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Chi-Fou-Mi Productions

Chi-Fou-Mi Productions is Arnaud Selignac's Paris-based production shingle, known for high-profile French theatrical event films and a growing English-language slate with auteur directors and A-list talent.

Current mandate

Chi-Fou-Mi Productions, the shingle of producer Arnaud Selignac, operates at the upper tier of French independent production with a clear mandate: make films that function as theatrical events. The company's philosophy, articulated consistently by Selignac, centers on cinematic scale, strong casting, and a willingness to work with directors whose sensibilities are genuinely distinctive. That positioning has made Chi-Fou-Mi one of the more recognizable names in French prestige production, with a slate that balances commercial ambition and auteur credibility in ways that attract both public broadcasters and brand partners.

The company's most recent and most visible project is "Dog 51," a dystopian thriller that became the closing night film at the Venice Film Festival before traveling to Toronto and opening theatrically in France on October 16. The film carries a €40 million budget, Selignac's largest to date, and was financed through a combination of Studiocanal (marking the 13th collaboration between the two companies), France Télévisions, Netflix, and brand partner Lacoste. It follows the 2024-2025 theatrical success of "Beating Hearts," which became Studiocanal's biggest French hit with over $36 million from five million admissions. Looking ahead, Chi-Fou-Mi is developing a Johnny Hallyday biopic with director Cedric Jimenez, two English-language projects from Quentin Dupieux featuring A-list American actors, a new film from Leos Carax, and a new "Asterix and Obelix" installment directed by Jonathan Cohen.

Chi-Fou-Mi is not a conventional open-submission buyer. The company develops projects through long-standing creative partnerships with directors including Dupieux and Jimenez, and is actively cultivating relationships with new auteurs such as Carax and Cohen. Material reaches Selignac primarily through established industry relationships, representation by recognized agents, or direct filmmaker attachment. Producers and writers seeking to work with Chi-Fou-Mi should approach through French or international representation with existing ties to the company's creative network.

Signature peaks

  • 13 Films Studiocanal Partnership Depth — Chi-Fou-Mi and Studiocanal have co-produced together across 13 titles, including 'Beating Hearts,' 'The Stronghold,' and 'November.'
  • $36M+ Beating Hearts Box Office — 'Beating Hearts' drew five million admissions in France in 2024-2025, becoming Studiocanal's biggest French theatrical hit of that cycle.
  • 2 Dupieux Films English-Language Expansion — Chi-Fou-Mi is developing two English-language Quentin Dupieux projects with A-list American actors attached, marking a significant international pivot.

Mandate dimensions

Genre focus
Not disclosed
Territory focus
Not disclosed
Budget tier (observed)
Not disclosed
Access pattern
Chi-Fou-Mi develops projects through long-standing director partnerships and filmmaker-driven attachments; material reaches Selignac via established French or international representation with existing ties to the company's creative network, not through open submissions.
Deal structure
Chi-Fou-Mi structures productions through multi-party financing arrangements combining distributor partners (primarily Studiocanal), streaming platforms (Netflix), public broadcasters (France Télévisions), and brand financing (Lacoste), rather than conventional script acquisition deals.

Market context

With a €40 million Venice closer and two English-language Dupieux films in development, Chi-Fou-Mi is pushing French production ambition into genuinely new territory.

Chi-Fou-Mi Productions, the shingle of producer Arnaud Selignac, operates at the upper tier of French independent production with a clear mandate: make films that function as theatrical events. The company's philosophy, articulated consistently by Selignac, centers on cinematic scale, strong casting, and a willingness to work with directors whose sensibilities are genuinely distinctive. That positioning has made Chi-Fou-Mi one of the more recognizable names in French prestige production, with a slate that balances commercial ambition and auteur credibility in ways that attract both public broadcasters and brand partners.

Common questions about Chi-Fou-Mi Productions

Does Chi-Fou-Mi Productions accept unsolicited scripts?

Chi-Fou-Mi does not operate as an open-submission production company. Arnaud Selignac builds his slate through long-term creative partnerships with specific directors, including Quentin Dupieux, Cedric Jimenez, Leos Carax, and Jonathan Cohen. Unsolicited scripts are not a realistic pathway into the company. Writers and producers should approach through established French or international representation with existing ties to Chi-Fou-Mi's creative network.

How does Chi-Fou-Mi attach to or develop new projects?

Chi-Fou-Mi develops projects primarily through recurring director relationships and filmmaker-driven attachments. Selignac has described the company's model as building around directors whose sensibilities align with Chi-Fou-Mi's mandate for cinematic event films with distinctive mise-en-scène. New relationships, such as those with Leos Carax and Jonathan Cohen, appear to develop through the broader French industry ecosystem rather than open pitching processes.

What is Chi-Fou-Mi Productions currently developing or producing?

As of mid-2026, Chi-Fou-Mi's active slate includes a Johnny Hallyday biopic directed by Cedric Jimenez, set to begin filming in spring; two English-language projects from Quentin Dupieux featuring A-list American actors; a new film from Leos Carax; and a new 'Asterix and Obelix' installment directed by Jonathan Cohen. The company's most recent completed production, 'Dog 51,' premiered at Venice and opened theatrically in France in October 2025.

Who are the key creative decision-makers at Chi-Fou-Mi Productions?

Arnaud Selignac is the founder and lead producer at Chi-Fou-Mi Productions and the primary creative decision-maker on all projects. ScriptMatch tracks nine decision-makers affiliated with the company, though Selignac is the publicly identified executive driving strategy, financing, and director relationships. His recurring collaborators, including Quentin Dupieux and Cedric Jimenez, function as key creative partners rather than in-house executives.

How do I get my project in front of Chi-Fou-Mi Productions?

The most realistic pathway to Chi-Fou-Mi is through French or international representation with existing relationships in the French prestige production ecosystem. The company's financing model, which combines Studiocanal, Netflix, France Télévisions, and brand partners like Lacoste, suggests that projects need to arrive with meaningful creative attachments or come through channels already familiar to Selignac. Cold outreach is unlikely to be effective given the company's director-driven development model.

Is Chi-Fou-Mi Productions currently active?

Yes. Chi-Fou-Mi is actively in development on multiple projects as of 2026, including the Jimenez-directed Johnny Hallyday biopic, two English-language Dupieux films, a Leos Carax project, and a new 'Asterix and Obelix' film. The company's most recent production, 'Dog 51,' was the closing night film at Venice 2025 and represents Selignac's highest-budget project to date at €40 million, signaling continued upward momentum in scale and ambition.

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