Shooting anecdotes, notes of intent, information for film lovers: every week, discover behind the scenes of cinema releases.
Shazam! The Rage of the Gods by David F. Sandberg
Starring Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer…
What is it about ? Continuation of the adventures of Billy Batson, teenager capable of becoming an adult superhero when he pronounces the word “Shazam!”
Did you know ? Shazam! Rage of the Gods is the sequel to Shazam!, released in 2019 and which grossed over $367 million worldwide. Swede David F. Sandberg returns to directing: “What I was most excited about in this new installment was exploring how these teenagers evolve and collaborate as superheroes. And as you might expect, it’s not always a success.”
I will always see your Jeanne Herry faces
With Adèle Exarchopoulos, Dali Benssalah, Leïla Bekhti…
What is it about ? Since 2014, in France, Restorative Justice has offered victims and perpetrators of offenses the opportunity to dialogue in secure systems, supervised by professionals and volunteers such as Judith, Fanny or Michel.
Did you know ? Created in 2014, restorative justice is a space for dialogue that offers those involved, who suffer from the repercussions of the crime, the possibility of meeting to question the “why” and the “how”. After Pupille, Jeanne Herry was looking for a new project and began research on two subjects that interested her: the functioning of the brain and the justice system.
Good behavior from Jonathan Barré
With Laure Calamy, Tcheky Karyo, David Marsais…
What is it about ? Pauline has a method of her own for road safety: a trainer in a points recovery center during the day, she turns into a serial killer of speeders at night.
Did you know ? Jonathan Barré thought a lot about Fargo by the Coen brothers. But in the end, Bonne Conduite is much more comedy-oriented. The filmmaker also had in his sights the spirit of Rebelles by Allan Mauduit, with Cécile de France. He specifies : “At the end of the day, my film has a more layered side: it alternates genres.”
Seven Winters in Tehran by Steffi Niederzoll
With Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Reyhaneh Jabbari, Shole Pakravan…
What is it about ? In 2007 in Tehran, Reyhaneh Jabbari, 19, stabbed the man about to rape her. She is accused of murder and sentenced to death. Using images filmed clandestinely, Seven Winters in Tehran shows the family’s fight to try to save Reyhaneh, who has become a symbol of the fight for women’s rights in Iran.
Did you know ? Steffi Niederzoll learned of Reyhaneh’s story from the press in 2014. Her case received significant media coverage in Germany, where one of her uncles lived. At that time, her story was just one of many heartbreaking stories in the newspapers. The director recalls:
“Then in 2016, through my Iranian companion at the time, I met Shole’s cousin and his wife in Istanbul – they had fled Iran and were stuck in Turkey.”
Apaches by Romain Quirot
With Alice Isaaz, Niels Schneider, Rod Paradot…
What is it about ? 1900. From Montmartre to Belleville, Paris is in the hands of ultra-violent gangs who reign terror in the capital: the Apaches. Ready to do anything to avenge the death of her brother, a young woman joins a gang. But the closer she gets to the man she wants to eliminate, the more fascinated she is by him.
Did you know ? After having approached science fiction with his first film, The Last Voyage (2012), Romain Quirot wanted to tackle another great cinematographic genre: the gangster film. The director explains:
“Always anchoring it in a colourful, pop and French universe. My producer Fannie Pailloux, whose company is also called Apaches, told me about these gangs that made terror reign in Paris. The idea m it rained a lot.”
Captain Volkonogov Escaped by Natalya Merkulova, Aleksey Chupov
With Yuriy Borisov, Aleksandr Yatsenko, Natalya Kudryashova…
What is it about ? USSR, 1938. At the height of the Great Terror, Stalin purges his own ranks. The men who implement the repression are themselves arrested and executed. Knowing himself condemned in turn, Captain Volkonogov escapes. In his flight, he is struck by a vision: to save his soul, he will have to confront the families of his victims and obtain their forgiveness.
Greater Paris by Martin Jauvat
With Mahamadou Sangaré, Martin Jauvat, William Lebghil…
What is it about ? Leslie and Renard, two young idlers from the Parisian suburbs, find a mysterious object on a construction site for the future Greater Paris metro line. Artifact, ancient talisman, or relic of a lost civilization? Convinced of having found the hen with the golden eggs, the two friends lead the investigation, with the means at hand, the time of a crazy night in the four corners of the Ile de France.
Elsewhere if I am there by François Pirot
With Jérémie Renier, Suzanne Clément, Jean-Luc Bideau…
What is it about ? While his family and his job put him under pressure, Mathieu, on a whim, sinks into the forest in front of his home. And stay there. Faced with this demonstration of freedom, his loved ones wonder… About him, about themselves, about the meaning of their life… And if he was right?
Did you know ? François Pirot wanted to write a series of characters who cannot come to terms with who they are or who they are becoming. The filmmaker explains: “Their dissatisfaction is a reflection of that, broader, of the society of which they are a part. A privileged society, but which struggles to reinvent itself, to build ideals or beliefs in order to approach the future with a minimal enthusiasm.
La Roya by Juan Sebastián Mesa
With Juan Daniel Ortiz Hernandez, Paula Andrea Cano, Laura Gutierrez Ardila…
What is it about ? Jorge lives on a coffee plantation in the middle of a forest-covered valley. He is the only one of his generation to have stayed in the countryside. For the past few months, no one has come to pick the beans and his harvest has been affected by a serious rust epidemic.
Did you know ? Rust (“roya” in Spanish) is a fungus that feeds on coffee leaves. It spreads rapidly, weakening plants and causing fruit to drop before they are ripe. It is considered one of the most devastating plant diseases in history.
The Lost King by Stephen Frears
Starring Sally Hawkins, Shonagh Price, Lewis Macleod…
What is it about ? Inspired by an incredible but true story, THE LOST KING retraces the extraordinary adventure of Philippa Langley, an iron-willed history buff who, on a simple intuition and despite the incomprehension of those close to her and the mistrust of the academic world , wanted to restore the truth around Richard III, one of the most controversial monarchs in history.
Did you know ? Most people, including the film’s writers and crew, vaguely remember the discovery of Richard III’s remains. However, as producer Dan Winch points out, “It’s the kind of story that we’ve all more or less heard of, but no one knows the incredible reality of in its entirety.”
From the start, it was this headline in a newspaper that inspired screenwriters Jeff Pope and Steve Coogan: “A mother of two from Edinburgh has found the remains of a missing king in a car park. Above all, it’s a true story. It’s the story of women ignored and forgotten by society – modest people.”