15/04/2022 - The debut feature from Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret, produced by Les Films Velvet and sold by Pyramide, will have its world premiere on the Croisette, in Un Certain Regard

It’s a beautiful return to Cannes for young French filmmakers Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret, who had unveiled in Directors’ Fortnight in 2016 their first (and only) short film, titled Chasse royale (nominated for the 2017 César award and winner at Clermont-Ferrand and Colcoa). The directing duo (who was also behind the web series Would You Rather for Arte, presented at Sundance 2021) continues on its rapid rise by directly entering the Official Selection of the 75th Cannes Film Festival (17 - 28 May) with its feature debut, Les Pires [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Romane Gueret and Lise Akoka
film profile], which will have its world premiere in Un Certain Regard.

Written by Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret in collaboration with Elénore Gurrey, the script centres on a group of teenagers street cast in their neighbourhood and selected to play in a feature film during the summer. The film tells the story of this film shoot and of the connections that will be formed during it.

Among the actors are Belgium’s Johan Heldenberg (nominated for the 2013 Europan Film Award for Best Actor for The Broken Circle Breakdown [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Felix van Groeningen
interview: Felix Van Groeningen
interview: Felix Van Groeningen
film profile]), Matthias Jacquin, Mallory Wanecques and Loïc Pech.

Produced by Frédéric Jouve and Marine Alaric for Les Films Velvet (already a partner on the directors’ short film), Les Pires was co-produced by France 3 Cinéma. Pre-bought by Canal+, Ciné+ and France Télévisions, the feature film has also benefited from the support of the advance on receipts of the CNC, of Pictanovo (the Hauts-de-France region where filming took place) and of the Cinémage Sofica. The film’s director of photography is Éric Dumont (The Measure of a Man [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Stéphane Brizé
film profile], At War [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Stéphane Brizé
film profile], Another World [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Stéphane Brizé
film profile]). French distribution and international sales are handled by Pyramide.

For the record, Les Films Velvet also have in post-production Other People's Children [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rebecca Zlotowski
film profile] by Rebecca Zlotowski and three feature films produced with Baxter Films: Juniors [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Hugo P. Thomas, White Paradise [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Guillaume Renusson and L’année du requin by Ludovic and Zoran Boukherma (article).

(Translated from French)