French film shot in India to compete at Cannes

India’s Wide Angle Creations, led by Suresh Balaje and George Pius collaborated with Paris’ Why Not Productions’ “Dheepan”, directed by Jacques Audiard, for shooting in India.

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Balaje, who will be walking the Cannes red carpet with the film’s crew, said: “It feels good to have worked with Jacques Audiar’s ‘Dheepan’. We have a great production talent in India and some of the finest film shooting locations. I’m very confident that India can make a global footprint with its production strengths.”

Portions of “Dheepan”, which is about the immigrant experience in France with a Sri Lankan Tamil warrior getting a job as a caretaker in Paris, were shot in Rameshwaram, Mandapam and Ooty.

One of the 19 films in the Cannes competition section selected from all over the world, “Dheepan” also stars Chennai-based theatre artiste Kalieaswari Srinivasan in a pivotal role. The hero’s part is essayed by Sri Lankan Antonythasan Jesuthasan, who is settled in France.

Over a dozen Indian artistes, including assistant directors have contributed to the making of “Dheepan”.

Apart from this Indian connect, the Cannes International Film Festival will screen Punjabi film “Chauthi Koot”, directed by Gurvinder Singh; and “Masaan” helmed by debut director Neeraj Ghaywan in the Un Certain Regard Section.

Wide Angle Creations has also worked executive production on shooting in India for French film “Son Epouse”, directed by Michel Spinosa.

The 68th Cannes film gala will be held May 13-24.