Kahn returns with rekindled passions and "regrets"

by Fabien Lemercier

29/04/2008 - Filming began yesterday for Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi and Yvan Attal, who are both starring in Cédric Kahn’s seventh feature, Les regrets (“Regrets”).

The cast also includes singer Philippe Katherine (who previously acted in the Larrieu brothers’ To Paint or Make Love [trailer, film focus] and Le voyage aux Pyrénées [trailer]) and Arly Jover (The Empire of Wolves).

Initially launched by Fidélité Films, the new work by festival regular Kahn (Too Much Happiness, L’ennui, Roberto Succo) is now produced by Kristina Larsen for Les Films du Lendemain in co-production with Gilles Sandoz for Maïa Cinéma.

Co-written by the director, Laurence Ferreira-Barbosa (who co-wrote Red Lights with Kahn) and Roger Bohbot (nominated for a Cesar award for The Dreamlife of Angels, Since Otar Left and Kings and Queen [trailer], and prize-winner in 2007 with Lady Chatterley [trailer]), the film recounts the rekindling of passion between two former childhood sweethearts.

Mathieu (Attal) – married and working as an architect in Paris – returns home when his mother falls ill. There he catches up with Maya (Bruni-Tedeschi), who is trying to get into wine growing after a trip to Africa with her partner Franck. During their first evening together, Mathieu and Maya rediscover a physical passion that changes their lives. But Franck suspects something is going on and threatens to reveal all to Mathieu’s wife.

Les regrets has a budget of €4.4m, including an advance on receipts from the National Centre for Cinematography (CNC), €260,000 in backing from the Ile-de-France region and pre-sales from Canal + and TPS.

Shooting is scheduled to last 48 days, including 30 days in the Paris region and the rest in the Centre region.

The film will be released domestically by Mars Distribution and international sales will be handled by Films Distribution.

(Translated from French)