25/01/2021 - The feature debut by Sweden’s Ernst De Geer has beaten Delphine Girard’s Most Alive and Nathalie Biancheri’s So, Perfect on the podium of projects that piqued the most interest

Of the 18 titles in development that were showcased at the Coproduction Village (organised online from 20-22 January), part of the Industry Village at the 12^th Les Arcs Film Festival, it was the Swedish project The Hypnosis [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Asta Kamma August
interview: Ernst De Geer
film profile] that piqued the most interest among international sales agents, co-producers and distributors.

The story of the feature debut by Ernst De Geer (who turned heads with the short film The Culture), which he wrote together with Mads Stegger, uses the style of a comedy-drama bordering on the absurd to explore the question of whether it’s really such a good idea to always be yourself. Vera (30) and André (30) are a couple who get the chance to pitch their startup business at a prestigious pitching competition. Right before the contest, Vera tries hypnotherapy to quit smoking, with an unexpected side effect: she loses all social inhibitions. André has a hard time dealing with this. When it risks ruining his career, he's torn between accepting her new personality and taking drastic measures to make her stop. Norway’s Herbert Nordrum and Sweden’s Asta August are currently envisaged for the cast. The Hypnosis is being staged by Mimmi Spång for Garagefilm International.

The second-most-sought-after project in terms of the number of meetings, Quitter la nuit [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Delphine Girard
film profile] by Delphine Girard, was also singled out as the recipient of the ArteKino International Award (see the news). The Belgian-based filmmaker originally from Quebec has written a story that explores all the complexity in play, and what can be at stake, in a case of sexual assault, as well as what the system can offer in response (a theme that she previously tackled in her short film A Sister). The story unfolds the day after the assault and revolves around three characters (the victim, the attacker and the female police officer with whom the victim pressed charges), who have to face the repercussions of this night that changed all three of them. Produced by Jacques-Henri Bronckaert for Versus Production, the director’s feature debut will reportedly star Veerle Baetens, Guillaume Duhesme and Selma Alaoui.

On the third step of the podium in terms of the number of meetings organised at the Coproduction Village is the Irish project So, Perfect by Italian helmer Nathalie Biancheri. The story, penned by the filmmaker herself (who rose to prominence with Nocturnal [+see also:
film review
interview: Nathalie Biancheri
film profile] and whose second feature, Wolf, is currently in post-production), hinges on a woman whose life collapses when her boyfriend leaves her and her perfect existence reveals itself to be a sham. The project has already secured development support from the Irish Film Board, and production duties are being handled by Jessie Fisk for Feline Films.

(Translated from French)