PRODUCTION France / Luxembourg
La Clinique de l’amour opens for funny business
The Franco-Luxembourg co-production La Clinique de l’amour (“The Love Hospital”) started shooting in Luxembourg May 16. The mainstream comedy, which parodies TV dramas set in hospitals, expands on a 1998 short from actor-director Artus de Penguern, La Polyclinique de l’amour.
The film is de Penguern’s second feature as director, after his successful 2001 comedy Grégoire Moulin. The character actor is probably most famous for his role as Hipolito in the hit film Amelie [+see also:
trailer
film profile].
La Clinique is set in the Marchal hospital, a small, family-run facility headed by paterfamilias David Marchal (Michel Aumont) and his two sons, John (de Penguern) and Michael (Bruno Salomone), both surgeons.
Complications arise when Michael marries the beautiful nurse Priscilla (Helena Noguerra), with whom John has been secretly in love with for a long time. A heart attack, a money-hungry mistress (Natacha Lindinger) and a possible take-over by a pharmaceutical company are also part of the plot.
Inspired by A Fish Called Wanda, amongst others, the film, which will also contain slapstick scenes à la the silent movies, is designed to appeal to audiences of all ages.
“While making the audience laugh, we also want to ensure they really feel something for the characters. It is our goal to make a popular, sensitive and poetic comedy,” says the director.
La Clinique de l’amour is a co-production between three companies of the Iris Group, Iris Productions in Luxembourg, Iris Films in Belgium and Drimage in France, and the French outfits 2425 Film and Litswa.
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