Lightdox has acquired international sales rights to “Gabin,” the debut feature documentary by French filmmaker Maxence Voiseux. The film will celebrate its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in the Directors’ Fortnight section. French distribution is being handled by Arizona Distribution.
In northern France, Gabin, the youngest of the Jourdel family, finds himself destined to take over his father’s butcher shop. Torn between family loyalty and a desire to break free, his dreams lie elsewhere: to train a contest cow, to become a dog breeder, and to save his mother’s farm from financial ruin. The film immerses us in the boy’s world, following his journey from age 8 to 18.
“Rooting his filmmaking in the rural territories his own parents once left behind, Voiseux acts as both filmmaker and confidant,” according to a statement from Lightdox. “He captures a delicate coming-of-age journey in the course of a decade, carefully viewing Gabin’s struggle to forge his own identity as a powerful reflection of the universal complexities of emancipation and social mobility.”
Anna Berthollet, founder of Lightdox, said she had been following the project closely for five years. “We were immediately struck by its powerful and deeply cinematic way of capturing the inner conflicts of a young boy torn between family duty and personal dreams. Through Gabin’s journey from childhood to adolescence, Maxence offers a moving and authentic portrait of rural life, its loyalties and struggles to sustain the land that ultimately feeds us all. The film stands out with universal themes of inheritance and aspiration that will resonate deeply with international audiences.”
“Gabin” is produced by Alter Ego Production in France (represented by Cécile Lestrade and Elise Hug), Ama Film in Germany (represented by Ulla Lehmann), and Rita Productions in Switzerland (represented by Palmyre Badinier), in co-production with SWR/ARTE and RTS Radio Télévision Suisse. The producing team also includes Andrea Roggon, Pauline Gygax and Max Karli.
The project was brought to life with the support of Eurimages, the Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC), the Federal Office of Culture (FOC), MFG Filmförderung Baden-Württemberg, Pictanovo, Région Hauts-de-France, the FFA, Cinéforom, Loterie Romande, Ciclic-Région Centre-Val de Loire in partnership with the CNC and Procirep-Angoa.
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