FKA twigs Stars as Josephine Baker in StudioCanal Biopic Shooting Paris and Hungary This Fall

One of the most anticipated biopics in recent European co-production circles is moving toward cameras, and the crew opportunities attached to it are substantial. StudioCanal is gearing up for a fall 2026 production on an untitled Josephine Baker biographical feature starring FKA twigs in the title role, with principal photography scheduled to run from September through December across Paris, France and Hungary. With casting already underway and a September start locked in, department heads and experienced crew in both locations should be positioning themselves now.

The film is written and directed by Maïmouna Doucouré, the French-Senegalese filmmaker who first drew major international attention with Cuties, which earned her the Directing Award in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at Sundance in 2020 and sparked a global conversation about its subject matter. Doucouré is also producing alongside the production companies, giving her significant creative and logistical authority over the project. Her background working with young performers, navigating complex social terrain, and building visually expressive worlds on lean-to-mid-range budgets suggests a set culture that values intentional collaboration and strong department communication. FKA twigs, the British musician, performer, and actress, brings a formidable physical and artistic presence to Baker's story. Already recognized for her work in Shia LaBeouf's autobiographical Honey Boy and her role in the limited series The Girlfriend Experience Season 3, twigs has steadily built screen credibility to match her towering reputation as a live performance artist. The combination of Doucouré's direction and twigs's performance range positions this as a prestige feature with serious awards-season ambitions.

What makes this project particularly notable beyond its creative pedigree is its provenance. This is the first major Josephine Baker film to receive full endorsement from Baker's estate, developed with the active support of her sons and the surviving members of her Rainbow Tribe, the group of twelve children she adopted from around the world. That cooperation has been in development since 2022, meaning the project has had years of careful preparation behind it, which typically signals a production entering the shoot with a mature script, secured financing, and a clear creative vision. The scope of Baker's story, spanning her impoverished childhood in St. Louis, her explosive rise to fame in 1920s Paris, her courageous espionage work with the French Resistance during World War II, and her prominent role in the American civil rights movement, promises a film with significant period recreation demands across multiple eras and locations.

On the production and distribution side, the project brings together a strong European co-production infrastructure. Bien ou Bien Productions and CPB Films are producing alongside StudioCanal, which is also handling theatrical distribution across its core territories including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Benelux, Poland, Australia, and New Zealand. StudioCanal, the Canal+ subsidiary and one of Europe's most powerful film studios and distributors, has a long track record backing prestige theatrical features, and their direct involvement as both financier and distributor signals a genuine commitment to wide theatrical release rather than a festival-and-streaming afterthought. This is a real theatrical feature with real international reach.

For crew, the dual-location shoot in Paris and Hungary carries significant practical implications. Paris brings obvious authenticity to the Jazz Age sequences, but shooting in France also means navigating the French production system, which is highly regulated and strongly unionized under the Convention Collective de la Production Cinématographique. Productions shooting in France are expected to employ a substantial portion of locally contracted French crew, particularly in below-the-line and technical roles. Hungary, almost certainly being used for period sets, backlot work, or studio stages given its well-established infrastructure for large-scale European productions, is home to Origo Studios and Korda Studios, two of the busiest and most capable production facilities in Central Europe. Both facilities have deep experience with English-language international co-productions and maintain strong local crew rosters experienced in large-scale period and action work. The fact that Baker's story spans multiple distinct historical periods and geographic worlds suggests the art department, costume department, and hair and makeup teams will be working at considerable scale, making this a particularly strong opportunity for production designers, costume supervisors, key makeup and hair stylists, and set decorators with period expertise.

Given the September 2026 start date, the production is still roughly ten months out from cameras rolling, which means the hiring pipeline for department heads and key crew is likely just beginning to open. Casting is already active, which typically runs parallel to the attachment of the director of photography, production designer, and costume designer. Crew with European production experience, particularly those comfortable working within French union structures or who have credits at Hungarian facilities, are especially well positioned to pursue this one early. For a film of this scale and prestige, the window to get in front of producers closes faster than it appears.

Full production details for the Josephine Baker biopic are listed on ProductionList.com, including confirmed crew contacts, production company information, and location details as they are updated. Given that this production is actively staffing and still many months from its start date, now is precisely the right time to reach out and get your name in front of the right people. Check the full listing regularly as new crew attachments and department contact information are added in the weeks ahead.

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