11/02/2009

Le Pacte are today launching on 276 screens François Ozon’s Ricky [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], which last week screened in competition at the Berlin Film Festival.

Praised by most critics for its originality and blend of social realism and fantasy tale, the film stars Alexandra Lamy, Spanish actor Sergi López and Mélusine Mayance. It is the tenth feature by the director who is not afraid to change his style from one film to another, while strangeness remains a recurring theme in his filmography.

Speaking of his interest in UK writer Rose Tremain’s short story Moth – which he freely adapted with Emmanuele Bernheim – Ozon comments that it "reminded him of the world of the Dardenne brothers’ Rosetta." He added: "What appealed to me was the eruption of a miraculous and extraordinary event in a world anchored in a poverty-stricken reality. Fantasy only interests me when it enables viewers to believe in and identify with what they see."

The result is an astonishing story about a flying baby and family relations that recalls the fairy-tale symbolism explored by Ozon in Criminal Lovers (1999).

Ricky was produced by Eurowide Film Production for €6.38m, which included co-production support from France 2 Cinéma, Foz and Italy’s Teodora Film. The title also benefited from the expertise of DoP Jeanne Lapoirie and BUF for the special effects.

Also hitting screens this Wednesday are two other titles selected at Berlin. Costa Gavras’ French/Greek co-production Eden is West [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (see news) – starring Italian actor Riccardo Scamarcio – is being launched by Pathé Distribution on 122 screens.

Meanwhile, Tomm Moore’s Irish/French/Belgian animated co-production Brendan and the Secret of Kells [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Didier Brunner
interview: Tomm Moore
interview: Viviane Vanfleteren
film profile] is being released by Gébéka Films on a 110-print run.

Other releases include Juraj Lehotsky’s Slovakian feature Blind Loves [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which won acclaim in the latest Cannes Directors’ Fortnight (see news - ASC Distribution on 10 screens); Charles Nemes’ French comedy Le séminaire, Caméra café (“The Seminar, Camera Café”, TFM Distribution - 507 screens); US/UK animated co-production The Tale of Despereaux (Universal); and Korean director Jeon Soo-il’s minority French co-production With the Girl of Black Soil (Zootrope).

(Translated from French)