Pathe is now introducing buyers to The Illusionist, the new feature from The Triplets Of Belleville creator Sylvain Chomet. The company is showing first footage here of the $22m project, financed by Pathe and France 3 with Canal Plus.

Django and CineB are co-producing; producers are Bob Last and Sally Chomet with Philippe Carcassonne and Jake Eberts executive producing.

The film is based on an original, previously unproduced script by Jacques Tati which Chomet has adapted.

The film will be ready for a theatrical release in 2009.

Chomet, now based in Scotland, started production on the project at Edinburgh-based Django Films in June 2006. A 70-person team is working on the film, which will use 2D techniques as well as CGI. Additional work is taking place at Inkdigital in Dundee and Neomis and LaStation in France.

Pathe has French and UK rights and Pathe International is handling world sales.

In the story, an old-fashioned stage entertainer who tries not to disappoint a young girl who believes his magic tricks are real.

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