Shooting anecdotes, notes of intent, information for film lovers: every week, discover behind the scenes of cinema releases.
Honorary citizen of Mohamed Hamidi
With Kad Merad, Fatsah Bouyahmed, Oulaya Amamra…
What is it about ? Samir Amin is a fulfilled writer, Nobel Prize for Literature, who lives in Paris, far from his native country, Algeria. He systematically refuses the invitations made to him. Until the day he accepts to be made “Honorary Citizen” of Sidi Mimoun, the small town where he was born.
Did you know ? Citizen of Honor is the remake of an Argentinian film, El ciudadano ilustre by Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat, released in 2017 in France. It was the producers Christophe Cervoni and Marc Fiszman who proposed to Mohamed Hamidi to do a re-reading, situating the story no longer between Spain and Argentina but between France and Algeria.
Chronicle of a temporary affair by Emmanuel Mouret
With Sandrine Kiberlain, Vincent Macaigne, Georgia Scalliet…
What is it about ? A single mother and a married man become lovers. Committed to seeing each other only for fun and not experiencing any feelings of love, they are increasingly surprised by their complicity…
Did you know ? For his eleventh feature film, Emmanuel Mouret opted for a sentimental chronicle. A genre by which he was able to offer a dramatic progression by ellipses where, at each new meeting of the lovers, the spectator must be attentive to a sum of small things which evolve. He explains :
“The word “liaison” is a word that I really like. “Dangerous liaisons” or “Secret liaison” being such beautiful titles, I liked the idea of adding the notion of the ephemeral, even if a liaison is fleeting by definition, so that the title immediately suggests the dramatic stakes of the film.”
Scoundrels by Christophe Offenstein
With Francois Cluzet, Jose Garcia, Doria Tillier…
What is it about ? Following a heist that went wrong, Antoine arrives at Elias’s. Nothing destined the robber, a trifle anarchist, to cross paths with this uneventful history teacher. A strange relationship then begins between the two men. But that was without counting on Lucie, the investigator in charge of the case…
Did you know ? Canailles is inspired by the novel Une canaille et demi written by the British Iain Levison and first published in 2006. Christophe Offenstein discovered it thanks to François Cluzet, as he recalls:
“After En solitaire, we had considered working together again. We both had a crush on Une Canaille et demi, which seemed to us the right story for a film adaptation.”
About Joan de Laurent Larivière
With Isabelle Huppert, Lars Eidinger, Freya Mavor…
What is it about ? Joan Verra has always been an independent, loving woman with a free and adventurous spirit. When her first love returns without warning after years of absence, she decides not to tell him that they had a son together.
Did you know ? About Joan was born out of a multitude of questions and desires that arose at Laurent Larivière after the making of I am a soldier (2015). The director recalls: “With François Decodts, my co-screenwriter, we wanted to write a portrait of a woman, in the form of a romantic film, which takes place over different periods, in several countries. A melodrama but which is crossed by comedy.”
Everything gets the hell out of Sébastien Betbeder
With Thomas Scimeca, Nicolas Belvalette, Jonathan Capdevielle…
What is it about ? In a city in the North of France, Thomas, a freelancer at the local newspaper, has to paint the portrait of Usé, an atypical musician and former candidate for the municipal election. As the two men get to know each other, they discover Jojo’s lifeless body. But he comes back to life…
Did you know ? Usé, says Nicolas Belvalette, is a French artist whose music is at the crossroads of punk, electronics and song with texts. The director admired his music and it was after seeing him in concert that he wanted to film him, associating him with an actor familiar with his films, Thomas Scimeca.
Wisp of João Pedro Rodrigues
With Mauro Costa, André Cabral, Joel Branco…
What is it about ? On his deathbed, Alfredo, an uncrowned king, is brought back to distant memories of his youth and the time when he dreamed of becoming a firefighter. The meeting with the instructor Afonso, from the fire brigade, opens a new chapter in the lives of the two young men.
Did you know ? For João Pedro Rodrigues, Feu follet refers both to the fantastic and to something ephemeral: “It says nothing about the film and at the same time it says a bit of everything! I like the idea that the wisp is both ghostly and physical, because it’s a real, chemical phenomenon that used to be scary when people didn’t know what it was.”
Tom George’s twist
With Sam Rockwell, Adrien Brody, Saoirse Ronan…
What is it about ? In 1950s London’s West End, preparations for the film adaptation of a hit play are cut short by the murder of its Hollywood director. In charge of the investigation, Inspector Stoppard and Agent Stalker find themselves immersed in the heart of an investigation behind the scenes of the theatre.
The Tiger Who Invited Himself for Tea by Kariem Saleh, An Vrombaut, Benoît Chieux
What is it about ? What would you do if a giant tiger knocked on your door one afternoon, to eat your afternoon tea, devour the simmering dinner, and gobble up everything in your cupboards? A delicious tale, adapted from Judith Kerr’s flamboyant album, preceded by three short films.
Did you know ? Like the album Le Tigre qui s’invita pour le thé which it adapts, the film makes specific use of white backgrounds. The frame is uncluttered and often presents only the characters and the foreground of a setting. The thirty-page album was enriched with scenes and characters in order to become a medium-length film. These additions were made under the supervision of Judith Kerr.
The Retaliators by Samuel Gonzalez Jr., Bridget Smith
With Michael Lombardi, Marc Menchaca, Joseph Gatt…
What is it about ? An honest pastor discovers a dark and twisted underworld as he searches for answers regarding the brutal murder of his daughter. An original soundtrack and guest appearances from the biggest names in rock music set the tone for this horror thriller that reveals a revenge game with new rules.
Youth on borrowed time by Kateryna Gornostai
With Maria Fedorchenko, Arsenii Markov, Yana Isaienko…
What is it about ? Masha is in her final year of high school. She usually hangs out with two friends who are as mavericks as she is, and falls in love in a way that forces her out of her comfort zone. A universal story about Ukrainian youth that finds particular resonance in the current context.
Did you know ? To recreate this universe of school life, Kateryna Gornostai organized a wild casting which attracted more than 800 people. The filmmaker also made the rounds of schools in kyiv, since a shy girl like Masha wouldn’t dare to go to a casting.
“In the end, we met over 200 young people. That’s what allowed us to bring 25 teenagers together for nine weeks and start what we called the ‘study lab'”she recalls.