14/01/2008

Final preparations are underway before shooting begins on La Loi du plus fort (“The Law of the Strongest”), the debut cinematic feature by veteran television director Alain Tasma, who won an Emmy Award in 2006 for October 17, 1961.

For his big screen debut, the filmmaker has brought together a cast that includes French actor Gaspard Ulliel (Hannibal Rising [+see also:
trailer
film profile]); Italian actress Jasmine Trinca (The Caiman [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jean Labadie
interview: Nanni Moretti
film profile]); and Israeli actors Sara Adler (Jellyfish [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Lior Ashkenazi (Tu marcheras sur l'eau, “You’ll Walk on Water”) and Hana Lazlo (Best Actress Award at Cannes in 2005 for Free Zone [+see also:
trailer
film profile]).

Adapted from the novel En retard pour la guerre by Valérie Zenatti, who co-wrote the screenplay with the director, La Loi du plus fort is set in Israel in January 1991, just before the Gulf War.

As Jerusalem awaits the landing of the first Scuds and lives in fear of a chemical arms attack, the threat of death paradoxically reawakens the desire to laugh, love, live and face reality. This unreal atmosphere is depicted via a host of characters: a Franco-Italian woman (Trinca) who has come to Jerusalem to do some research on Flavius Josephus; painter and security officer Nathanaël (Ulliel); and Tamar (Adler) who is experiencing the final stages of pregnancy alongside her partner Gil (Ashkenazi).

Aged only 23, Ulliel is enjoying a meteoric rise to success. First appearing in Michel Blanc’s Summer Things (2002), a year later the young actor had the honour of being in competition at Cannes with a starring role in Strayed, before enjoying considerable international exposure with Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s A Very Long Engagement and Peter Webber’s Hannibal Rising.

This year, he is set to appear in Eric Forestier’s La Troisième partie du monde (“The Third Part of the World”, see news) and star alongside Isabelle Huppert in Rithy Panh’s Un Barrage contre le Pacifique (“A Dam Against the Pacific”, see news) which could be unveiled at Cannes in May.

His projects for 2008 include French production The Vintner's Luck by New Zealand director Niki Caro (set for shooting in February and starring Jérémie Rénier) and Laurent Tuel’s Le Premier cercle (“The First Circle”) starring Jean Reno (set for shooting in spring).

The 40-day shooting schedule for La Loi du plus fort is set to begin on January 21 and will take place in Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem.

Produced by Cipango, pre-bought and co-produced by France 3 Cinéma, the film will be distributed domestically by Mars.

Other co-producers include Israeli company Lama films and Orange subsidiary, Studio 37, who have also bought the video rights and international sales rights.

(Translated from French)