12/01/2016 - Things to Come and Being 17 will represent France in competition, along with the majority production Death in Sarajevo

Three majority French productions and two minority ones feature among the 15 titles selected (for the time being) for the competition of the 66^th Berlin International Film Festival (11-21 February 2016). 

Mia Hansen-Løve will be duking it out with Things to Come [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Mia Hansen-Løve
film profile], her fifth feature, following All Is Forgiven [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: David Thion
interview: Mia Hansen-Löve
film profile] (Directors' Fortnight 2007), Father of My Children [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mia Hansen-Løve
film profile] (Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize at Cannes in 2009), Goodbye First Love [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mia Hansen-Love
film profile] (Special Mention at Locarno in 2011) and Eden [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Charles Gillibert
interview: Mia Hansen-Løve
film profile] (unveiled at Toronto and in competition at San Sebastián in 2014). Starring Isabelle Huppert, André Marcon, Roman Kolinka, Edith Scob, Sarah Le Picard and Solal Forte, Things to Come (the screenplay for which was written by the director herself) revolves around Nathalie, a philosophy teacher in a Parisian secondary school who is married with two children, and who splits her life between her family, her former pupils and her over-possessive mother. One day, her husband tells her that he is leaving her to go and live with another woman. Faced with this newfound freedom, she will reinvent her life... Produced by Charles Gillibert for CG Cinéma, Things to Come was co-produced by Arte France Cinéma, Rhône-Alpes Cinéma and German outfit Detail Film. Having been pre-purchased by Canal+, the film was also supported by the CNC’s advance on receipts, Procirep, the Hessen Film Fund and the Cinémage and Cofinova Soficas. It will be distributed in French theatres from 2 March by Les Films du Losange, which is also in charge of its international sales.

Another director vying for the Golden Bear 2016 is 72-year-old André Téchiné, who will be unveiling his 21^st feature: Being 17 [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: André Téchiné
interview: Kacey Mottet Klein
film profile]. Having already been selected in competition twice at Berlin (in 2005 and 2007), six times at Cannes (between 1979 and 2003) and once at Venice (in 2001), for his new film the director has assembled a cast including Sandrine Kiberlain, Swiss actor Kacey Mottet Klein, Corentin Fila and Alexis Loret. The story, which he co-penned with Céline Sciamma, centres on Damien, the pampered son of a soldier and a doctor, who lives with his mother in Southwest France while his father is on a military mission in Africa. The teenage boy must learn to stand up for himself at secondary school, where he is bullied over his effeminate ways. And when he meets Tom, the adopted son of local farmers, the hatred between the two boys is immediate and visceral. But when Tom’s mother is hospitalised, Damien’s mum offers to take Tom into their home. The tension between the two teenagers then becomes more and more palpable... Produced by Olivier Delbosc and Marc Missonnier for Fidélité Films, Being 17 was co-produced by Wild Bunch (which will handle its distribution in French theatres from 30 March) and France 2 Cinéma. Having been pre-purchased by Canal+ and Ciné+, the feature was also backed by the La Banque Postale Image Sofica and the Midi-Pyrénées region. International sales are managed by Elle Driver.

A third majority French production has been selected for the most high-profile showcase at Berlin: Death in Sarajevo [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Danis Tanovic
film profile] by Danis Tanovic. Produced by François Margolin for Paris-based company Margo Cinéma together with Bosnia’s SCCA/pro.ba, the film was co-produced by France 3 Cinéma and has been pre-purchased by Canal+. It is being sold by German sales agent The Match Factory, and French distribution is still being negotiated.

Two minority French productions round off the French contingent taking part in the Berlin competition: the documentary Fire at Sea [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Gianfranco Rosi
film profile] by Italy’s Gianfranco Rosi (co-produced by Les Films d'Ici and Arte France Cinéma – read the news – sold by Doc & Film International) and Alone in Berlin [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Vincent Perez (read the article – co-produced with Germany and the United Kingdom by Master Movies and Pathé, which will be in charge of distributing the movie in France).

(Translated from French)