27/04/2007

Four majority French productions feature on the programme of the 46th International Critics’ Week (SIC), which takes place May 17-25 alongside the 60th Cannes Film Festival.

The four titles competing for the Caméra d’Or include opening film Heroes [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Bruno Merle (see news), David Oelhoffen’s Nos retrouvailles [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and Meduzot [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Israeli filmmakers Etgar Keret and Shira Geffen, while the gory Inside by French directing duo Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo will be presented in the Very Special Screening section.

Acclaimed for his medium-length feature En mon absence (Special Jury Award at Clermont Ferrand 2001) and his shorts, which include Sous le bleu (2004), in Nos retrouvailles Oelhoffen explores one of his favourite themes: father-son relationships.

Scripted by the director, the film (winner of CNC First Screenplay Trophies, as well as Fondation Gan and Fondation Beaumarchais awards) focuses on the complex relationship between a 20 year-old son (Nicolas Giraud, a revelation according to the Week’s selection committee) and his father (Jacques Gamblin) who turns up in the former’s life after having ignored him for several years. A chaotic emotional mix – fascination and deception, love and hate, admiration and contempt – results in disaster for the two characters when the father gets the son involved in a robbery.

The €1.67m Kaléo Films production was funded by a co-production with Rhône-Alpes Cinéma and pre-sales from Canal+ and Ciné Cinéma, and is expected to be sold internationally by Pyramide.

"Blood, blood and more blood!!!" While emphasising the great cinematographic quality of the film, the Week’s selection committee also laid its cards on the table with its choice of Maury and Bustillo’s Inside [+see also:
trailer
film profile].

The film revolves around a mysterious woman (Béatrice Dalle) who tries to take the baby of a young pregnant woman (Alysson Paradis). A €2.42m production from the slate of La Fabrique de Films, Inside received pre-sales from Canal+ and Ciné Cinéma and is being sold internationally by Dreamachine.

A 55% French production by Les Films du Poisson, Keret and Geffen’s Meduzot will represent Israel in competition. Its €1.14m budget included funding of €300,000 from ARTE France Cinéma (half in pre-sales, half in co-production), as well as pre-sales from Canal+ and TPS. Pyramide is handling international sales on the title and on XXY by Argentinean director Lucia Puenzo (see news), another title in competition minority co-produced by the Paris-based ouftit.

Lastly, Micha Wald’s debut feature Horse Thieves [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (see news) is a 34% French production, (56% Belgium, 10% Canada) by Rezo Films who is also handling international sales. The €2.96m film received CNC advances on receipts of €280,000.

(Translated from French)