EXCLUSIVE: Oscar and Palme d’Or winner Justine Triet (Anatomy Of A Fall) has found her next feature, Fonda, which will mark her full English-language debut.
Frankenstein star Mia Goth, BAFTA winner Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers), Cannes Best Actor winner Frank Dillane (Urchin), and Candyman star Nathan Stewart-Jarrett are all signed up for the much-anticipated project, while Oscar winner Allison Janney (I, Tonya) is in talks for a key role.
The production, which will be one of the hottest pre-sales titles at the upcoming European Film Market in Berlin, reunites writer-director Triet with Anatomy of a Fall producers Marie-Ange Luciani (Les Films de Pierre) and David Thion (Les Films Pelléas), as well as mk2 Films, which is handling sales.
Deadline hears its an ensemble piece led by Goth, who was originally earmarked for a supporting role but impressed Triet so much she was offered the lead, with Janney and Scott also in bigger parts. Additional casting is still in progress with the shoot being lined up for spring 2026.
The first official synopsis reads: “A psychological thriller set in a seemingly idyllic huis clos, Fonda takes us on a vertiginous dive into the shifting limits of a sound mind, as grief and obsession take hold.”
The Fonda of the title shouldn’t mislead anyone. It doesn’t refer to the American acting dynasty but instead to an institution central to the story. Triet takes a solo writing credit on the screenplay.
Paris-based mk2 is joining forces on the project with Studiocanal, which is a financing and co-producing partner and has picked up several key territories including France, Germany, Italy, Benelux, Poland, Australia, and New Zealand, where the film will be released theatrically.
The picture is Triet’s first feature since her 2023 Cannes Palme d’Or-winning psychological thriller Anatomy of a Fall, which went on to enjoy a major awards season run, garnering its star Sandra Hüller a Best Actress Academy Award nomination and clinching an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The movie took $36M worldwide, a big number for a multi-lingual European drama.
There has been great interest in Triet’s next project with Hollywood luminaries reportedly queuing up for potential collaboration. Triet confirmed that Steven Spielberg was among interested parties. One potential project for the filmmaker was an adaptation of Daniel Clowes’ graphic novel, Monica, with Cate Blanchett reportedly interested to star. Ultimately, Triet has landed on Fonda, which according to the partners is similarly fertile intelligent thriller territory to Anatomy.
“Fonda promises to bring audiences another major cinematic moment by delving into the depths of the human mind and resurfacing as a thriller of rare intelligence and emotional force destined to be a top awards contender and box office hit,” said Fionnuala Jamison, Managing Director of mk2 Films.
“We’re thrilled to be embarking on this new journey with the Anatomy of a Fall team and to have Studiocanal on board,” she added.
Studiocanal CEO and Canal+ CCO Anna Marsh commented: “Justine Triet’s cinematic work is incomparable, and in Fonda our cast is exceptional. We cannot wait to bring this film to audiences across our territories announced today. The moment we read the script we just knew we had to be part of what will be Justine Triet’s unforgettable and formidable return to cinema.”
Paris-based mk2 Films is in the middle of a buzzy awards season with three Golden Globe wins and fifteen Oscar nominations across its slate on titles It Was Just an Accident, Sentimental Value and The Secret Agent. French filmmaker Triet’s previous films include Cannes duo Sibyl and Victoria.
English (US) ·