Vixens Scales Up: Ambitious Slate at Cannes

The Paris-based production banner Vixens is unveiling its most ambitious slate to date at the Cannes market, featuring a diverse collection of French and English-language thrillers, debut features, and auteur projects.

The company, part of a larger group including commercials and music video powerhouse Phantasm, has built a reputation for spearheading production, brand financing, and executive production for foreign films shot in France.

Vixens' current slate highlights a hybrid identity with six projects: three French-language, two English-language, and one Arabic-language film. This diverse offering includes three first features and three projects from established directors, with shooting locations split between France and international settings.

A notable project is "Faux Bijoux," an Arabic-language feature debut from director Jessy Moussallem, which follows a Lebanese family navigating challenges after the Beirut port explosion. The film is expected to begin shooting in Lebanon in late September.

Additionally, Vixens is collaborating with director Kim Chapiron on an untitled thriller set in the beauty industry, inspired by real cases of illegal cosmetic injections in France. The film is slated for shooting in November and December.

Internationally, Vixens is producing an English-language thriller set in the rap world, exploring the rapid rise and violent spiral of a young artist, and "Nymph," an English-language psychological horror thriller from director Eva Vik.

Vixens also excels in bringing brands into cinema as financing partners, having collaborated on around 10 brand-financed projects, including films by Jacques Audiard and Claire Denis.

The company has expanded into private financing, raising funds from family offices and investors not typically involved in cinema, a model that helped finance films like "Paper Tiger" and "Full Phil."

Leveraging its strong presence in commercials through Phantasm, Vixens has gained access to capital and talent, enabling the development of ambitious projects without financing pressure and fostering invaluable shooting experience and collaboration with artists.