Festivals - The American French Film Festival 2025 : Gourou captivates Hollywood with its exploration of modern influence

By Mulder, Los Angeles, Hollywood, Directors Guild of America Theatre, 03 november 2025

On November 3, 2025, the Directors Guild of America Theatre in Hollywood hosted one of the key highlights of The American French Film Festival 2025: the screening of Gourou, the new feature by Yann Gozlan. Presented in the Cinema Competition at the Renoir Theater, the film was followed by a discussion featuring Yann Gozlan, Holt McCallany, Wassim Béji, and Chloé Thévenin. This event marked a significant moment for contemporary French cinema in Los Angeles, bringing together audiences and professionals eager to discover a film already positioned among the most anticipated French thrillers of 2026.

Gourou tells the story of Mathieu Vasseur, nicknamed “Matt,” the most influential personal development coach in France. As political and religious faith decline, Vasseur’s followers find in his charismatic speeches a new form of belief. His growing fame, however, becomes a double-edged sword, driving him toward delusion and excess. The film explores the mechanisms of persuasion, emotional dependence, and the psychological fragility of those seeking meaning in an increasingly uncertain world. Beneath its thriller structure, Gourou paints a portrait of a society dominated by the cult of success and the dangers of unchecked influence.

Directed by Yann Gozlan, Gourou reunites him with Pierre Niney, after their collaborations on Un homme idéal (2015) and Boîte noire (2021). The actor once again plays a character named Mathieu Vasseur, as in the two previous films, creating an intriguing link between the stories. The screenplay was co-written by Yann Gozlan and Jean-Baptiste Delafon, known for his work on Baron Noir and De l’argent et du sang. The production was handled by Wassim Béji for WY Productions, with Pierre Niney and Marc-Henri de Busschère through their company Ninety Films. StudioCanal, M6 Films, and the Belgian company Panache Productions also participated in the production, underlining the film’s international reach.

The cast includes Pierre Niney, Marion Barbeau, Anthony Bajon, Leanna Chea, Laurie Catherine Winkel, Deborah Grall, Pascaline Chotard, Cindy Renou, and Holt McCallany, who brings an American presence to the ensemble. The cinematography was supervised by Antoine Sanier, known for his visual precision, while the editing was carried out by Audrey Kleinclaus, Justine Roussillon, and Julie Wuillai. The score, composed by Chloé Thévenin, combines electronic textures and atmospheric tension, contributing to the film’s psychological intensity.

Filming took place between November 2024 and February 2025 in various locations, including Paris, its suburbs—particularly the Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport—and Las Vegas, where several key sequences were shot. This transatlantic production approach reinforces the narrative’s exploration of global ambition and media exposure. With a runtime of 126 minutes, Gourou is set to be released in France on January 28, 2026, distributed by StudioCanal.

The film’s presentation at The American French Film Festival 2025 attracted significant attention from both French and American audiences. Its thematic focus on manipulation, belief, and the search for personal identity resonated strongly with spectators in Hollywood, where the question of charisma and public image holds particular weight. The discussion following the screening allowed attendees to better understand the film’s creative process and production journey, emphasizing the meticulous collaboration between Yann Gozlan, Pierre Niney, and their team.

With Gourou, Yann Gozlan continues to explore the dark intersections between power, perception, and obsession. The film bridges the narrative intensity of French psychological thrillers with the visual and thematic ambition of international cinema. As it prepares for its theatrical release, its presentation in Los Angeles confirms the growing interest of American audiences in French genre films capable of combining depth, spectacle, and reflection on the human condition.

Synopsis : 
The rise of a personal development guru who turns out to be a toxic personality.

Gourou
Directed by Yann Gozlan
Written by Jean-Baptiste Delafon
Produced by Wassim Béji, Pierre Niney, Marc-Henri de Busschère 
Starring  Holt McCallany, Pierre Niney, Anthony Bajon, Leanna Chea, Marion Barbeau, Laurie Catherine Winkel, Deborah Grall, Pascaline Chotard, Cindy Renou
Cinematography : Antoine Sanier
Edited by Audrey Kleinclaus, Justine Roussillon, Julie Wuillai
Music by Chloé Thévenin
Production companies : WY Productions Production, Ninety Films, Ondamax Films
Distributed by StudioCanal (France)
Release dates :  January 28, 2026 (France)
Running time : 126 minutes

Photos and Video :  Sophie Janinet / Mulderville