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in Interviews / 13.05.2019

Interview with actor and director Philippe Lacheau: “Nicky Larson was one of my favorite animated series”

Philippe Lacheau was born on June 25, 1980 in Fontenay-sous-Bois, Val-de-Marne, France. He is an actor, writer and director, known for Babysitting (2014), Babysitting 2 (2015) and Alibi.com (2017).

Nicky Larson et le Parfum de Cupidon (Nicky Larson and Cupid's Perfume) is a name of the latest French action comedy directed by Philippe Lacheau who also co-wrote the screenplay with Julien Arruti and Pierre Lacheau.

It is an adaptation of the Japanese manga and anime series City Hunter (known as Nicky Larson in France) by Tsukasa Hojo.

The film features Philippe Lacheau, Élodie Fontan, Tarek Boudali and Julien Arruti in lead roles, along with Didier Bourdon, Kamel Guenfoud, Sophie Mousel, Hélène Lamberti and Pamela Anderson in supporting roles.

Nicky Larson is the best bodyguard, an outstanding private investigator. He is called for a high-risk mission: to recover the Perfume of Cupid, a perfume that would make irresistible the one who uses it.

This weekend, in Romania, Prorom and Ro Image will release the comedy Nicky Larson et le Parfum de Cupidon and we invite you to read an interview with the actor and director Philippe Lacheau.

How did you come up with the idea of adapting Nicky Larson for the cinema?
I belong to the club generation Club Dorothée and Nicky Larson, who landed on French television in the 90s, was one of my favorite animated series because it was a real comedy. There was also action, police investigations, love stories, but it was especially funny. Nicky, beyond making me laugh, is the best in everything he undertakes: it's both a detective, a bodyguard, a lovelace... the James Bond of comedy in short. Unconsciously, it was therefore a kid's dream to embody the hero of my childhood in the cinema.

Have you acquired the rights easily?
Not at all! It was a very long process. We got some help from Stephane Huard, CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment France, who through their American and Japanese studio affiliates has allowed us to meet manga creator Tsukasa Hojo. Prior to granting our rights, the Japanese author asked for a right to read the script. After eighteen months of writing, I went to meet him, with my manuscript under my arm, full of fears. After 48 hours, the verdict came: he liked it! I was very happy because he found that the script was loyal to his manga creations, and he made the most beautiful compliment I could ever get from him -- that he would have himself invented this original story.


How was the writing process?
In order to perfectly absorb the universe of Nicky Larson, Julien Arruti, my brother, Pierre Lacheau, Pierre Dudan and myself (the same team from Babysitting) we analyzed 144 episodes of the animated series that were broadcast in France and reread 37 numbers of manga. But I also saw the various adaptations that have been made abroad, including a Chinese movie with Jackie Chan. It was important to see everything to refresh our memories, we had to recover the tone to write. The most important thing was to keep the universe and the characters.
So I found the idea of a quest around Cupid's perfume, a perfume that has the power to make you irresistible. But the real challenge was to attract all the new generation that follows us from Babysitting, but who does not know Nicky Larson. This required a lot of rewriting.

Why is this movie a very personal one?
He sends me back to my childhood. Maybe that's why this is the movie that I'm the most proud of, because everything that comes to this moment of my life is sacred. I was fortunate enough to enjoy the moments when Dorothee (the one who made the Club Dorothee show in France in the '90s) was on our movie set, and I watched her with a child's eyes, reminding me of the show we enjoyed in our youth. It was as if I had met a friend I had not seen for many years. Moreover, it is personal because it brings together my friends, my parents, who appear in the movie, and the names of the characters are sometimes borrowed from relatives.

How did you prepare to become Nicky Larson?
I was so motivated that I exercise for eight months with diets and training, and  I put 8 kg of muscle. In parallel, I worked diligently for choreography of the action scenes, I learned how to shoot with a Magnum gun, machine guns and other heavy weapons, then I dyed my hair. I remember the day the costume handed me Nicky's outfit: seeing me in his blue coat, his red shirt and his black pants made me feel very excited.

Was it from the beginning the idea to work with the same team again?
This is a question I cannot answer. It was an incredible opportunity to work with my friends and, as long as the public follows us, we will continue. This is an incredible luxury and it's great to see that from one movie to another some actors such as Didier Bourdon, Chantal Ladesou and Gérard Jugnot follow us and the “band” grows.

Newcomers immediately joined Nicky Larson's world?
It was interesting because, unlike some "special guests" like Audrey Lamy, Raphaël Personnaz or Jarry, who knew the animated series, the others had not heard of him. But they immediately found him funny, and they followed me with the same enthusiasm. It is fortunate that all these actors have joined us for one or two days because the scenes in which they appear have a size much higher than the scenario indicated. For them it may not have been a lot, but to me it was a lot.

Did you direct your actors as in your other movies?
With my friends I did not change my way of doing things. But I was very afraid, for example, to give directorial directions to Pamela Anderson! When we created the character, we thought it would be great to have her in the movie, because like Nicky Larson, it was a representative image of the 1990s. It was a real surprise that he accepted! And suddenly I woke up under pressure: I speak English very badly, and I did not know how to direct an American star on a shooting set. Would she do all I ask? Would she have extravagant demands? Does he ask for anything in return? Soon I got answers to my questions because the meeting was great! He did not refuse anything, because he was amused to play with his glamorous image.

Where did you shoot?
A little in the South, a little in the Paris region. The original manga is happening in Tokyo, but the filming would have been too expensive and it would have been strange, because the characters speak all French. So we decided to move it to us, but without marking the place. Like Gotham City in Batman, Nicky lives in a city that does not exist, and cannot be located. We filmed in Paris in La Defense, Beaugrenelle, but we added 3D buildings, and we removed the Eiffel Tower from some pictures... The only place mentioned is Monaco.

What were your sources of inspiration?
In the pure comedy, I have a true French culture, because my models have always been Francis Veber - my absolute master - Alain Chabat, Les Nuls, Les Inconnus and Le Splendid.
Among the French comedies of recent years, the series of Taxi movies were probably the most successful. But let's not forget Belmondo, including Le Magnifique, by Philippe de Broca. But this time I have to confess that I was more inspired by the American comedies, because they are very bold. The first time that I saw There’s Something About Mary, by the Farrelly Brothers, was a real shock. And I grew up with American Pie, these genres of movies that pushed the limits! This is an example for me.


The budget was important. Did you have any extra pressure?
When we pictured such a movie, we were scared at first. But to be credible, it was necessary to have money. I did not have the means for a Mission: Impossible kind of movie, but when the idea is to make a James Bond with accent on comedy, the bar is up. That's why we wanted the budget to be appropriate. So we used the best professionals, technicians who worked with Luc Besson and who did a great job in scenes that needed explosions, chasings and very realistic fights.

In the end, the movie is like you want it to be?
I am very happy, yes, because my purpose was to make the most funny movie and to mix it with action and feelings. And, thanks to my great editor, I have the feeling that I have succeeded.

Interview by Clara Géliot.




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in Hollywood / 06.05.2019

First trailer and poster for The Poison Rose

Lionsgate has released the official trailer for the indie noir thriller The Poison Rose, from writer/director George Gallo.

Inspired by classic film noir, The Poison Rose stars Carson Phillips (John Travolta), an ex-football star turned private investigator, who enjoys his share of drinking, smoking, and gambling.He takes on a seemingly routine missing persons case in his old home town.

Returning there after 15 years, he discovers a case of fraud, drug smuggling, crimes and a deadly ticking clock to solve the murder and uncover the town’s dirty secrets.

The Poison Rose is co-directed by filmmakers Francesco Cinquemani (Andron, Beyond the Edge) & George Gallo (a writer on Midnight Run, Bad Boys, The Whole Ten Yards; director of Local Color, My Mom's New Boyfriend, Middle Men, Columbus Circle, Bigger) & Luca Giliberto (making his directorial debut).

The impressive cast of Poison Rose features Morgan Freeman, Famke Janssen, Brendan Fraser, Peter Stormare, Ella Bleu Travolta, Kat Graham, Robert Patrick, Nadine Lewington, and Nick Vallelonga.

The Poison Rose marks the first on-screen collab between John Travolta and Morgan Freeman, and in will be released in select theaters starting May 24th.





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in Events / 24.04.2019

After: # 1 in Romania, Bulgaria and Czech Republic

Last weekend, Prorom released After in Romania and Bulgaria, and in both countries the much-anticipated adaptation of bestselling novels by Anna Todd took the weekend's top spot.

In Romania, After (released by Prorom and Ro Image) generated 48,120 admissions and took $ 215,980.

In Bulgaria, After (released by Prorom and BTV) was seen by 16,672 spectators and grossed $ 70,154.

Also, in the Czech Republic and Slovakia After had a great success at the box office: so far, it has been seen by 104,115 spectators. In Czech Republic, After took the # 1 spot this weekend - a really extraordinary performance - since last week premiered on third place. In Slovakia, After is currently ranked second. The total box office in these territories is $ 372,842.

In Hungary - After (released by Big Bang Media - a Prorom company), the first two weekend runs comprised over 61,047 admissions, after the 29.991 spectators had seen the film in the first weekend. Total revenue in Hungary is $ 301,089.

Worldwide, After brought in an estimated $ 48.6 million ($ 11,1 Domestic and $ 37,5 Internationally). The Buget was around $14 million.

In After, a young woman (Josephine Langford) falls for a guy (Hero Fiennes-Tiffin) with a dark secret and the two embark on a rocky relationship.




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in Interviews / 15.04.2019

Exclusive interview with Anna Todd: “If you like to be entertained, go see After!”

Here is an exclusive interview with the bestselling author of After series, Anna Todd. Anna visited Bucharest, Romania in october 2018 and we talked about the After movie that is going to be released in cinemas this weekend.

Hi Anna, nice to meet you! Because you’re an author I have to ask you.. You prefer read the book and then see the movie or vice-versa?
Anna Todd: Definitely the book first. Because I've always been a reader my whole life. So I rather read the book and then see the movie.

What was the inspiration for the After book besides the One Direction thing that everyone knows? Is there a specific book? Or a specific movie?
Anna: Yes there are a lot of different ones, honestly. For the book was mostly like Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Hemingway… When you read the After series you can see that the characters talk a lot about literature, so there a lot or parallels between those stories and mine. I was also inspired by the movies like 10 Things I Hate about You, She’s All that… because of the ending. Is kind of the same. Like it’s a deal kind of… the girls been tricked it in that situation. Also I got inspiration from Vampire Diaries… The character Hardin is not the typical romance hero. In my books he is more harsh than most…

I’m glad you mention 10 Things I Hate About You… I think is one of the greatest comedies of the ’90. They also made a sequel, but it didn’t have anything in common with the first one…

Anna: Yes… I hate when they do that! They do that with the Cruel Intentions… I loved that movie. Cruel Intentions is like After 2, you will see. But they do this with the second Cruel Intentions – and I was like “What was this??”. Like… I did not want that!

But you think that this first movie – After could be the beginning of a franchise? Or is just a standalone movie?
Anna: The After movie is the adaptation of the first book.  And even some of material from the first book we save it for… hopefully After 2. Because the first book is soooo long. It was impossible to fit it all.

You were involved in the production of the movie - you also worked at the screenplay?
Anna: Yeah, I got really lucky because we sold it to a smaller studio first, so I had a lot of control… I was at every casting, I chose the cast… I’m also a producer on the movie, I was on set every single day. So I was very involved. So I know exactly every scene.

So the Movie is a lot like you imagined to be…
Anna: Yes. Honestly it was a lot like this. I got to help choose some of the locations… if the bedroom didn’t look right or something in the room didn’t seem right we will move it. So I had a lot of control (laughing). We were really lucky.

Yes, you were! Not a lot of authors can do that…
Anna: Yes. Most of them can’t. So I got really lucky.

So when they choose the actors, you have some control?
Anna: Yes. Basically everyone that I want got the roles. But not just because of me, because we were all grup voting. But with Hero, specially… Hith him basically was “I will quit if you don’t hire him like… Now”. Because I knew it’s him. We met so many… and he wasn’t my favourite in the beginning, until I met him in person. And then I just knew… and everyone agreed with me. And then on the set they all said “Thank you”. Because he is perfect for this role. He is a Fiennes. Ralph Fiennes and Joseph Fiennes are his uncles. So he came from this business, he knows how to work hard and he is not like “lazy” or “millennial”… is really great!

How was with the director of the movie?
Anna: I got to meet a couple different choices. And she and I hit if off, and It was great. So I had some meetings with her before we started pre-production, and I worked a lot with the script… Some parts of the script I actually wrote myself. So it was a really collaborate effort.  A lot of times when the studios will buy adaptations they say “We want to keep closes to the book”… but they don’t. With mine, they didn’t have a choice, because I was always there (laughing).

The director read the book first?
Anna: Yes, she did. And also a big part of the cast, they read the whole series. So it was really good to have this people who really want to make it closes is possible. Of course, there are some things that we need it to change because of timing, but it was really good.

In the movie some things differ from the books...
Anna: Yes it’s a different medium. And I tried to tell my readers.. it’s never gonna be exactly the same, and for me it doesn’t bother me if the people say “the book is better”… because I made the book! (laughing). So I’m like… thank you!