‘Watching Over Her' to be adapted for the screen by Maremako, Montebello

France based Maremako and Montebello have secured the rights from publishing house L’Iconoclaste to Jean-Baptiste Andrea's novel  Vielle Sur Elle (English title: Watching Over Her) to adapt for the screen.

The novel is one of the best-selling Goncourt winners in the prize’s 121year history, with over 700,000 copies sold to date. The screen adaptation will follow three main protagonists: Mimo, the brilliant sculptor, Viola, his steadfast accomplice, and a pietà — a picture or sculpture of the Virgin Mary holding the dead body of Christ on her lap or in her arms —  with mysterious powers.

Muriel Sauzay co-founded her production company, Maremako, in 2021, after working at Studiocanal and Pathé for over 20 years in the sale and financing of international films. 

François Ivernel spent 27 years at Pathé, serving as President from 2007 to 2013. He founded his production company Montebello in 2014, which produced the Canal+ series Ovins (2021).