Bonnaire, Hurt shoot J'enrage De Son Absence

by Fabien Lemercier

25/02/2011 - For the past two weeks, actress Sandrine Bonnaire has been shooting her first directorial narrative feature: French/Luxembourg/Belgian co-production J'enrage De Son Absence (“I’m Furious At His Absence”). This follows her acclaimed behind-the-camera debut with the documentary Her Name Is Sabine [trailer] (unveiled in the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in 2007).

For this psychological drama, Bonnaire has put together a cast including US actor William Hurt (who stars in Julie Gavras’s Late Bloomers [trailer], shown at the recent Berlinale), Alexandra Lamy (seen in Ricky [trailer] and set to grace screens in 2011 in Eric Guirado’s Possessions), Augustin Legrand (13 – Tzameti [trailer, film focus]) and Jalil Mehenni.

In the film, scripted by Bonnaire and Jérôme Tonnerre, 50-something Jacques resurfaces in Mado’s life after ten long years of absence. Mado, who is married and has a seven-year-old son Paul, is at first wary before renewing ties with her former lover.

But the couple’s relationship is marred by the death of a child and the increasingly strong affection between Jacques and little Paul ends up making Mado uncomfortable. To be closer to them, and despite her husband’s presence, Jacques moves into the basement of their home.

An executive co-production between Mon Voisin Productions (Dominique Besnehard and Michel Feller) and Mosaïque Films (Jean Vercoutère and Thomas Schmitt), J'enrage De Son Absence is co-produced by France 3 Cinéma, Luxembourg-based Iris Productions and Belgian company Iris Films. Pre-bought by Canal +, the feature is also backed, among others, by Sofica Manon, La Banque Postale, and the Wallimage-Bruxellimage fund.

Shooting is scheduled until April 15 in the Paris area, Belgium and Luxembourg. French theatrical distribution will be managed by Ad Vitam and international sales rights have been acquired by Films Distribution.

(Translated from French)