Gravel Lake Launches With Arnaud Desplechin’s ‘The Thing That Hurts’

EXCLUSIVE: Former Concourse executive Grant Mohrman has launched U.S. sales and production firm Gravel Lake Entertainment with Cannes regular Arnaud Desplechin’s upcoming film The Thing That Hurts as its debut sales title.

Filming is due to begin later this month in France and Belgium on Desplechin’s feature, which has been described as “a Parisian psychodrama where grief, guilt, and love collide among strangers bound by a haunting secret”. 

Casting is being kept under wraps for now but a number of high-profile talent have been speculated online. Among those to have been connected to the project over the years but won’t be in the film, we’re told, are Léa Seydoux and Jason Schwartzman. Mohrman, who will handle international sales, told us “the film has a strong international ensemble in place” and added that further details would be revealed shortly. He also said the film would “mark a new chapter for Desplechin”.

As we previously reported, The Thing That Hurts is financed by Silver Screen Global and produced by 3Six9 Studios. Also producing are Charles Gillibert’s CG Cinéma, Portuguese/Turkish company Alaz Film, and Brussels outfit Wrong Men. It’s likely the film is at least partially English-language.

Veteran Desplechin is known for films including My Golden Days, which won the César Award for Best Director, Kings And Queen, A Christmas Tale, and Esther Khan. Most recently, Two Pianos, starring Charlotte Rampling, debuted at last year’s Toronto Film Festival. He has played in Cannes nine times.

According to Mohrman, who previously served as Head of Acquisitions and Production at seller-producer Concourse Media, LA and New York-based Gravel Lake will focus on “director-driven prestige films and elevated genre projects”. The company’s development slate includes a feature with director Claire McCarthy (The Colour Room, The Luminaries).

LA-based Mohrman will serve as Managing Partner. Joining him at the company is New York-based TV producer Christopher Martello as Head of Development.

“The filmmakers at the center of Gravel Lake’s work are the kinds of artists AI will someday attempt to replicate, original voices whose perspective defines what cinema can be,” said Mohrman. “Our mission is to find them, protect that vision, and connect their work to audiences everywhere.”

3Six9 Studios is the film and TV production company founded by Daya Fernandez, Amaury Nolasco, Alois Rubenbauer, Sheikh Mohammed El Khereiji, and Kevin Obarski.

Grant Mohrman, Derek Steele