28/06/2006

Diaphana today releases Robert Guédiguian’s latest film, Armenia [+see also:
trailer
film profile], starring the director’s usual favourites Ariane Ascaride, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Gérard Meylan, as well as Simon Abkarian and Marcel Bluwal on 174 screens.

After The Last Mitterand, presented in official competition at Berlin last year, the Marseille-born director has this time gone back to his roots to shoot his 14th feature, as Guédiguian, born to a German mother has, in fact, Armenian roots on his father’s side.

Co-scripted by the director, Ariane Ascaride and novelist Marie Desplechin, according to Guédiguian in Armenia "the viewer is confronted with different forms: the story, the thriller, the melodrama, the fairytale". Seriously ill, Barsam wants to return home, but also to bequeath something to his daughter Anna. As he flees to Armenia, he leaves several clues in his wake so that Anna can come after him. For Anna, this journey she is obliged to make in an unknown country, becomes what her father wanted it to be: an initiation, a sentimental journey, a second adolescence. She will come to doubt her identity, her relationships and her commitments.

Produced by Agat Films & Cie for a budget of €3.49m including an advance on receipts of €380,000 from the CNC, Armenia was also funded by France 3 Cinéma (€762,000) and a pre-sales agreement from Canal+ and Ciné Cinéma.

Also among today’s 11 new releases are five other French productions: SND is releasing Nos jours heureux (lit. “Our Happy Days”) by Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache, with Jean-Paul Rouve heading the bill, on approximately 300 screens, while Pan Européenne is releasing Patrick Grandperret’s Murderers [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (see article May 21) on 80 screens, winner of the Jury’s President Prize in the Un Certain Regard selection at Cannes this year.

Gémini Films meanwhile is distributing Je me fais rare (lit. “I’m Making Myself Scarce”), directed by and starring Dante Desarthe, on five screens, while Zelig Films Distribution is releasing Laurent Boulanger’s Un an [+see also:
trailer
film profile], a film based on the novel by Jean Echenoz, on eight screens.

Lastly, documentary Watermarks by Yaron Zilberman, a French/Israeli/US co-production opens on seven screens (distribution by Sophie Dulac).

(Translated from French)