With slightly red cheeks, tiny veins under the eyelids, skin folds and pores, it’s hard to tell the difference from a real child.

“You can expect to pay around 700 euros ($726) to rent a baby for a day’s shoot and between 9,000 euros and 15,000 euros to buy one, depending on the time required to make it,” said Ray Le Solliec.

Covid effect

From 26-week premature infants to 18-month-old toddlers, Cinebebe’s miniature mannequins are used in around 100 productions every year, mostly in France and Europe.

Their work has been glimpsed in hit Netflix series “Emily in Paris”, as well as the blockbuster 2024 French movie “The Count of Monte Cristo”.

The company uses silicone castings for babies, but also creates pregnant bellies, breasts, placentas, fetuses, umbilical cords, and even life-sized pelvis models that are used for birth scenes.

“In France, regulations prohibit newborns under three months old from participating in film shoots,” Ray Le Solliec explained.

“For infants aged three months to three years, filming time is limited to one hour per day, which can be challenging when multiple scenes involve children.”