Pierre Grise launch trio of European films

by Fabien Lemercier

30/07/2008 - While there is not one domestic title among the 11 new releases hitting French screens this Wednesday, Pierre Grise Distribution are taking advantage of this summer lull to introduce French audiences to three debut features from Germany, Belgium and the UK. These include Pia Marais’ The Unpolished [trailer], Guillaume Malandrin’s I Don’t Care if Tomorrow Never Comes and Josh Appignanesi’s Song of Songs [film focus].

Marais’ The Unpolished won the Tiger Award at Rotterdam in 2007, was crowned Best Debut Film in 2008 by the German Film Critics’ Association and was lauded at numerous international festivals, including the Premiers Plans Film Festival in Angers. The film centres on a 14-year-old girl (Céci Chuh) confronted with the wayward behaviour of her hippie parents who live on the edge of delinquency. Birol Ünel (Head-On [trailer]) plays the role of the father.

Another title to have screened at the Premiers Plans Festival is I Don’t Care if Tomorrow Never Comes by Belgian director Malandrin (see interview). The film looks at the bizarre family holidays of a 40-year-old man recently released from prison, the ten-year-old son he doesn’t know and the child’s mother who is also a stranger to the boy who has been placed with a foster family.

Along with his brother Stéphane, Malandrin has since co-directed Hand of the Headless Man [trailer], which was unveiled at the latest Namur Film Festival and stars Cécile de France, Bouli Lanners and Ulrich Tukur.

Song of Songs by Appignanesi (see interview) vied for honours at Rotterdam in 2006 and received the Michael Powell Award (special mention) at the Edinburgh Film Festival. The film explores the relationship between a brother and sister who are part of the orthodox Jewish community in London. The cast includes Nathalie Press (My Summer of Love [trailer, film focus]).

These three films are on the line-up for the European Filmmakers’ Tour de France, an initiative launched at the latest Cannes Film Festival and initiated by the Europa Cinemas network as part of the Season of European Culture organised to mark the French Presidency of the EU Council.

(Translated from French)