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PRODUCTION France

Elkabetz finds love behind bars in Les Mains Libres

by 

The final leg of shooting is underway in and around Paris on the directorial debut of actress Brigitte Sy (seen last year in Versailles [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Geraldine Michelot
interview: Pierre Schoeller
film profile
]
): Les Mains Libres (“Free Hands”).

Winner of an award at Emergence 2007 with this project, the new-found filmmaker, who is also Louis Garrel’s mother, has put together a cast including three seasoned actors: Israel’s Ronit Elkabetz (The Band’s Visit [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
), Switzerland’s Carlo Brandt (Captain Ahab [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
) and France’s Noémie Lvovsky (The French Kissers [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
).

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The story co-written by Sy and Gaëlle Macé centres on Barbara, a director who for several years has been preparing a film written by and starring long-term prisoners. She visits the jail twice a week to carry out interviews that serve as the basis for her screenplay.

But when she meets Michel, one of the prisoners, their passionate love affair will lead her to break the law.

Produced by Mathieu Bompoint for Mezzanine Films, Les Mains Libres has a €1.5m budget, including pre-sales from Canal + and Ciné Cinéma, as well as €400,000 in backing from the Ile-de-France region.

Having kicked off on May 22, the 30-day shoot, which is taking place in Aubervilliers, Meaux and Paris, will wrap up on June 30. The film is expected to be released in January 2010. French distribution and international sales are still under negotiation.

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(Translated from French)

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