Luxury French house Saint Laurent is making its debut in film later this year. Artistic director Anthony Vaccarello is spearheading the house’s new film production banner named Saint Laurent Productions.

The film subsidiary is slated to kick off with a trio of films at Cannes Film Festival later this year, all projects from renowned filmmakers. Saint Laurent Productions will make its debut with a pair of short films, including Strange Way of Life by Pedro Almodóvar starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal.

The Kering-owned fashion house is the first of its kind, setting up a registered subsidiary to produce films. While films may not fall under the so-called “fashion films” section, the subsidiary is expected to bring added visibility to the brand and its aesthetic. The division is fully expected to operate profitability with the films to be sold at festivals and usual distributors including cinemas, streaming platforms, networks and more.

Vaccarello, who joined the house as artistic director of Saint Laurent in 2016 said that this new division will provide him “the opportunity to expand the vision I have for Saint Laurent through a medium that has more permanence than clothes.” He added, “You can still see a film in 10 or 30 years, if it’s good. In some ways, making a film can be more impactful than a seasonal collection. For me it’s a natural extension to another field of creativity that perhaps is more general and popular.”

Saint Laurent Productions is presented as the first full-fledged film production banner under a fashion house. It is currently developing projects by Oscar-winning director Paolo Sorrentino, film legend David Cronenberg (“The Shrouds”), Abel Ferrara, Wong Kar Wai, Jim Jarmusch and Gaspar Noé. Vaccarello confirmed that Saint Laurent Productions will look to co-produce two to three films a year for the time being. According to the artistic director, his new cinematic endeavor is aligned with Saint Laurent’s legacy.

In other entertainment news, a Harry Potter series is officially confirmed at HBO Max.