13/04/2005 - A modern version of the life of Joan of Arc by the Magyar director has been ready for ten days, which, it is hoped, will allow it a last-minute selection in one of the parallel sections at the upcoming Cannes

Johanna, a modern version of the life of Joan of Arc by the Magyar Kornél Mundruczó has been ready for ten days, which, it is hoped, will allow it a last-minute selection in one of the parallel sections at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.

Based on a opera by the contemporary composer Zsófia Tallér, this film starring Orsolya Tóth (the director’s favourite actress), Zsolt Trill, and Dénes Gulyás, opens on a terrible bus accident which shatters the life of Johanna. At the hospital, the frail blond heroin is pronounced dead but the doctors eventually manage to bring her back to life, which leads her to have a revelation while walking around the hospital under the dazzling white light. She becomes a blessing to the other patients but cuts much wind out of the doctors’ sails ; thus, although she is a living miracle, she sometimes seems an angel, and sometimes a devil.

Viktória Petrányi (elected one of the ‘Producers on the move 2003’ by the European Film Promotion), who co-wrote the script with the director, also coproduces the film together with him for their company, Proton Cinema. The film is coproduced by the famous Hungarian director Bela Tarr through his company, T.T. Filmmühely. The film started with a 400,000-euro budget but more money was found in March, which allowed to finance the last six days of shooting and the post-production.

International sales will be handled by The Coproduction Office (France).

Kornél Mundruczó’s first feature, Pleasant Days [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Szép napok), earned him many prizes, including the Silver Leopard 2002 in Locarno. In 2003, this young director (born in 1975) was selected as a resident of the Cinéfondation of the Cannes Film Festival, which led him to present, at the 2004 Festival, his short film Kis Apokrif n°2. Before that, in 2003, he had directed a short entitled Joan of Arc on the Night Bus (A 78-as Szent Johannája) which was screened in Cannes in the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs programme as the first episode of a modern trilogy on Joan of Arc.

(Translated from French)