Merely days after "A Separation" helmer Asghar Farhadi cast fellow Oscar winner Marion Cotillard in his mysterious French-language feature, the Iranian has added another prestigious Gallic talent to the project in actor Tahar Rahim.
Details of the story remain under wraps but the pic will see Rahim unite with fellow Jacques Audiard collaborator Cotillard for what Farhadi has described as an "emotional social thriller" in the vein of 'A Separation,' with multiple twists aimed at keeping the audience in suspense from the first frame to the last. It'll also mark the first time Farhadi has shot a film outside his native Iran with lensing to begin this fall on an €11 million budget.
After breaking out at Cannes three years ago with his award-winning role in Audiard's "A Prophet," Rahim has pretty much avoided the allure Hollywood and the bigger pay checks (aside from a part in Kevin MacDonald's "The Eagle"), instead deciding to stay in Europe working with name likes Lou Ye, Joachim Lafosse, Jean-Jacques Annaud and Ismaël Ferroukhi. Things look to be kicking up a gear in 2012 with this collaboration with Farhadi and Cotillard, as well as the planned finale to Faith Akin's Love, Death & The Devil Trilogy with "The Cut" — both of which will surely see the actor return to major film festival red carpets early next year. [Variety]