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PRODUCTION France

Being 20 years old in the towers of the Mercuriales

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- Last prep before shooting of the first feature film by promising director Virgil Vernier, handled by Kazak Productions

Noticed for his short films (Thermidor in the 2009 Directors’ Fortnight, Pandore nominated for the 2012 César) and his medium-length film Orléans, discovered last year in Locarno in Cinéastes du Présent and released in theatres on May 1st with praise from critics, Virgil Vernier (photo)will begin the filming of his first feature film, Mercuriales, on July 15th.

Played by young unknown actors (whose identity the director would rather keep quiet for now), the film will mostly be set in the two main tower blocks in the Parisian neighbourhood of Les Mercuriales. Lisa, Joane and Tony work there, in the shadow of these buildings. They are 20 years old and are still looking for the life they want to live... The screenplay was written by the director with Mariette Désert (who recently co-signed the screenplay of Suzanne [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Katell Quillévéré
film profile
]
, much appreciated in the Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival).

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Produced by Jean-Christophe Raymond for Kazak Productions, Mercuriales notably benefits from coproduction with Arte France Cinéma, an advance on receipts from the CNC, funding from the Centre region and the backing of the TorinoFilmLab. The six weeks of filming will take place in Paris, Vierzon and the Alsace region (three days). French distribution and international sales are still being negotiated.

Mercuriales is the second feature film handled by Kazak Productions after the impressive Jimmy Rivière [+see also:
trailer
interview: Teddy Lussi-Modeste
film profile
]
by Teddy Lussi-Modeste (which brought Guillaume Gouix a nomination for the 2012 César for Best Male Newcomer). The Parisian company will soon follow up with the shooting in August of another first feature film by another young director to keep an eye on: Tristesse Club by Vincent Mariette.

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(Translated from French)

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