18/11/2009

When powerful businessman Stanislav Graff rushes down the grand staircase of his offices at the start of Lucas Belvaux’s French/Belgian co-production Rapt [+see also:
trailer
interview: Lucas Belvaux
film profile] (launched today by Diaphana on 179 screens), he doesn’t know that a long descent into hell awaits him.

A modern-day retelling of the 1978 kidnapping of Baron Empain, the new film by the director of The Right of the Weakest [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (in competition at Cannes in 2006) is a successful blend of pure thriller (captivity, ransom delivery attempts, police investigation…) and a mirror to society’s economic and media powers, which crush this man who is exposed during his ordeal.

While Graff (an outstanding Yvan Attal) suffers at the hands of his professional kidnappers (left isolated, chained up, threatened), who go as far as cutting off his finger, his family, the police and the board of directors at the manufacturing group of which he is majority shareholder weigh up the pros and cons: should they or not pay the €50m ransom and if so, by what means and how much?

This leads to agitated discussions, for although in the eyes of his family, freedom has no price, it does have a price for the company which agrees to lend €20m. Meanwhile, the police’s advice is to do nothing, as they keep watch on everyone.

A media tide is then unleashed, which uncovers Graff’s secret and "dissolute" life (mistresses, gambling debts…), ruining his image and family life whilst precipitating his desertion by former supporters ("How on earth can we justify severe measures after such behaviour," concludes one minister, while the company is pleased to announce: "Our industry will continue whatever the outcome"). The fallen industrialist discovers this damage on his release.

Two non-domestic European films have also had an enthusiastic press reception: Armando Iannucci’s UK production In the Loop [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (CTV International - 40 screens); and Panos H. Koutras’ Greek feature A Woman’s Way [+see also:
trailer
film profile], unveiled in the Berlinale Panorama (Memento Films - 14 screens).

The line-up also includes Philippine director Brillante Mendoza’s French co-production The Execution of P [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Best Director at the latest Cannes Film Festival - distributed by Equation); Alain Monne’s Cartagena, starring Sophie Marceau (see news - Rezo Films); Jean Achache’s A Night at the Club (Colifilms Distribution); and the documentaries Letter to Anna [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Eric Bergkraut (Nour Films) and Devil’s Rain by Philippe Cosson (Bac Films).

(Translated from French)