email print share on Facebook share on Twitter share on LinkedIn share on reddit pin on Pinterest

PRODUCTION Belgium / France

Olivier Masset-Depasse's Mother's Instinct to star Veerle Baetens and Anne Coesens

by 

- The Belgian director is bringing together an original pair of actresses for his third feature film, which is inspired by and based on a psychological thriller by Belgian novelist Barbara Abel

Olivier Masset-Depasse's Mother's Instinct to star Veerle Baetens and Anne Coesens
Actresses Veerle Baetens and Anne Coesens and director Olivier Masset-Depasse

Olivier Masset-Depasse will kick off filming on 4 May for his third feature film, Mother's Instinct [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Olivier Masset-Depasse
film profile
]
, a psychological thriller based on a book by Barbara Abel, which brings together two remarkable Belgian actresses, Veerle Baetens and Anne Coesens. Olivier Masset-Depasse has stood out since his first short films for his strong and unique aesthetic. His debut feature film, Cages [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, was a dreamlike tale about a couple who couldn’t manage to love one another. His second feature, Illegal [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Olivier Masset-Depasse
film profile
]
, which was selected for Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes, centered around the tragic fate of an undocumented young mother kept far away from her son in a detention centre. He also made Sanctuaire for Canal+, which won the FIPA d’or awards for Best Screenplay and Best Actress at Biarritz, and is now getting ready to shoot the third instalment in the adventures of Largo Winch.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Mother's Instinct takes place in Brussels, in the early 1960s. Alice and Céline live in two adjoining middle-class houses that are identical to one another. They are the definition of best friends, like their eight-year-old sons. This almost perfect harmony is turned on its head the day that Alice witnesses the accidental death of Céline’s son Maxime, powerless to stop it.

Blinded by suffering, Céline blames Alice for failing to do everything in her power to save her son. And it all falls apart between the two friends.

The lead roles will be played by Veerle Baetens (The Broken Circle Breakdown [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Felix van Groeningen
interview: Felix Van Groeningen
interview: Felix Van Groeningen
film profile
]
, The Ardennes [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Robin Pront
film profile
]
), Anne Coesens (Illegal, La Trêve), Mehdi Nebbou (Munich, Body of Lies, who we recently saw in Joséphine s’arrondit [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, The Fixer [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Adrian Sitaru
interview: Tudor Aaron Istodor
film profile
]
, Animals [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Greg Zglinski
film profile
]
), and Arieh Worthalter (Eternity [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, Les Anarchistes [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, who has just been awarded the award for Best Actor at Séries Mania for Transferts).

Mother's Instinct is being produced by Versus Production, the director’s faithful companion throughout his endeavours, and co-produced by Haut et CourtSavage FilmRTBF, VOO and Be tv, with the participation of Canal+ and Ciné+, and support from the CCA, the VAFWallimagescreen.brussels, the Tax Shelter, Eurimages and the MEDIA programme.

The film will be distributed in the Benelux countries by O’Brother and by Haut et Court in France. International sales will be handled by Indie Sales.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

(Translated from French)

Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.

Privacy Policy