09/10/2017 - Laura Schroeder’s sophomore feature stars Isabelle Huppert and her daughter Lolita Chammah

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday that 92 countries had submitted films for consideration in this year’s Foreign-language Oscar race. This is the highest number of submissions the Academy has ever received. One of those 92 films (submitted from 92 different countries) is Luxembourg’s hopeful: Barrage [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laura Schroeder
film profile], the second feature by Laura Schroeder.

Starring Isabelle Huppert and her real-life daughter Lolita Chammah, Barrage tells the story of Catherine (Chammah), a single parent who, upon returning to Luxembourg, kidnaps her daughter from her own mother, Elisabeth (Huppert). In doing so, she hopes to rip her from Elisabeth’s influence and to spend some time alone with her daughter. Through Catherine’s decision, Schroeder’s film becomes an exploration of the puzzling world of motherly love.

Born in Luxembourg, Schroeder graduated with a Master in Film Studies at the Sorbonne and a Postgraduate Diploma in Directing at the National Film and Television School in the UK. After two shorts, Senteurs (2008) and Double Saut (2011), produced by Red Lion, she directed her first feature, Schatzritter [+see also:
trailer
film profile], in 2012. Barrage was also produced by Red Lion.

The ceremony for the 90th Academy Awards will be held on 4 March 2018 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles.