboration with Mallet-Guy, previously chorded with the “past” starring Tahar Rahim and Berenice Bejo. The film competed at Cannes in 2013, winning Belljo’s Best Actress, and in 2014 it received five Cesar nominations and Golden Globe nominations.
This is the 10th feature film by Farhadi, who first competed in Locarno in his third feature film, Fireworks Wednesday, in 2006.
One of Iran’s most well-known film voices, Farhadi (52) is known for his films that stimulate his thinking as he explores social issues. He received his bachelor’s degree in dramatic arts from the University of Tehran in 1988, and later earned his master’s degree in theater orientation.
Farhadi won the best foreign film Oscar in 2012 for “A Separation” (which was also nominated for Best Spreay), and again won “The Salesman” in 2017.
He was selected four times in the Cannes competition: “Past”, “Salesman”, “Everybody Knows” and “Hero”.
“The Salesman” won the Best Screenplay and Best Actor award at Cannes in 2016, and won the Grand Prize at the 2021 festival.
“Everyone knows,” Farhadi’s Spanish debut, starring Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, opened in Cannes in 2018 and competed.
Farhady was also selected twice in Berlin. He was awarded the best director of Silver Bears in 2009 “About Ellie” and “About Ability” at Golden Bear in 2011.
SS/SAB