Call My Agent!

This commission is something to be proud of! The fictitious Parisian acting agency ASK receives a tenth of the total fee from its prominent film and television clients. (“Dix pour cent” is the original French title). A good chunk of money - but the ASK crew of four agents and their assistants have to work hard for it: As PR consultants, motivational coaches, role mediators and, last but not least, as a shoulder to cry on, the ASK crew tries to get a grip on the problems of its stars and starlets - private turmoil included. ASK represents the really big names in showbiz in France. And so the Who's Who of the real acting Olympus can't resist playing themselves in the successful French series: Juliette Binoche, Isabelle Adjani, Monica Belluci, Christopher Lambert, Jean Dujardin, Dany Boon, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sandrine Kiberlain, Jean Reno, Sigourney Weaver and many more. - the line-up of stars who have joined forces in “Call my Agent” over the course of four series takes your breath away. The fact that the acting greats of the French film industry are willing to take part in the series is certainly due to the clever approach of skillfully poking fun at the depths of showbiz and then dissecting them with relish, while always paying the actors the respect and admiration they deserve. Most of the episodes focus on a different star, their agent and a current production. It is surprising that many more series have not already made a foray into this incredibly entertaining profession. “Call my Agent!”, created by Fanny Herrero and Dominique Besnehard, at least draws on the full range of comedy and provides great, deliciously revealing but always affectionate entertainment. Besnehard himself was one of the best talent agents in France for 20 years and looked after the most famous actors in the industry - and almost all of the stars appearing here. Chapeau! “The view of the industry is sometimes biting to cynical, so fragile are the promises, commitments, friendships and enmities, but at the same time it is a celebration of an artistic profession. When Arlette says, 'Actors are fragile, unpredictable, easily influenced beings. That's why the majority of agents don't have children of their own. Otherwise it would be too much', then there is at least as much life pragmatism in this sentence as warm-hearted respect for a profession that cannot be grasped by employee standards. Finally, a madness that not only has a method, but also success. At its core, the series does not hesitate to celebrate the love of the French for French film and its stars.” (Joachim Huber, on: tagesspiegel.de) In the first episode, Arthaus cinema favorite Cécile de France (“La belle saison”, “L'auberge espagnole”) clings to her dream role in a Tarantino film. It is up to her unfortunate ASK agent Gabriel to gently teach Cécile that the Americans are worried about her age: Around 40, nothing is supposedly possible in the USA without cosmetic surgery - a dilemma that threatens to tear apart the trusting relationship between actress and agent. As talent agent Gabriel searches for a way to break bad news to actress Cécile de France, a mysterious newcomer stirs up intrigue at the office.