07/05/2009

With Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos’ Dogtooth [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Yorgos Lanthimos
film profile] selected in the Un Certain Regard section, Belgian filmmaker Felix Van Groeningen’s The Misfortunates in the Directors’ Fortnight and Nothing Personal [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mathias Gokalp, director of…
film profile] by France’s Mathias Gokalp set to open Critics’ Week, French international seller MK2 has a well-stocked line-up for the Market of the 62nd Cannes Film Festival (May 13-24).

MK2 will also be hoping for success with two features by major French auteurs: Patrice Chéreau’s Persécution, starring Romain Duris and Charlotte Gainsbourg (currently in post-production - see news) will be unveiled for the first time with a promo-reel, while Abdellatif Kechiche will start shooting in June on Black Venus (see news).

The slate also includes two thrillers. The shoot is wrapping up on Christophe Blanc’s White As Snow (see news), featuring François Cluzet and Olivier Gourmet. Meanwhile, filming has started on Charles De Meaux’s Stretch, which traces the dangerous misadventures of a jockey and stars Nicolas Cazalé, Nicolas Duvauchelle, Fan Bing Bing and David Carradine.

In production, the company also has Raphael Duroy’s documentary Ayo – Joy, about the German-born singer of Nigerian/Romany origin; and Philippe Van Leeuw’s Belgian/French co-production Rwanda: The Day God Walked Away, which will hit French screens on May 27.

The line-up also reveals that Abbas Kiarostami’s French/Italian co-production The Certified Copy will finally start shooting on June 8, with a cast that includes Juliette Binoche and opera singer William Shimell.

MK2 is also busy on the acquisitions side, having this week bought the French distribution rights to UK director Andrea Arnold’s Fish Tank [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Andrea Arnold
film profile], which will vie for the 2009 Palme d’Or.

(Translated from French)