Production is underway in Paris on Miles & Juliette, a new feature from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Bill Pohlad and River Road Entertainment. Damson Idris will portray jazz legend Miles Davis, opposite Anamaria Vartolomei as French singer and actress Juliette Gréco.
The supporting cast includes J. Alphonse Nicholson as Kenny “Klook” Clarke, Jay Reeves as Tadd Dameron, Grammy-winning musician Terrace Martin as Charlie “Bird” Parker, Denny Love as James Moody, Lodric D. Collins as Max Roach, and Hubert Point-Du Jour as John Coltrane.
Written by Pulitzer Prize finalist Zora Howard, the film follows 22-year-old Davis during his 1949 visit to Paris, where he meets Gréco and develops a romantic connection with the rising French performer. Against the backdrop of the city’s postwar artistic movement, the story explores their relationship and the creative influences that shaped Davis before he became an international music icon.
Pohlad, who previously directed the Brian Wilson biographical drama Love & Mercy, expressed excitement about bringing the story to the screen, highlighting the romance, music and cultural atmosphere surrounding the pair’s encounter.
Pohlad and Andrew Van Wyk are producing for River Road Entertainment alongside Kim Roth and Dan Clifton. Mick Jagger and Victoria Pearman will produce through Jagged Films, while Why Not Productions is handling French production services. Executive producers include Mike Overman, Darryl Porter, Erin Davis, Cheryl Davis and Vincent Wilburn Jr., representing the Miles Davis estate.
The creative team features cinematographer Maryse Alberti, production designer Dan Weil and editor Sabine Hoffman. Grammy-winning musician Robert Glasper will compose and oversee music production. Glasper previously produced the 2016 Miles Davis tribute album Everything’s Beautiful and has drawn inspiration from the jazz icon throughout his career.