DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHY - Léo Fontaine

Born in Chatenay-Malabry in 1994, Léo Fontaine studied cinema and directing at the 3IS school, from 2013 to 2016. In his final year, he directed his first short film, Fils De, co-written by Nolwenn Marty and Julia Zahar. A film about the daily life of a young teenager living in an oppressive neighborhood, starring Anthony Bajon, Jean-Michel Correia, Najaa Bensaid and Yves-Batek Mendy. With the help of his brother Brice Fontaine, producer at One Out, Léo went on to direct and produce two short films about adolescence; L'un pour l'autre, a film about soccer, starring Yves-Batek Mendy. The film made some fifteen selections around the world, including several sports film festivals such as Barcelona. And Emma Forever, co-written with Julia Zahar, stars Victor Bonnel and Flavie Delangle. The film was selected for some twenty festivals and received a special mention at the Festival de musique et cinéma d'Aubagne. It has been purchased and broadcasted on OCS. In 2021, he shot his third short film, Les cœurs en chien, produced by Améthyste Films and starring an attractive quartet of actors and actresses: Victor Bonnel, Manon Bresch, Héloïse Volle and Bilel Chegrani. Distributed by Manifest, the film was selected for the Jean Carmet Festival and the Brest Festival, then purchased and broadcasted on Arte. His last short film, Qu'importe la distance was produced by Offshore and distributed by Manifest. The film follows the journey of a mother who visits her son in prison for the first time. His first feature film, Jeunesse, mon amour, co-produced by Poly Films and Améthyste Films and distributed by Wayna Pitch, will be released in cinemas in April 2024. The film once again focuses on the themes of adolescence, friendship and the passage to adulthood.