05/09/2007

Calles "An ode to art and life" by Le Monde, "an exceptional love film with breathless suspense" by Libération, "a deliciously sabotaged pastoral tale" by Télérama and "a luminous adaptation of youth and beauty", Eric Rohmer’s Les amours d'Astrée et de Céladon [+see also:
trailer
film profile] – released today on 56 screens through Rezo Films – has received enthusiastic reviews by French critics.

Screened to a receptive audience on Friday in official competition at the Venice Film Festival (see article), the film by the 87 year-old maestro director stars Cécile Cassel, Andy Gillet and Stéphanie de Crayencour in a voyage to ancient Gaul inspired by L'Astrée, a 17th century novel written by Honoré d'Urfé.

Produced by Rezo Films (also world sales agent for the film) and Compagnie Eric Rohmer in co-production with Spanish outfit Alta Films and Italy’s BIM (15% each) for an overall budget of €2.5m, Les amours d'Astrée et de Céladon was backed by Eurimages (€330,000) and CNC advances on receipts (€350,000).

Other new releases arriving in cinemas today include Marc Fitoussi’s La vie d'artiste [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (see news), distributed on 141 prints by its producer Haut et Court.

Starring Sandrine Kiberlain, Emilie Dequenne and Denis Podalydès, the €3.39m debut feature received made co-production funding and pre-sales from France 2 Cinéma (€450,000), CNC advances on receipts (€380,000), backing from the Ile-de-France region (€393,000) and pre-sales from Canal + and TPS.

Winner of a Cannes Caméra d’Or earlier this year, the French majority production Jellyfish [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Israeli directing duo Etgar Keret and Shira Geffen is opening on 67 screens through Pyramide.

Screened at Cannes Critics’ Week (see article), the feature debut was produced by France’s Les Films du Poisson (55%) on a €1.14m budget that included backing of €300,000 from Arte France Cinéma (half in pre-sales, half in co-production), as well as pre-sales from Canal + and TPS.

Documentary Le corps sublimé by Jérôme de Missolz completes this week’s releases alongside three US productions (including Michael Moore’s Sicko) and a Japanese film.

At the box office, admissions continue their sizzling summer. Crowd pleasers include Michel Boujenah’s comedy 3 amis [+see also:
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film profile] (437,000 filmgoers in 11 days, distribution by Gaumont), Nadine Labaki’s French/Lebanese co-production Caramel [+see also:
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film profile] (304,000 filmgoers in three weeks, Eric Guirado’s Bac Films), Le fils de l’épicier (170,000 admissions, Les Films du Losange) and the exceptional Persepolis [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marc-Antoine Robert
interview: Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Pa…
film profile] (see Focus) directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud (€1.08m filmgoers in 10 weeks, Diaphana Distribution).

Cristian Mungiu’s Cannes 2007 Golden Palm winner 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Cristian Mungiu
interview: Oleg Mutu
film profile] (see Focus) clocked up 84,000 admissions in its first five days (distribution by Bac Films and Why Not Productions).

(Translated from French)