25/09/2008

After 23 days in Bordeaux and Haut Médoc, the shoot for Sébastien Lifshitz’s third narrative feature, Plein Sud (“My Weak Heart”), will relocate to the Zaragoza area in Spain for two days and then Haute-Normandie for three weeks.

Lifshitz first attracted attention with Almost Nothing (2000) and Wild Side (presented in the Panorama section at the 2004 Berlinale). This time, the director turns his hand to a road movie starring Belgian actor Yannick Rénier (Private Property [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) and France’s Léa Seydoux (La belle personne [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), Théo Frilet (Nos 18 ans), Pierre Perrier and Nicole Garcia (who next spring will direct a film featuring Jean Dujardin).

Written by the director, Plein Sud follows 27-year-old Sam (Rénier) as he travels towards the Portuguese mountains to see his mother (Garcia). Along the way, he picks up three hitch-hikers (Perrier and brother and sister duo Frilet-Seydoux) and the journey unfolds at a relaxed holiday pace, from service stations to village dances.

For each of the protagonists, the journey is a sentimental education. But for Sam, it is also an opportunity to question his life choices and revisit dark childhood memories.

Produced by Alexandra Henochsberg and Judith Nora for Ad Vitam (loyal distributor of Lifshitz’s films), Plein Sud received development funding from the Media programme, pre-sales from Canal+ and Ciné Cinéma and backing from the Aquitaine and Haute-Normandie regions.

AD Vitam are set to release the film domestically in September 2009.

(Translated from French)