AFM: SND Launches Sales on French Psychological Thriller ‘Appearances’

By Elsa Keslassy

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – , the commercial arm of the French TV network M6, will be launching sales on “Appearances” (“Valses de Vienne”), a psychological thriller headlined by Karin Viard (“Jealous,” pictured).

“Appearances” is adapted from Swedish author Karin Alvtegen’s bestselling crime novel “Betrayal.” The film revolves around a couple of successful French expats, Eve and Henri, who live in Vienna. Their perfect life spins out of control after Eve discovers her husband’s infidelity and has a revenge one-night stand with a young Austrian man, pulling them into an irreversible spiral.

Viard stars in the film opposite French singer-turned-musician Benjamin Biolay (“On a Magical Night”) and Laetitia Dosch (“Montparnasse Bienvenue”). Now in post, “Appearances” is produced by Thelma Films and Scope Pictures. SND will be unveiling a promo reel at the AFM, and will be distributing the film in France.

SND’s AFM roster also includes Gabriel Le Bomin’s “De Gaulle,” a historical drama charting the epic rise of Charles de Gaulle, the French general who built the Resistance movement during the fateful month of June in 1940, when French was occupied by Nazi Germany.

De Gaulle, who later became President of France, allowed the country to side with allies during WWII at a time when the government was fully collaborating with the Nazis. Produced by Vertigo Productions, “De Gaulle” stars Lambert Wilson (“Of Gods and Men”) and Isabelle Carré (“Romantics Anonymous”).

SND is also selling Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury’s horror film “Kandisha,” an exorcism story led by a young female cast; and “Poly,” a family adventure film directed by Nicolas Vanier (“Belle & Sebastien”) and starring Julie Gayet (“Dad Friend”), Francois Cluzet (“School of Life”) and Partick Timsit. “Poly” will be released in France in Dec. 2020.