09/01/2020 - The first feature by French director Maïmouna Doucouré will premiere in competition at Park City, while that of Denmark’s Jeanette Nordahl will be unveiled in Berlinale's Panorama

The beginning of the year looks set to be a busy one for the Parisian group Bac Films’ international sales division, which will see two of its titles showcased at the 36th Sundance Film Festival (running 23 January–2 February) and the 70th Berlinale (20 February–1 March).

The team, now steered by Andrea Dos Santos and Marine Goulois, will be attending Sundance with Cuties [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maïmouna Doucouré
film profile] by Maïmouna Doucouré, a film which will enjoy its world premiere on the first day of the festival within the World Cinema Dramatic competition. This first feature film by a director who won multiple awards for her short work Maman(s) (which bagged itself a Grand Prix in Toronto 2015, a jury award at Sundance 2016 and the 2017 César Award, amongst other accolades) has been sold to Netflix worldwide (outside of France). Written by the director herself, the story centres around 11-year-old Amy, who comes across Angelica and her group of dancers "The Cuties". Fascinated, she joins their troupe and learns to dance. There, she rapidly grows aware of her burgeoning femininity, a discovery which runs contrary to her mother's values... Produced by Bien ou Bien Productions, co-produced by France 3 Cinéma and supported by way of an advance on earnings from the CNC, amongst other sources, Cuties will subsequently be presented in Berlin’s Generation Kplus line-up, ahead of its distribution in French cinemas on 1st April by Bac Films.

Meanwhile, at the 70th Berlinale’s European Film Market, Bac Films International will find itself waging on Wild­land [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jeanette Nordahl
film profile], the first feature film coming courtesy of Danish director Jeanette Nordahl, which will have its world premiere in the festival’s Panorama section. Starring in the cast are San­dra Guld­berg Kampp (in her first big role), the very well-known Sidse Babett Knud­sen, and Joachim Fjel­strup, Elliott Cros­set Hove and Besir Zeciri. Written by Inge­borg Topsøe, the story revolves around 17-year-old Ida who, following the tragic death of her mother, is taken in by her estranged family: her Aunt Bodil and her three sons. At first, she takes comfort in their home which is filled with physical tenderness and a strong sense of unity. But this young woman is soon sucked into a far darker reality: the family’s criminal way of life and their toxic dynamics, which swiftly lead her to consider violence, addiction and intimidation as normal, everyday events. It’s only when the situation spirals out of control that Ida realises love and violence have now become inseparable. Doubt­ing if she real­ly belongs with this loy­al, but dan­ger­ous matri­arch and this broth­er­hood on the edge, Ida is faced with the very same ques­tion her mother once faced: just how far are we will­ing to go for our family? Wild­land was produced by Eva Jakob­sen, Katrin Pors and Mikkel Jer­sin on behalf of Snow­globe, with the support of the Dan­ish Film Insti­tute, DR and the regional fund Film­Fyn. The film is set to be released in Danish cinemas on 12 March.

Bac Films’ sales team will also be leaping into action as of next week at the 22nd French Film Meetings in Paris (running 16 – 20 January), not least with the market premiere of the French-German animated feature Yakari, a Spectacular Journey [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Xavier Giacometti, a work based on the eponymous comic book series recounting the adventures of a young Sioux boy.

For the record, recently acclaimed Bac titles include Alice and the Mayor [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nicolas Pariser
film profile] by Nicolas Pariser (which achieved impressive sales throughout the world and enjoyed great success in French cinemas following its premiere at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight in May last year) and My Days of Glory [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Antoine de Bary
film profile] by Antoine de Bary (unveiled in Venice’s Orizzonti line-up and set to be distributed in French cinemas by Bac as of 26 February). Standing tall on the post-production slate, meanwhile, we find Home [+see also:
interview: Franka Potente
film profile], the first feature film directed by the German actress Franka Potente (starring American actors Jake McLaughlin and Kathy Bates in lead roles – read our news), The Man Who Sold His Skin [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Kaouther Ben Hania
film profile] by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania (Beauty and the Dogs [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Kaouther Ben Hania
film profile]) and Our Men [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rachel Lang
film profile] by France’s Rachel Lang, not forgetting the animated film currently in production and directed by Iran’s Sepideh Farsi, The Siren [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile].

(Translated from French)