New French Trailer Offers an Early Look at Sylvain Chomet’s ‘A Magnificent Life’

Today, French distributor Wild Bunch unveiled a new trailer for Marcel et Monsieur Pagnol (a.k.a. A Magnificent Life), the highly anticipated next animated feature from four-time Oscar-nominated writer-director Sylvain Chomet. The preview invites viewers to “Discover the incredibly story of the greatest storyteller of all time” — namely, the revered author, playwright, filmmaker and memoirist, Marcel Pagnol.

Synopsis: In 1955, 60-year-old Marcel Pagnol is a well-known and acclaimed playwright and filmmaker. When the editor-in-chief of ELLE magazine commissions a weekly column about Pagnol’s childhood, he sees this as a great opportunity to go back to his artistic roots: writing. Realizing his memory is failing him and deeply affected by the disappointing results of his last two plays, Pagnol starts doubting his ability to pursue his work. That is until Little Marcel — the young boy he used to be — appears to him as if by magic. Together, they will explore Marcel Pagnol’s incredible life and bring back to life his most cherished encounters and memories…

TV BAFTA winner Laurent Lafitte (Class Act, The Count of Monte-Cristo) leads the French voice cast as adult Marcel Pagnol, with César Award winner Géraldine Pailhas (Young & Beautiful, La neige et le feu), impressionist Thierry Garcia, comedian Anaïs Petit, multi-disciplinary artist/performer Vincent Fernandel (Marcel Pagnol: Variations d’Amour) and Véronique Philipponnat, the current Director of Elle France. The roster also includes Olivia Gotanègre (Elle), Dino Kelly (Peaky Blinders) and Sophie Maréchal (The Break).

The film is produced by What The Prod, Mediawan, Bidibul Productions and Walking The Dog. Producers are Ashargin Poire and Valerie Puech for What the Prod; co-producers are Lilian Eche’s Bidibul Productions, Adrian Politowski’s Align and Aton Soumache for Mediawan Kids & Family Cinema, in collaboration with Nicolas Pagnol from Pagnol’s Estate.

Marcel et Monsieur Pagnol will have its wide release in France on October 15 through Wild Bunch, following its premiere at Cannes in May. Sony Pictures Classics will release the film as A Magnificent Life in U.S. theaters. An English-language teaser was released last fall; any dub casting is yet to be announced.