Laurent Zeitoun

Laurent Zeitoun (born 16 June 1973 in Paris, France) is a French film producer, screenwriter and director. He is best known for his work on a number of commercially successful and critically recognised films, ranging from mainstream French comedies to international animated features and critically acclaimed dramas. Zeitoun also co‑founded production companies including L’Atelier Animation Ltd and Good Hero, playing a key role in both European and global film production.[1]

Early life and education

Zeitoun was born and raised in Paris. Before entering the film industry, he worked in finance and spent time in New York. A visit to Paramount Studios in Los Angeles inspired him to pursue screenwriting and cinema, leading him to attend writing workshops in Los Angeles. Upon returning to France, he worked as a script consultant and co‑founded the writing company Script‑Associés in 2000. Best known as a French film director, producer and writer known for his work on the movies Leap! and Fireheart,[2]

Career

Zeitoun's early career in cinema included co‑writing and producing French comedies such as Les 11 commandements(2004) and Prête‑moi ta main (2006). He went on to co‑write L’Arnacœur (2010) and gradually established himself as a prolific producer.

As a producer, his credits span several notable films including L’Arnacœur (2010), Intouchables (2011), Samba (2014), and the satire The Death of Stalin (2017). He has worked across French and international productions, contributing to both mainstream and arthouse cinema.[3]

Animation and Good Hero

Alongside partner Yann Zenou, Zeitoun co‑founded the Canadian animation studio L’Atelier Animation Ltd in 2012, which produced the animated films Ballerina (released internationally as Leap!) (2016) and Fireheart (2022). L’Atelier Animation was later acquired by Cinesite in 2022.

Zeitoun is also the chairman and Co‑Chief Creative Officer of Good Hero, a creative studio based in New York and Paris focused on producing high‑end feature films and television series. Through Good Hero he continues to develop international projects spanning animation and live‑action formats.

Directing and writing

In addition to producing, Zeitoun has credits as a screenwriter and director. His directorial work includes Vaillante (2022) co‑directed with Théodore Ty and upcoming projects with Good Hero. He has also written or co‑written screenplays for animated features like Leap! and Fireheart.[4]

References

  1. ^ "GOOD HERO | We all need a good story". GOOD HERO. Retrieved 2026-01-18.
  2. ^ Zahed, Ramin (2020-12-07). "A Visit to Montreal's Magic Shop: L'Atelier Animation". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 2026-01-18.
  3. ^ "Laurent Zeitoun | Producer, Writer, Director". IMDb. Retrieved 2026-01-18.
  4. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (2022-02-22). "Mediawan Partners With Laurent Zeitoun's Good Hero for Series, Films". Variety. Retrieved 2026-01-18.
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