Successful debuts for Anger, Lilti and George

by Fabien Lemercier

09/01/2008 - Three critically acclaimed French debut features are among the 12 new releases hitting screens today.

Shellac are releasing on 13 screens Aurélia George’s L'homme qui marche [trailer] (“The Man Who Walks”), starring César Sarachu. The Château-Rouge production (see news), was lauded at the San Sebastian Film Festival and made for €1.6m, including an advance on receipts from the National Centre for Cinematography (CNC).

Another new release to have been granted a CNC advance on receipts is Thomas Lilti’s Les yeux bandés [trailer] (“Blindfolded”), starring Jonathan Zaccaï and Guillaume Depardieu, produced by Sombrero for a budget of €2.1m and distributed by Epicentre Films.

UGC are launching on 92 screens the thriller Le tueur (“The Killer”) by Cédric Anger (see news), starring Gilbert Melki, Mélanie Laurent and Grégoire Colin, produced by Sunrise and SBS for a budget of €2.9m.

European productions are in the spotlight this week, as StudioCanal are releasing on 225 screens Atonement [trailer] by UK director Joe Wright, starring Keira Knightley.

MK2 are launching on 41 screens Garage [trailer, film focus] by Irish director Lenny Abrahamson (see Focus) and Océan Films are releasing on 32 screens Swiss title Vitus [trailer, film focus] by Fredi M. Murer, starring Bruno Ganz and Teo Gheorghiu (see Focus).

(Translated from French)