Fez — French producer Dimitri Rassam is strengthening his international ambitions with the launch of “Yapluka”, a new European financing and distribution structure, while confirming that part of an upcoming historical superproduction will be filmed in Morocco.
According to exclusive reporting by Variety, Rassam is preparing “Black Devil,” a $50 million historical epic directed by Ladj Ly, best known for “Les Misérables.”
The film is set to begin shooting on February 9 and will run through June, with principal photography mainly in France, a key phase in the United Kingdom, and selected sequences scheduled to be filmed in Morocco.
A major historical production with Moroccan locations
“Black Devil” is positioned as one of the most ambitious European historical films currently in development. While details of the Moroccan shoot have not been disclosed, the decision reflects the country’s continued appeal for large-scale period productions, thanks to its diverse landscapes, experienced crews, and long-standing infrastructure for international cinema.
Morocco has hosted numerous historical and epic films over the decades, making it a familiar and strategic destination for European and Hollywood producers alike. For Rassam, Morocco fits naturally into a vision that favors real locations over studio-heavy production.
Yapluka: a new European financing model
The Morocco shoot is part of a broader strategy tied to the launch of Yapluka, a European financing and distribution vehicle that Rassam founded one year ago. The initiative is backed by major partners including Pathé, French shipping magnate Rodolphe Saadé, and the audiovisual group M6.
Yapluka aims to target a segment of the market that Rassam describes as increasingly fragile: mid-budget theatrical films, typically ranging from $20 million to $80 million. These projects seek to balance narrative ambition with creative freedom, at a time when the industry is often split between micro-budget films and industrial-scale blockbusters.
An ambitious first slate of projects
Alongside “Black Devil,” Yapluka launches with four major projects. Among them is “The Iron King,” an adaptation of Maurice Druon’s “Les Rois maudits,” directed by Alexandre de La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte, long-time collaborators of Rassam. The film, in development for more than a decade, is expected to begin shooting around 2027.
The slate also includes “Winter Warriors,” adapted from a bestselling novel by Olivier Norek and directed by Danish filmmaker Nikolaj Arcel, as well as “Slaying the Badger,” a cycling drama about the rivalry between Greg LeMond and Bernard Hinault, involving Tobias Lindholm and Ben Stiller.
Another project, “The Legion,” draws inspiration from real events linked to the French Foreign Legion.
Morocco’s growing strategic role
In comments to Variety, Rassam described Yapluka as a “home for filmmakers,” designed to support projects from development through distribution.
He emphasized a European approach rooted in natural locations and cross-border co-productions, while acknowledging the importance of Anglo-Saxon partnerships for global reach.
