‘CODA’ Associate Producer Stephane Celerier Launches Gemma Pictures With PGS Entertainment (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentStephane Celerier, a veteran French film executive whose former banner Mars Films co-produced “La Famille Belier,” is joining forces with PGS Entertainment to create a new production company.Celerier is launching Gemma Pictures with Philippe and Guillaume Souter, the founders of PGS Entertainment, a thriving family-owned business specialized in financing and licensing worldwide youth entertainment.The new Paris-based company will look to produce French and English-language films, TV series and TV movies and is already developing a slate of 10 projects with well-known French and international talent.

A resourceful and deep-pocketed company, PGS Entertainment will fully finance the development of Gemma Pictures’ roster over the next three years and will handle the back office, while giving Celerier the full reins of the company.

One of France’s most respected and passionate industry figures, Celerier acquired and distributed locally a flurry of critically-acclaimed U.K.

and U.S. movies, including “Billy Elliot,” “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” “Million Dollar Baby,” “Fahrenheit 9/11,” as well as Oscar-winning “12 Years a Slave” and “Moonlight.” These films often performed higher in France than elsewhere in Europe, with the exception of the U.K.When Celerier branched out into production with “La Famille Belier,” he experienced similar success.