NEON is reuniting with acclaimed filmmaker Cรฉline Sciamma on Petite Maman following their successful collaboration on the revered Portrait of a Lady on Fire. NEON has acquired North American rights to the film, written and directed by Sciamma. Petite Maman, which just had its World Premiere in competition at the Berlinale, stars sisters Josรฉphine Sanz and Gabrielle Sanz, with Nina Meurisse, Stรฉphane Varupenne and Margot Abascal. The drama is produced by Bรฉnรฉdicte Couvreur of Lilies Films and shot by seasoned cinematographer Claire Mathon, Sciamma's frequent collaborators.
8-year-old Nelly has just lost her beloved grandmother and is helping her parents clean out her mother’s childhood home. She explores the house and the surrounding woods where her mom, Marion, used to play and built the treehouse she’s heard so much about. One day her mother abruptly leaves. That’s when Nelly meets a girl her own age in the woods building a treehouse. Her name is Marion.
Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire premiered in competition at Cannes, winning Best Screenplay, and rose to critical acclaim, earning BAFTA, Golden Globes® and Independent Spirit Awards nominations, and winning numerous awards including the Cรฉsar Award for Best Cinematography and European Film Award for Best European Screenwriter. Before that, Sciamma’s Girlhood screened in the Quinzaine des rรฉalisateurs at Cannes and won numerous international awards; and Tomboy, opened the 2011 Panorama and won the Teddy Award. Her debut feature film, Water Lilies, also premiered at Cannes in 2007.