Paris, 27 September 2025 — Acclaimed Iranian director Asghar Farhadi has commenced principal photography in Paris on his highly anticipated new film Parallel Tales (French: Histoires Parallèles), which brings together a stellar cast including Isabelle Huppert, Catherine Deneuve, Vincent Cassel, Virginie Efira, Pierre Niney, and Adam Bessa.
Production & Cast
The shooting officially began on 8 September 2025, with filming expected to run for about three months.
Among the first to appear before the camera are Huppert and Deneuve, marking a notable pairing of French cinema icons under Farhadi’s direction.
The film is a co-production between French, U.S., Italian, and Belgian partners. The French company Memento Production and U.S.-based Anonymous Content are leading the production, alongside longtime collaborator Alexandre Mallet-Guy and producer David Levine.
In the financial and distribution sphere, Charades will handle international sales, UTA Independent Film Group will represent U.S. rights, and Memento will distribute in France.
Narrative & Expectations
The plot of Parallel Tales is being kept under wraps for now; Farhadi, known for his multi-layered narratives exploring moral conflicts, relationship tensions, and shifting perspectives, is expected to continue in that vein.
The title suggests an interwoven storytelling structure, possibly with parallel or intersecting lives and perspectives—a format Farhadi has navigated masterfully in his previous works.
This marks Farhadi’s tenth feature film, and only his second directorial foray in French, after The Past (2013).
The release is tentatively slated for Spring 2026 in France, with hopes for a world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.
Significance & Challenges
The combination of Huppert and Deneuve under Farhadi is notable: two French cinema legends coming into his cinematic world may bring fresh dynamics and cross-cultural resonance.
The project is ambitious in both scope and collaboration, linking film industries across continents.
Farhadi’s films often walk a tightrope between intimate character drama and social/political subtext; capturing that balance in a new language and context presents both a challenge and an opportunity.
Given the secrecy around the script, critical and audience expectations are already building, especially since Farhadi’s last film, A Hero (2021), won the Grand Prix at Cannes.
Also, given his track record, expectations are high that Parallel Tales will not only premiere at a major festival like Cannes but also enter the awards conversation, potentially bridging Iranian and European cinema in a unique way.
