Shooting anecdotes, notes of intent, information for film lovers: every week, discover behind the scenes of cinema releases.
The Haunted Mansion by Justin Simien
With Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson…
What is it about ? Inspired by the mythical attraction of the Disneyland parks, THE HAUNTED MANOR tells the story of a mother and her son who hire a team of pseudo-experts to help them hunt the various specters and ghosts that haunt their house.
Did you know ? The Haunted Mansion is inspired by the famous Disney Studios attraction of the same name. This is the second film adaptation of the attraction after The Haunted Mansion and 999 Ghosts, released in 2003.
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The Hand of Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou
With Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird…
What is it about ? When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using a mysterious haunted hand, they become addicted to this new thrill, and the experience goes viral on social media. Only one rule to respect: they must not hold hands for more than 90 seconds.
Daniel Goldhaber Sabotage
Starring Ariela Barer, Kristine Frøseth, Lukas Gage…
What is it about ? Faced with the ecological emergency, a group of young activists set themselves a perilous mission: to sabotage a pipeline that carries oil throughout the United States. Because sometimes the only way to be heard is to take action.
Did you know ? It took 19 months for the film to see the light of day, from its origin to the final result, all in an independent system, far from the Hollywood mould. “Sabotage was done outside this circuit: almost no one in the team has an agent, we did not do any pitch sessions with producers”points out Daniel Goldhaber.
See you in Tokyo by Daigo Matsui
With Sosuke Ikematsu, Sairi Itô, Yumi Kawai…
What is it about ? The July 26 follow each other and are not alike… It’s the day they met, the day they fell in love, the day they separated. Seven encounters between a professional dancer and a female taxi driver in today’s Tokyo.
Did you know ? The chronology of Rendez-vous à Tokyo is built around the same day declined over the years. In the spring of 2020, Daigo Matsui was contacted by musician Sekaikan Ozaki of the group CreepHyp who sent him the song. Night on Earth. Listening to it, Matsui thinks it would be a shame to only make a video clip of it and wants to use it in a feature film.
Les Déguns 2 by Cyrille Droux, Claude Zidi Jr.
With Karim Jebli, Nordine Salhi, Sofiane Zermani…
What is it about ? After their setbacks and their adventures of the first opus, Nordine Salhi and Karim Jeb alias Karim and Nono come back in better shape and more determined than ever and continue their quest for success by all means. After a first bitter failure in the world of reality TV, the two acolytes decide to embark on rap.
What is it about ? The title of the series comes from the Provencal “degun”, equivalent to the pronoun “person” in French (but unrelated to the common noun “person” which translates to persona in Provençal). The approximate translation in standard French would be “Less-than-nothing”.
On the branch of Marie Garel-Weiss
With Daphne Patakia, Benoît Poelvoorde, Agnès Jaoui…
What is it about ? Mimi is almost thirty years old and still dreams of what she could do when she grows up. As she decides to look for work, she meets Paul, a lawyer on the sidelines. Together they will try to defend Christophe, a little hustler who proclaims his innocence.
What is it about ? As in Marie Garel-Weiss’ first feature film, The Party is Over, and her Arte film, What are we going to do with Jacques?, the characters in On the Branch navigate on the margins of society, between confinement and freedom.
Blanquita by Fernando Guzzoni
With Laura Lopez Campbell, Alejandro Goic, Amparo Noguera…
What is it about ? Blanca (18) lives in Santiago in a home for minors run by priest Manuel Cura (50). A key witness in a sex scandal case involving Chilean politicians, Blanca finds herself pushed by Manuel into the center of media attention.
What is it about ? Blanquita is the result of a year-long investigation into the Spiniak affair, which uncovered a network of child prostitution and pedophilia led by a powerful Chilean businessman. Fernando Guzzoni explains: “It was one of the most important and controversial cases in the judicial, political and journalistic history of the last fifteen years in Chile.”
The Damned Don’t Cry by Fyzal Boulifa
With Aïcha Tebbae, Abdellah El Hajjouji, Antoine Reinartz…
What is it about ? Fatima-Zahra drags her 17-year-old son, Selim, from town to town, fleeing the scandals that break out on her way. When Selim discovers the truth about their past, Fatima-Zahra promises him a fresh start. They then arrive in Tangier, where new encounters give them hope of attaining the legitimacy they seek so much.
Did you know ? The title is borrowed from The Damned Don’t Cry (L’Esclave du gang en VF), a film noir starring Joan Crawford made in 1950. “I thought it expressed well this forward propulsion movement that I was looking for with this type of narrative structure”explains Fyzal Boulifa.
A Winter in Summer by Laetitia Masson
With Benjamin Biolay, Elodie Bouchez, Judith Chemla…
What is it about ? Ten characters surprised by freezing cold in the middle of summer. Encounters, loneliness, hope, fear, love, a song, the class struggle, and dreams. Ten fragments of humanity that form an impressionist picture of France today. A tribute to the Water Lilies.
Juniors by Hugo P. Thomas
With Vanessa Paradis, Ewan Bourdelles, Noah Zandouche…
What is it about ? Jordan, 14, is bored in the small village of Mornas. His nursing mother being often away, he keeps busy with his best friend Patrick by playing their console affectionately named Jessica. But when Jessica passes away, Jordan decides to fake an illness and set up an online kitty to buy himself one.
What is it about ? As in his first feature film, Hugo P. Thomas films characters who maintain a complex bond with the group: in Willy 1er, Willy tries to be accepted; in Juniors, Jordan excludes himself in spite of himself. The director says: “It seems to me that both Willy and Jordan are trying to fit in. Both of my films question what ‘normal life’ is.”