Festivals - Colcoa 2018 : The premieres

Par Mulder, 11 avril 2018

C’est la vie ! (Le Sens de la fête) (Gaumont Distribution)
West Coast Premiere | France | 2017 | Comedy | 115 min | In French with English subtitles
Directed by: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
Written by: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
Cinematography: David Chizallet
Film Editing: Dorian Rigal Ansous
Original Score: Avishai Cohen
Produced by: Nicolas Duval Adassovsky, Yann Zenou, Laurent Zeitoun (Quad), Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano (Ten Films)
Cast: Jean-Pierre Bacri (Max), Gilles Lellouche (James), Eye Haïdara (Adèle), Vincent Macaigne (Julien), Jean-Paul Rouve (Guy)
Synopsis : Max, a cantankerous caterer and wedding planner (played by the equally irascible Jean-Pierre Bacri), attempts to coordinate a “sober, chic and elegant” wedding in a 17th century château with the zaniest bunch of waiters, cooks, dishwashers, photographers and singers this side of the Ringling Bros. The exquisitely assembled ensemble cast (which includes Gilles Lelouche, Jean-Paul Rouve and Hélène Vincent) keeps things hopping, as the crew sails from one near-disaster to another. Snappy dialogue and sharp pacing contribute to this enormously enjoyable romp. Delighting French critics and audiences alike, the film has received 10 César nominations, including Best Film, Director, Actor, Supporting Actor and Actress, Original Screenplay and Editing.
Information : Eric Toledano & Olivier Nakache are the savvy creators of the uproarious and very poignant comedy, The Intouchables (2011), starring Omar Sy and François Cluzet, which also happens to be the highest-grossing French-language hit of all time. Childhood friends, the duo began their careers co-writing and co-directing several shorts, followed by their other feature films, Let’s Be Friends (2005), Those Happy Days (2006), Tellement proches (2009), and the romantic comedy Samba (2014). Toledano & Nakache also enjoy a very special relationship with COLCOA, where they were first introduced to an American audience in 2006. Since that time, the festival has proudly premiered each and every one of their films.
Our review : https://mulderville.net/fr/critiques/4833/le-sens-de-la-fete

Château (La Vie de Château) (Happiness Distibution)
West Coast Premiere | France | 2017 | Comedy | 81 min | In French with English subtitles
Directed by: Modi Barry, Cédric Ido
Written by: Modi Barry, Cédric Ido
Cinematography: Antoine Monod
Film Editing: Flora Volpelière
Original Score: Nicola Tescari
Produced by: Christophe Barral, Toufik Ayadi (SCRAB Films), One World Films, M 141
Cast: Jacky Ido (Charles), Tatiana Rojo (Sonia), Jean-Baptiste Anoumon (Moussa), Gilles Cohen (Dan), Felicite Wouassi (Djenaba)
Synopsis : “My name’s Charles, like the Prince!” That’s his motto. Dapper, charming Charles runs a crew of hustlers who hang out around the Château d’Eau metro station in Paris’ ethnic 10th arrondissement, rustling up business for the countless Afro beauty shops in the ‘hood. Good-hearted Charles, however, has much bigger dreams — like getting out of the micro-mafia, buying his Kurdish friend’s failing barber shop and upholding the noble, manly tradition of a shave and a haircut. But doing a favor for a jealous rival sends our hero down a slippery slope, endangering both his reputation and his slick wardrobe. Jacky Ido (co-director Cédric Ido’s brother, from the ABC series The Catch), as the charismatic “Prince” Charles, leads a largely unknown ensemble cast in this small gem of a film, which offers up engaging characters, a humanizing peek into the onerous immigrant experience, and a snappy slice of life in one of Paris’ more colorful and rarely depicted neighborhoods — le Château.
Information : Writer/directors Modi Barry & Cédric Ido make their feature-film début with Château, which has been screened to great acclaim at the Toronto, Chicago and London Film Festivals. Barry previously directed the short Carpe diem (2005). French-born Burkinabe Ido has appeared in several films as an actor and his directing credits include three shorts, the superhero saga Invincible (2013), Hasaki Ya Suda (2011), and Un ‘Stains’ de musique (2009).

Christmas & co (Santa & Cie) (Gaumont Distribution)
North American Premiere | France | 2017 | Comedy | 95 min | In French with English subtitles
Directed by: Alain Chabat
Written by: Alain Chabat
Cinematography: Antoine Sanier
Film Editing: Grégoire Sivan
Original Score: Matthieu Gonet
Produced by: Ilan Goldman (Légende), Gaumont, Chez Wam, France 2 Cinema
Cast: Alain Chabat (Santa), Audrey Tautou (Wanda), Golshifteh Farahani (Amélie), Pio Marmaï (Thomas), Bruno Sanches (Magnus)
Synopsis : Christmas Eve is right around the corner and nothing is going as planned. The 92,000 elves in Santa’s workshop all keel over and pass out, in one fell swoop! That’s quite a blow to Old Saint Nick. He has no choice but to hitch up the old reindeer and fly down to Earth, on the double, in search of a cure! But once he touches down in Paris, he’ll need to scare up some allies to help him save the day. The eminently-talented Alain Chabat brings this enchanting story to life — with all the sparkle, clever dialogue, stunning visual effects and heartfelt emotion it deserves — as writer, director and the most endearing Santa ever likely to grace the screen (and with talking reindeer, to boot!). This family charmer, which delighted French critics and audiences alike, has the potential to become a Gallic Wizard of Oz for the 21st century!
Information : Alain Chabat | Actor/writer/director/producer Alain Chabat launched his career with the comedy group Les Nuls (“the dummies”), which he founded in 1987. The group’s TV series, Objectif: Nul, ran on the Canal+ cable channel for the next five years, garnering a cult following in France. Chabat has appeared in over 60 films as an actor, including Josiane Balasco’s international hit, French Twist (1995), and Agnes Jaoui’s The Taste of Others (2000). He has dubbed the French voice of the character Shrek for the entire Shrek franchise and is a four-time César-Award acting nominee. Chabat made his directorial debut with the uproarious Didier (1997), which was honored with the César Award for Best First Feature, and has starred in all of his own films, which include Asterix and Obelix Meet Cleopatra (2002); RRRrrr!!! (2004), and Sur la Piste du Marsupilami (2012).
Our review : https://mulderville.net/fr/critiques/4854/santa-cie

Family is Family (La Ch’tite famille) (Pathe Distribution)

North American Premiere | France | 2018 | Comedy | 106 min | In French with English subtitles
Directed by: Dany Boon
Written by: Dany Boon, Sarah Kaminsky
Cinematography: Denis Rouden
Film Editing: Élodie Codaccioni
Original Score: Michael Tordjman, Maxime Desprez
Produced by: Jérôme Seydoux (Pathé Films), Dany Boon (26 DB Productions), TF1 Films Production, Les Productions du Ch’timi
Cast: Dany Boon (Valentin D.), Line Renaud (Valentin’s mother), Laurence Arné (Constance Brandt), Valerie Bonneton (Valentin’s sister-in-law), Guy Lecluyse (Valentin’s brother), François Berléand (Valentin’s father-in-law), Pierre Richard (Valentin’s father)
Synopsis : Valentin and Constance live together. A pair of trendy, wildly successful architects, they’re preparing a major retrospective of their work for the tony Palais de Tokyo museum in Paris. However, nothing goes as planned. First, Valentin’s entire hick family shows up at the museum for the opening… revealing that he’s lied to everyone about his background. He’s not an orphan, after all, but grew up in the capital of “hicksville”, in northern France. Then he has an amnesia-triggering accident, his memory gets stuck in his much-younger persona, and he begins spouting a distinctive Picard dialect… making him the biggest hick in the universe! While not a sequel, we might consider this Dany Boon’s long-awaited follow-up — or second act — to his hilarious, good-natured runaway hit, Welcome to the Sticks. Or chapter two in an ongoing homage to his native region… Meanwhile, the film had the biggest opening in France in ten years and is on its way to becoming the country’s box office mega-hit of 2018.
Information : Dany Boon | Zany, multitalented actor/writer/director Dany Boon is a native of Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France, a region — with its distinctive Picard dialect — that clearly remains very close to his heart. He began his career, working as a street mime and dubbing cartoons, but quickly made a name for himself as a comic, doing sketches and one-man shows. He’s subsequently appeared in some 39 feature films as an actor, including Francis Veber’s The Valet (COLCOA 2006), Patrice Leconte’s My Best Friend (2006), Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Micmacs (2009) and Danièle Thompson’s Change of Plans (2009). He also dubbed the French voice of the title character in Steven Spielberg’s The BFG. Boon made his feature directorial debut with La Maison de Bonheur (2006), which was followed by Welcome to the Sticks (COLCOA 2008), the highest-grossing French-language film of all time in France. That was followed by Nothing to Declare (COLCOA 2010), Supercondriac (COLCOA 2014) and R.A.I.D. Special Unit (COLCOA 2017), which just nabbed the very first César Prix du Public, as the top box office hit of last year.
Our review : https://mulderville.net/fr/critiques/4910/la-ch-tite-famille

Jealous (Jalouse) (StudioCanal)

Directed by: David Foenkinos, Stéphane Foenkinos
Written by: David Foenkinos, Stéphane Foenkinos
Cinematography: Guillaume Deffontaines
Film Editing: Virginie Bruant
Original Score: Paul-Marie Barbier, Julien Grunberg
Produced by: Éric Altmayer, Nicolas Altmayer (Mandarin Production), StudioCanal, France 2 Cinéma
Cast: Karin Viard (Nathalie), Anne Dorval (Sophie), Anaïs Demoustier (Mélanie), Thibault De Montalembert (Jean-Pierre)
Synopsis : On the heels of a divorce, French teacher, Nathalie Pêcheux, is suddenly thrown into an emotional tailspin. Seeing happiness all around her, the fragile, wounded woman segues, almost overnight, from loving mother into the proverbial green-eyed monster. Breaking all maternal taboos, she becomes insanely jealous of her beautiful 18-year-old, ballerina daughter. Her wrath subsequently aimed at her best friend, her ex-husband and her colleagues at work, Nathalie proceeds to trash the lives of everyone around her. Consummate comedienne Karin Viard, who was nominated for a César Award as Best Actress for her performance, dives into the role of Nathalie with her usual radiance, flawless timing and deadpan delivery, spiraling out of control and going for the jugular, in this hilarious, moving black comedy. An unsettling portrait of a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Information : David Foenkinos is an accomplished author, with some 15 novels to his credit. His novel Charlotte (2015) earned him the coveted Prix Renaudot. Stéphane Foenkinos is a seasoned casting director, whose 66 film credits include Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris (2011), Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s The Tourist (2010) and Robert Zemeckis’ Allied (2016). The Foenkinos brothers joined forces and ventured into feature film directing with Delicacy (2011), starring Audrey Tautou, which was adapted from David’s bestselling novel, La Délicatesse (2009). Jealous — a critical, as well as popular, success in France — is the duo’s sophomore directorial effort.

Le Brio (Le Brio) (Pathé Distribution)
North American Premiere | France | 2017 | Drama | 95 min | In French with English subtitles
Directed by: Yvan Attal
Written by: Yaël Langmann, Victor Saint-Macary, Yvan Attal, Noé Debré, Bryan Marciano
Cinematography: Rémy Chevrin
Film Editing: Célia Lafitedupont
Original Score: Michael Brook
Produced by: Dimitri Rassam (Chapter 2), Benjamin Elalouf (Moonshaker), Pathé Production, France 2 Cinéma
Cast: Camélia Jordana (Neïla), Daniel Auteuil (the Professor/Pierre Mazard), Yasin Houicha (Mounir), Nozha Khouadra (the mother), Nicolas Vaude (the President), Jean-Baptiste Lafarge (Benjamin)
Synopsis : Neila is a young Arab woman who grew up in the projects on the outskirts of Paris. She dreams of becoming a lawyer. On her first day at a prestigious law school she’s raked over the coals by Pierre, a snooty professor known for his provocative behavior and politically incorrect (i.e. racist) blunders. Their exchange is recorded and goes viral, Pierre is reprimanded by the administration and, to make amends, is strong-armed into coaching Neila for an upcoming courtroom eloquence competition. Cynical and demanding, Pierre may just be the mentor she needs… But first they both have to overcome some serious prejudices. Engaging singer-turned-actress Camelia Jordana and the deft Daniel Auteuil bring spunk, emotion and, indeed, much eloquence to Yvan Attal’s polished, inspirational yarn. The film received three César nominations, with Jordana garnering the Most Promising Actress Award.
Information : Yvan Attal | Actor/writer/director Yvan Attal was born in Tel Aviv and grew up on the outskirts of Paris. He launched his acting career in Eric Rochant’s Love Without Pity (1989), which earned him a César Award for Most Promising Actor. He has appeared in over 50 films, including Jacques Doillon’s Amoureuse (1992), Diane Kurys’ Love After Love (1992), Jean-Paul Rappeneau’s Bon Voyage (2003), Sydney Pollack’s Not The Interpreter (2005), Steven Spielberg’s Munich (2005), Dany Boon’s R.A.I.D. Special Unit (COLCOA 2017), and Guillaume Canet’s Rock‘n Roll (2017). His directorial debut, My Wife Is an Actress (2001), starring real-life companion Charlotte Gainsbourg, was nominated for a César Award for Best First Film. His other feature directing credits include Happily Ever After (2004), Do Disturb (2012) and The Jews (2017).
Screening followed by a Q&A with actress, singer Camélia Jordana.
Our review : https://mulderville.net/fr/critiques/4847/le-brio

Naked Normandy (Normandie Nue) (SND)
North American Premiere | France | 2018 | Comedy | 105 min | In French with English subtitles
Directed by: Philippe Le Guay
Written by: Philippe Le Guay, Olivier Dazat, Victoria Bedos
Cinematography: Jean-Claude Larrieu
Film Editing: Monica Coleman
Original Score: Bruno Coulais
Produced by: Anne-Dominique Toussaint (Les Films des Tournelles), SND, France 2 Cinéma, Acajou Productions
Cast: François Cluzet (Georges Balbuzard), Toby Jones (Newman), François-Xavier Demaison (Thierry Levasseur), Arthur Dupont (Vincent Jousselin)
International Sales: SND Groupe M6
Synopsis : Intouchables star François Cluzet plays Georges Balbuzard, dairy farmer and mayor of a sleepy village in Normandy, in this heartfelt, engaging, socially-committed comedy. Times are tough in Georges’ small agricultural community and the farmers are up in arms. They work seven days a week but plummeting meat prices are forcing them out of business. They stage protests to publicize their plight but nothing seems to work. No one will listen. Then a famous American photographer drives through town one day and expresses his desire to photograph the entire village, standing in a field, buck naked. That photo could very well capture the world’s attention and advance their cause! But first, Georges has to convince the villagers to get naked!
Information : Philippe Le Guay | Writer/director Philippe Le Guay studied film at the prestigious IDHEC, began his career as a screenwriter, then quickly ventured into directing. His first short film, Le Clou (1984), received the Audience Award at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival. A keen observer of his time, he has written and directed numerous TV movies and comedy features, including The Cost of Living (COLCOA 2004); the run-away hit, The Women on the Sixth Floor (Audience Award winner, COLCOA 2011); and Bicycling with Molière (COLCOA 2013), which was nominated for a César Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Screening followed by a Q/a with writer/director Philippe Leguay

Promise at down (La Promesse de l’aube) (Pathe Distribution)North American Premiere | France / Belgium | 2017 | Drama, Biography, | 130 min | In French with English subtitles
Directed by: Éric Barbier
Written by: Éric Barbier, Marie Eynard, Based On Romain Gary’s Work
Cinematography: Glynn Speeckaert, Dong Jingsong
Film Editing: Jennifer Augé
Original Score: Renaud Barbier
Produced by: Éric Jehelmann, Philippe Rousselet (Jerico), Pathé Production, TF1 Films Productions
Cast: Charlotte Gainsbourg (Nina Kacew), Pierre Niney (Romain Gary), Didier Bourdon (Alex Gubernatis), Jean-Pierre Darroussin (Zaremba), Catherine McCormack (Leslie Blanch), Finnegan Oldfield (Captain Langer), Pawel Puchalski (Young Romain), Nemo Schiffman (Romain as a teenager)
International Sales: Pathé Films
Synopsis: Charlotte Gainsbourg turns in an exuberant performance as Nina, Romain Gary’s overbearing single mom, and César-winner Pierre Niney (A Perfect Man, COLCOA 2015) plays the illustrious author in this filial love story adapted from Gary’s autobiographical novel of the same name. Hounding the boy at every turn — from his childhood in Poland, to his adolescence in the South of France, to his WWII adventures as a bombardier — Nina continually brags to everyone she meets that her son will become a great writer, a war hero, a French ambassador, and a Knight of the Legion of Honor. She thrusts her monumental aspirations onto her young son… and the beleaguered boy is determined to realize them for her.
Information : Éric Barbier | Writer/director Éric Barbier is a graduate of the IDHEC film school in Paris. His feature directorial debut, Le Brasier (1991), was honored with the Prix Jean Vigo for best first feature that year. His subsequent films include Toreros (2000), The Serpent (COLCOA 2007) and The Last Diamond (COLCOA 2014). He and co-writer Marie Eynard received a César nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for Promise at Dawn.

School of life (L’École buissonnière) (StudioCanal)

West Coast Premiere | France | 2017 | Drama | 116 min | In French with English subtitles
Directed by: Nicolas Vanier
Written by: Nicolas Vanier, Jérôme Tonnerre
Cinematography: Éric Guichard, Laurent Charbonnier
Film Editing: Raphaële Urtin
Original Score: Armand Amar
Produced by: Clément Miserez, Matthieu Warter (Radar Films), StudioCanal, France 2 Cinéma
Cast: François Cluzet (Totoche), Jean Scandel (Paul), Eric Elmosnino (Borel), Francois Berléand (the Count), Valérie Karsenti (Célestine)
International Sales: StudioCanal
Synopsis : Paris, 1927. The city has a surfeit of war orphans. Paul is one of them. When kind countrywoman Celestine sees how badly the boy is treated in his austere orphanage, she offers to take him to live with her and her husband on a vast country estate, which is owned by a count, in Sologne. Now freed from his “prison”, the recalcitrant, suspicious boy suddenly finds himself in a foreign land of lush forests, misty ponds and an inexhaustible cavalcade of beautifully photographed, spectacular wildlife. Paul befriends a wily poacher named Totoche (the charismatic François Cluzet), who teaches him to fish and set traps and how to live in this strange new world. But greater secrets loom behind the walls of the mysterious Count’s estate… and Paul has not come there by chance.
Information : Nicolas Vanier | Writer/director Nicolas Vanier was born in Senegal, grew up on his grandfather’s farm in Sologne, and is a celebrated nature-lover, adventurist and dog sled racer. The author of numerous novels and graphic novels, Vanier was honored with the Prix Maurice-Genevoix, for his novel Le Chant du grand nord (2002). In addition to several shorts and documentaries, Vanier has directed the narrative features Loup (2009), which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival, and the wildly successful Belle and Sebastien (2013).

See you up there (Au revoir là-haut) (Gaumont Distribution)

West Coast Premiere | France | 2017 | Drama, Comedy | 112 min | In French with English subtitles
Directed by: Albert Dupontel
Written by: Albert Dupontel, Pierre Lemaitre
Cinematography: Vincent Mathias
Film Editing: Christophe Pinel
Original Score: Christophe Julien
Produced by: Catherine Bozorgan (Manchester Films)
Cast: Albert Dupontel (Albert Maillard), Nahuel Perez Biscayart (Edouard Pericourt), Laurent Lafitte (Lieutenant Pradelle), Niels Arestrup (Marcel Péricourt), Héloise Balster (Louise), Émilie Dequenne (Madeleine Péricourt), Mélanie Thierry (Pauline), Kyan Khojandi (Dupré)
International Sales: Gaumont
Synopsis : Albert Dupontel’s giddily ambitious adaption of Pierre Lemaitre’s novel, The Great Swindle (honored with the prestigious Prix Goncourt in 2013), is a dizzying genre-balancing act that swirls across the screen as it follows three scheming soldiers in the wake of World War I. The film’s deft mélange of the horrors of war, broad comedy and the director’s very own brand of very dark humor tells the story of two grunt soldiers — a humble accountant (Dupontel) and a brilliant painter (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart) — and their sadistic commanding officer (Laurent Lafitte), and the monumental scams they simultaneously mount to cash in on their own spoils of war. The film’s intoxicating technical feats and a formidable cast are literally guaranteed to take your breath away. The proof — the film earned a whopping 13 César nominarions and won 5 Awards, for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Costumes and Production Design.
Information : Actor/director/screenwriter Albert Dupontel began his career as a stand-up comic. He went on to appear in some 44 feature films, including Jacques Audiard’s A Self-Made Hero, Jean Becker’s Love Me No More, Cédric Klapisch’s Paris (COLCOA 2008), Gaspard Noé’s Irreversible and Florent Emilio Siri’s Intimate Enemies (COLCOA 2008). Dupontel is a four-time César Award acting nominee. He has written and directed one short and six feature films, earning him the stature of French master of black comedy. His credits include the hugely successful Bernie, nominated for the Best First Feature César Award; The Villain (COLCOA 2010); and 9 Month Stretch (COLCOA 2014), which was nominated for six César Awards, nabbing the Best Actress prize, for Sandrine Kimberlain, and Best Original Screenplay, for Dupontel.
Our review : https://mulderville.net/fr/critiques/4768/au-revoir-la-haut

Stand up Girl (C’est Tout pour moi) (UGC Distribution)

North American Premiere | France | 2017 | Comedy / Drama | 104 min | In French with English subtitles
Directed by: Ludovic Colbeau-Justin, Nawell Madani
Written by: Nawell Madani, Matt Alexander, Ali Bougheraba, Kamel Guemra
Cinematography: Thomas Lerebour
Film Editing: Jeanne Kef
Produced by: Cyril Colbeau-Justin, Jean-Baptiste Dupont (LGM Cinéma), UGC, France 2 Cinéma, Dum Dum Films, Nexus Factory, Umedia
Cast: Nawell Madani (Lila), François Berléand (Fabrice)
International Sales: Gaumont
Synopsis : The spectacularly talented Nawell Madani bursts onto the big screen as actor, writer, choreographer and co-director of this fictionalized tale of her own incredible journey — from the projects of Brussels to the bright lights of Paris, from hip-hop hoofer to a veritable stand-up comedy star in France. The story opens with Lila, a teenage girl whose dream is to become a dancer. Among the many obstacles on her path, the one that looms largest is her father, Omar, a widowed cab driver with conservative beliefs about what sorts of female behavior are acceptable. Eliciting laughs and tears, the film is a joyous celebration of one woman’s determination and boundless gifts.
Information : Ludovic Colbeau-Justin | Co-director Ludivic Colbeau-Justin is an accomplished cinematographer. He directed the TV series No Limit (2013-15), Leo Mattei (2015-16) and Just One Look (2017). Stand Up Girl is his feature directorial debut. Nawell Madani | Belgian humorist Nawell Madani moved to Paris at 21, became a choreographer, then studied acting at the Studio Pygmalion. She was invited to join renowned French comedian Jamel Debbouze’s comedy group and went on to launch a career in stand-up. She has hosted numerous TV shows and created Jam’Girls Comedy, which has launched a new generation of female stand-up comedians. Her one-woman show, C’est moi la plus belge, won the 2015 Globes de Cristal Award, and she appeared in Philippe Lacheau’s film Alibi.com (COLCOA 2017). Stand Up Girl is her first starring role on film, and her first film as writer, co-director and choreographer.
Our review : https://mulderville.net/fr/critiques/4857/c-est-tout-pour-moi

The Other woman (Amoureux de ma femme) (Sony Pictures Releasing France)

North American Premiere | France | Comedy, Drama | 2018 | 84 min | In French with English subtitles
Directed by: Daniel Auteuil
Written by: Florian Zeller
Based On The Novel By: Florian Zeller
Cinematography: Jean-François Robin
Film Editing: Joëlle Hache
Original Score: Thomas Dutronc
Produced by: Olivier Delbosc (Curiosa Films), Zack Films, France 3 Cinéma
Cast: Daniel Auteuil, Gérard Depardieu, Sandrine Kiberlain, Adriana Ugarte
International Sales: Other Angle Pictures
Synopsis : When Daniel and Isabelle invite Patrick and his new flame, Emma, to dinner, it’s with some misgivings. After all, Patrick has just dumped his ex-wife — their best friend — to run off with the much younger woman. But when the ravishing Emma appears, all of Daniel’s qualms fly out of the window. He’s instantly smitten with the seductive woman… who inspires more than a few flights of fancy, over the course of their evening together. A Gallic take on The Seven Year Itch, Florian Zeller’s adaptation of his own hit play, L’Envers du décor, offers viewers the rare delight of watching thespian giants Gerard Depardieu and Daniel Auteuil face off on the big-screen once again.
Information : Daniel Auteuil | Actor/director Daniel Auteuil won international recognition for his extraordinary performances in Claude Berri’s Jean de Florette and its sequel Manon des Sources (both 1986). The films earned him a César Award for Best Actor, as did his performance in Patrice Leconte’s Girl on the Bridge (1998). Among his innumerable films, he has also starred in Olivier Marchal’s 36 Quai des Orfèvres (COLCOA 2005), Michael Haneke’s Caché (2005) and Yvan Attal’s Le Brio (COLCOA 2018). Auteuil made his directorial debut with the Marcel Pagnol trilogy, The Well-Digger’s Daughter (COLCOA 2012), Marius (COLCOA 2014) and Fanny (COLCOA 2014), in which he also appeared. Screenwriter Florian Zeller is a renowned novelist and playwright. His play The Father won the 2014 Molière Award for Best Play and was adapted for the screen as Floride (2015), directed by Philippe Le Guay (Naked Normandy, COLCOA 2018). The play subsequently had smash runs in London, Sydney, Singapore and on Broadway.

The prayer (La Prière) (Le Pacte)

North American Premiere | France | 2018 | Drama | 107 min | In French with English subtitles
Directed by: Cédric Kahn
Written by: Cédric Kahn, Samuel Doux, Fanny Burdino
Cinematography: Yves Cape
Film Editing: Laure Gardette
Produced by: Sylvie Pialat, Benoît Quainon (Les Films du Worso), Arte Cinéma
Cast: Anthony Bajon (Thomas), Damien Chappelle (Pierre), Alex Brendemühl (Marco), Louise Grinberg (Sybille)
International Sales: Le Pacte
Synopsis : Newcomer Anthony Bajon just won the Best Actor Award at the 2018 Berlin Film Festival for his riveting portrayal of Thomas, a 22-year-old heroin addict who turns up at a monastic rehab center in the French Alps. Sporting a black eye and looking like a wounded animal, Thomas is, at first, reluctant to submit himself to the center’s austere life of discipline, abstinence, physical labor and endless prayer. But his discovery of a first love and a blossoming faith in God will lead him to a new kind of torment. Cédric Kahn’s poignant, unsentimental tale, told with a crisp purity of style, chronicles Thomas’ difficult road to recovery in painstaking detail… and is blessed with a glorious cameo by the magnificent Hanna Schygulla.
Information : Cédric Kahn | Writer/director Cédric Kahn began his career as a trainee editor on Maurice Pialat’s Under the Sun of Satan (1987), went on to become an assistant editor, then co-scripted Brigitte Roüan’s Overseas (1990). He directed his first feature, Railway Bar (1991), then Happy, Too Happy (1994), which was honored with the Prix Jean Vigo and the Youth Award at the Cannes Film Festival. His film L’Ennui (1998), adapted from a novel by Alberto Moravia, received the Prix Louis Delluc. His subsequent films include Roberto Succo (2001), Red Lights (2004), Regrets (2009), A Better Life 2011), and Wild Life (2014).