07/08/2003 - 1 film, 2 stories about immigration and family today form Arnaud des Pallières’ directorial debut, Adieu, starring Michaël Lonsdale, Olivier Gourmet and Aurore Clément

Adieu, the directorial feature debut by Arnaud des Pallières, is on the look out for international distribution.
Produced by France’s Les Films d'Ici, in partnership with Arte France Cinéma, Adieu was presented to press and public today in Locarno. (For those who missed it the first time around, a second screening’s due on 8 August at the Altra Sala at 16.40). The initial reaction was positive and the future bodes well. The film is bolstered by a strong cast lead by Michaël Lonsdale, Olivier Gourmet, Aurore Clément and Laurent Lucas and is scheduled for a domestic release in April 2004.
Adieu is really two stories in one and covers subjects of great interest to contemporary European society, like death and the loss of identity.
“The two storylines follows Ismahel, an illegal immigrant who’s request for political asylum is turned down, and a family of peasants who must come to terms with the tragic death of the youngest child. Both stories are integral parts of contemporary reality,” said Thomas Ordonneau, head of international sales at French distributor and film exporter, Shellac. “Every country in the ‘Old Continent’ is having to find a new identity, and the illegal immigration phenomenon only emphasises this.”

In spite of some skilful editing where the images and the silence of the protagonists blend in with refined music composed for the occasion by Martin Wheeler, the film never loses the power of the message it is putting across: the need to acknowledge Europe’s new multi-ethnicity in the 21st century. “This is a film that Europe really has to see because it is a complete European story,” said Ordonneau.

(Translated from Italian)