French director Bérenger Thouin’s debut feature film, The Golden Age (L'Âge d'Or), has sparked a massive rush among international film buyers following its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Represented by sales agent Films Boutique, the project holds a highly unique distinction as the only new fiction feature film playing in this year's prestigious Cannes Classics lineup. The theatrical rights have already been successfully acquired across major global territories, including Pyramide for France, Cinéart for the Benelux region, and Lucky Red for Italy.

The film represents a landmark technical achievement that took over ten years of writing and meticulous editing to complete. Thouin’s narrative seamlessly blends newly filmed, live action fictional sequences with extensive, previously unseen historical footage sourced directly from the Gaumont Pathé Archives. By creating a precise storyboard that merges real 20th century newsreels with cinematic drama, the director avoids a standard documentary approach to reinvent the historical epic genre. 

The plot centers on the extraordinary 60 year journey of Jeanne Lavaur, a village butcher’s daughter who defies her destiny to chase her dream of becoming a countess. Her life unfolds through major global upheavals, carrying her from the roaring twenties in Paris through both World Wars and eventually to Brazil. The film features a stellar cast including Souheila Yacoub in the lead role alongside Vassili Schneider, Yile Yara Vianello, and Pierre Antoine Billon.