24/02/2015 - The first French-language movie by the Dutch filmmaker, produced by SBS, boasts a top-notch cast toplined by Isabelle Huppert

10 January saw the start of filming for Elle [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], the first French-language feature by famous Dutch director Paul Verhoeven, and the shoot is now in full swing in Paris. The cast includes star actress Isabelle Huppert, Laurent Lafitte (popular recently in Elle l'adore [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and currently appearing in Papa ou maman [+see also:
trailer
making of
film profile]), Anne Consigny (nominated for the César Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2009 and 2010 for A Christmas Tale [+see also:
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trailer
film profile] and Rapt [+see also:
trailer
interview: Lucas Belvaux
film profile]), Charles Berling (nominated four times for the César for Best Actor, currently appearing on the big screen in The Clearstream Affair [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), German actor Christian Berkel (who turned heads in such titles as The Experiment, Safe Conduct [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Downfall [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bernd Eichinger
interview: Joachim Fest
interview: Oliver Hirschbiegel
film profile] and Black Book [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), Belgium’s Virginie Efira (popular in Dead Man Talking [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and 20 ans d'écart [+see also:
trailer
film profile], soon to be seen in cinemas in Caprice, Une famille à louer [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Et ta soeur?), seasoned actress Judith Magre (who is 88 years old and was seen recently in Granny’s Funeral [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Jonas Bloquet (nominated for the Magritte Award for Most Promising Actor in 2011 for Private Lessons [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jacques-Henri Bronckart
interview: Joachim Lafosse
film profile]), Alice Isaaz (nominated for the Lumière Award for Most Promising Actress in 2015 for Smart Ass [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) and Vimala Pons (nominated for the Lumière Award for Most Promising Actress for The Rendez-Vous of Déjà-Vu [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]).

Written by David Birke, the story is an adaptation of the novel Oh... by Philippe Djian. The book’s synopsis describes “one month when men get drunk, kill, rape, pair off, acknowledge children who aren’t theirs, run away, moan, die... Thirty days of an unrelenting life, where memories, sex and death could short-circuit at any moment.”

Produced by Saïd Ben Saïd for SBS Productions, Elle is co-produced by German outfit Twenty Twenty Vision and France 2 Cinéma. Having been pre-purchased by Canal+ and OCS, the film is also benefiting from backing from the CNC’s advance on receipts and the Franco-German co-production mini-treaty. The ten-week shoot is taking place in Paris and the Paris region. Distribution in France and international sales will be handled directly by SBS.

Amongst the movies produced by SBS over the last few years, we could highlight Maps to the Stars [+see also:
trailer
making of
film profile] by David Cronenberg, Passion [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
film profile] by Brian de Palma, A Castle in Italy [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Valeria Bruni Tedeschi
film profile] by Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, Jealousy [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Philippe Garrel, Unforgivable [+see also:
trailer
film profile], The Girl on the Train [+see also:
trailer
film profile], The Witnesses [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by André Téchiné and even Carnage [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Roman Polanski. The outfit currently has L'ombre des femmes [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Philippe Garrel (read the article) in post-production.

(Translated from French)