Legende Goes Hollywood

La Vie En Rose producer Alain Goldman is launching Légende Films, Inc., a subsidiary of his Paris-based production house Légende. Former Hollywood journalist Nancy Griffin (Premiere, AARP Magazine, Hit and Run, co-authored with Kim Masters) will head development and production in Los Angeles.

“We have been growing the company with the intention of developing more films for the international market," says Goldman, "and the moment is right to establish ourselves in the U.S."

Goldman has secured a new financial partnership with the French investment company Serendipity, co-owned by industrialists Bouygues and Pinault and headed by Patrick Le Lay, which now holds 35% of Légende. The company has also extended its worldwide (except U.S.) distribution deal with StudioCanal.

Founded in 1992, Légende started out with Ridley Scott’s big-bucks Christopher Columbus epic 1492. The company co-produced Martin Scorsese’s Casino with Universal and TF1 and also produced Roland Joffé’s Vatel. In France, Légende produced The Crimson Rivers 1 & 2, L'Enquête Corse, La Vie en Rose and 99 Francs. Legende has completed production on the upcoming summer release Babylon AD for Fox and StudioCanal, starring Vin Diesel.

Goldman wants to work with English-speaking directors, writers and actors on a variety of genres.