OFFICIAL SELECTION

“ANGEL’S PALACE” Written by Eric Zoa (France/Cameroon)

BIO:

Eric Zoa is a Cameroonian writer /director /producer/actor

He grew up in Israel for 15 years and then studied in Paris, France and stayed there for 13 or 14 years as well. I used to live in Chateau d'Eau. Where my story is set.

I've written about 20 screenplays. "Le Palais de Anges" was my very first written screenplay. It's a passion project.

I had the good fortune of having a French star Gerard Bohringer sign a written agreement to act in a potential production of this film, "Le Palais des Anges".

I’ve also written 3 plays. One of which was turned into a movie that I produced directed and acted in. It’s called "Karma Instantane" and "K.I.A.B (the English translated version)" (Karma is a Bitch). Karma intantane was played 33 times at la Folies Theatre, in Paris. Before I adapted the play for film and shot the film with my co director Oleksii Osyka in the Washington DC.

I won Best Actor Award in New York at the Urban Action International Film Showcase in 2020.

Today I live in Washington DC, USA.

“ANGEL’S PALACE” Written by Eric Zoa (France/Cameroon)

LOGLINE: (Genre: Drama)

A lifelong friendship between a painter and the best barbershop promoter in the 10^th district neighborhood of Paris will be put to the test when an art gallery owner makes them an offer they can’t refuse.

SYNOPSIS:

“The Angel’s Palace” is constituted of the tears from the ones who push us to succeed’’

Jay and Saeed are touts from the "Angel’s Palace", an African barbershop in Chateau D’eau, Paris. Jay has a passion, painting. Saeed is his best friend and an outstanding salesman he’s the best tout in the neighborhood.

By chance, Saeed crosses path with a powerful and renowned gallery owner and convinces him to take a look at Jay’s paintings.

Enthralled by the duo, the gallery owner named Max offers them the opportunity to come and work for him in the United States but due to financial restrictions only one of them will be able to spread their wings.

Will Jay and Saeed’s friendship survive their aspiration for success?

This story shows the evolution of our touts towards of a world of luxury, far from what they have come to know since then.

In a succession of comedic, dramatic and heartwarming situations, you will be transported in the unknown "Atmosphere" of the 10th district of Paris, just like our protagonist on their quest to an Angels’ Palace.

STORY OUTLINE:

Jay and Saeed are touts of an African barbershop named “Angels’ Palace”. They have just moved in an apartment at Chateau d’Eau, a neighborhood in the 10th District of Paris. They used to live in the Parisian suburbs but thanks to Jay’s passion: painting, they have seized at the opportunity to get a new apartment. Jay is a barbershop promoter but during his free time, he regularly does portraits of a woman named Agnès who lives in the same building. She alerted Jay about the availability of the apartment. Agnès has a daughter named Emily (between 13 and 15 years old). She hangs around a lot with Jay, who has also made a portrait of her. Now, Emily demands that he makes a new one .

Saeed is an outstanding salesman. He’s the best barbershop promoter in the neighborhood. He wants to leave Chateau d’Eau to reach either the upper-class neighborhoods or go abroad.

Chateau d’Eau is always very lively. The touts (“racoleurs” in French) walking around the streets create a very distinct Atmosphere. After an altercation in the neighborhood, Saeed bumps into an art gallery owner named Max. Saeed swipes one of his business card.

One night, Jay joins Saeed and his friends at a club. They encounter two girls, Elisa and Laura from the upper class neighborhoods of Paris. Elisa is a photographer. She’s mysterious and wants to travel abroad. Laura works for an advertising agency. Elisa is charmed by Jay’s talent while Laura is seduced Saeed’s swagger.

The next day, Saeed goes out to meet Max at the town hall. He tells him about Jay’s paintings. He convinces Max to take two canvases from Jay’s catalogue. Max decides to expose them at a “Semi amateur-Semi professional” festival. He is then alerted by his colleagues that Jay’s canvases have made the biggest sales at the festival.

Following a great first date, Jay is persuaded to have found in Elisa his muse. During a random visit to Saeed and Jay’s apartment, Laura discovers Jay’s paintings. Amongst them one captures her intention the most: Emily’s portrait. Laura stops herself from crying. She then runs her hand through her hair in a very distinctive manner which Jay is fascinated by. While looking at Jay’s works Saeed, Laura and Elisa try to convince Jay to make an exhibition.

The exhibition ends up being a failure. Jay does not make a single sale. During the exhibition an old man almost resembling a beggar (to whom no one in the neighborhood pays attention to except for Jay) looks on at his paintings. Saeed organizes another meeting with Max in an Indian restaurant in which all of Jay’s canvases are hanged. Max is then finally seduced by Jay’s talent and Saeed’s salesmanship. He offers them the chance to join him in his art gallery in New York but due to financial restrictions only one of them will be able to go. During the meeting Max is distracted by Elisa’s beauty.

During one sensual painting session with Agnès, Jay discovers that she ran away from her violent husband. She has been living alone in Chateau d’Eau with her daughter ever since.

Jay and Saeed are at a crossroad. They each decide to sacrifice their dreams for the other. Saeed insists that Jay leaves because he has too much talent to stay in Chateau d’Eau.

Furthermore the other touts would never understand Jay’s choice and he would become a laughing stock in town. On the other hand, Jay insists that Saeed leaves because he owes him a childhood debt. Jay has developed an inferiority complex towards Saeed. Their relationship is now strained and draws an intriguing comparison between Elisa and Laura’s relationship.

Elisa has also developed an inferiority complex towards Laura. They used to work together through a partnership between Laura’s advertising agency and Elisa’s Photo Studio. A wonderful job offer was previously made to Laura by her superiors. She eventually declined the offer because she knew it was Elisa’s dream job. Elisa ended up getting it. But her new colleagues have created a horrible atmosphere at work. Firstly, because they considered she was not qualified enough, and because some of them thought that she slept her way to the job. These hidden tensions reach their climax pushing each character to determined their future for themselves and create their own identity.

Elisa goes to see Max in order to persuade him to push Jay to seize the offer. Max seduces her, unaware that Saeed saw them together.

During a confrontation with Jay, Elisa presses him long enough bringing him to finally admit the reason for which he so desperately wants to sacrifice his dream job for Saeed. Jay and Saeed were brought up in an orphanage. As a child, Jay was very turbulent, and unfortunately caused a fire. The incident was very severely reprimanded by the director of the orphanage.