04/02/2009

Quality European films are much in evidence in French theatres this Wednesday. Among this week’s 15 new releases are four films that were lauded at Venice and another that won acclaim in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.

This diverse selection of titles will compete for audiences alongside a couple of US blockbusters (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Bolt) and Lisa Azuelos’ French generational comedy LOL [+see also:
trailer
interview: Christa Théret
film profile], starring Sophie Marceau and Christa Theret (launched by Pathé on 430 screens).

But the most high-profile star on this week’s line-up is undoubtedly Dominique Blanc, who won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at Venice for her performance in The Other One [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Pierre Trividic and Patrick-Mario Bernard. Produced by Ex Nihilo for €2.15m – which included an advance on receipts from the National Film Centre (CNC), backing from the Ile-de-France region and pre-sales from Canal + and Ciné Cinéma – the film is being released by Ad Vitam on 55 screens.

There has also been an enthusiastic critical response for Swedish director Tomas Alfredson’s subtle vampire film Let the Right One In [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: John Nordling
interview: Tomas Alfredson
film profile] (launched by Chrysalis Films on 23 screens) and for Belgian filmmaker Joachim Lafosse’s subversive Private Lessons [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jacques-Henri Bronckart
interview: Joachim Lafosse
film profile], which was unveiled in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight (Haut et Court - 34 screens).

Two other features presented at Venice have also received a warm critical reception: Adrian Sitaru’s quirky Romanian relationship saga Hooked [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Adrian Sitaru
film profile] (Rezo Films - 12 screens); and the captivating documentary Puisque nous sommes nés [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (“Because We Were Born”) by Jean-Pierre Duret and Andrea Santana, which looks at the deprived inhabitants of Northeast Brazil (see news - Pierre Grise Distribution on 18 screens).

Two other documentaries are also hitting screens: UK director Terence Davies’ Of Time and the City [+see also:
trailer
film profile], about Liverpool (Jour2fête - 16 screens); and Agnès Fouilleux’s Un aller simple pour Maoré (“A One Way Ticket to Maoré”), about illegal immigration in Mayotte (Les Films Bonnette et Minette - 13 screens).

Two French features complete the line-up: Etienne Faure’s Des illusions (“Illusions”, Acte Films - three screens) and Jacques Grand-Jouan’s Lucifer et moi (“Lucifer and Me”, Mettos Films - one screen).

(Translated from French)