If he wasn’t previously on your radar, director Asghar Farhadi should surely gain a spot following his staggering drama A Separation last year. Easily one of my favorite films of 2011, the helmer is already crafting his follow-up, which is set to shoot in Paris this fall. We now have our first bit of casting, thanks to Screen Daily.

With her drama Rust & Bone premiering this morning at the Cannes Film Festival, it comes with perfect timing that Marion Cotillard has been announced to lead the film. Marking Farhadi’s first production outside Iran, details are still sparse, only that it will be an “emotional social thriller in the vein of A Separation.” Also added is the film will include many twists and turns for added suspense. I’m not expecting M. Night Shyamalan‘s antics, but I suppose Farhadi is stretching his style just a bit for this.

Farhadi expended his intentions for the film saying, he hopes to “present the viewers of my films with questions rather than answers; something the world needs more than ever today. Posing new questions to old answers. Perhaps this cinema can be named an inquiring cinema.”

There are few better actresses the director could have chosen and it’s great to see Cotillard balance high-profile films (The Dark Knight Rises, Contagion) and independent projects (Low Life, Blood Ties). Check back for more updates on one of our most-anticipated features of 2013.

What do you think about these two talents teaming up?