Variety will honor French entertainment giant Pathé with its Achievement in Intl. Film Award on May 20 at the Cannes Film Festival.
The oldest of the French film groups is still fully involved in exhibition, production, distribution and sales, is family-owned and run by Jérôme Seydoux. Earlier this year, “CODA,” the remake of the company’s “La Famille Belier,” took three Oscars, including for best picture.
In the past two years, the company has greenlit big budget features “Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom” and the two-part adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ masterpiece, “The Three Musketeers – D’Artagnan” and “The Three Musketeers – Milady.”
Pathé is venturing into television production and signed pacts with Netflix and Apple TV+.
During the pandemic, Pathé forged ahead with films for theatrical release and Seydoux, who has been involved in greenlighting big-budget spectacles, wants to maintain the company’s high standards whether in film or TV.
Pathé also believes in keeping long-term ties with filmmakers such as Alain Attal (“Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom”), Dmitri Rasssam (“The Three Musketeers”) and Philippe Rousselet (“CODA”).
Going forward, Pathé has plans to produce high-end series such as an adaptation of “Cyrano de Bergerac” as well as release three or four big-budget films during the year. The deals with streamer Apple includes “CODA,” which recently won three Oscars, and its pact with Netflix includes Dany Boon lockdown-themed comedy “8, rue de l’Humanité.”
Pathé also has pacts with European giants such as DeAPlaneta in Spain, Lucky Red in Italy and Constantin in Germany.
Pathé also has a large exhibition stake, recently acquiring chains in North Africa as well as Gaumont’s multiplexes in 2017.