email print share on Facebook share on Twitter share on LinkedIn share on reddit pin on Pinterest

PRODUCTION France

Don't Grow Up: learning how to survive in a hostile world

by 

- Thierry Poiraud is in the Canary Islands shooting an English-language thriller, a Franco-Spanish co-production headed by Noodles and Capture The Flag

Don't Grow Up: learning how to survive in a hostile world
Thierry Poiraud

After having kicked off on 12 March, shooting for the English-language thriller Don’t Grow Up [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, by Thierry Poiraud, is in full swing in the Canary Islands. The cast of this Franco-Spanish co-production includes some young newcomers to the world of cinema, hailing from several different countries (England, Wales, Ireland and Spain). It constitutes the French filmmaker’s third feature film, following The Return of James Battle (2004) and Goal of the Dead - Seconde mi-temps [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
(showing on French screens since 27 February, using a highly original distribution strategy – read the news).

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Written by the director together with Marie Garel-Weiss, the story revolves around a group of teenagers who find themselves in a secluded hostel cut off from any other houses, left to their own devices. One day, they wake up to find that the teacher in charge of keeping an eye on them has disappeared. Outside, a blizzard is raging. At first, Ritier, Lude, Alopée, Bastien, Nordine and Thomas take advantage of this temporary freedom. They don’t have anyone on the outside, no families to turn to. Suddenly, they are attacked by their teacher and accidentally kill him. They believe themselves to be guilty of an irredeemable act and flee the scene – but little do they know that the adults on the island have contracted a strange infection. The teenagers will have to survive in a hostile world filled with grown-ups who are meant to be protecting them, but who are actually trying to kill them. The infection only affects adults, turning them into deranged murderers. The teenagers must grow up in order to survive, even if growing up means dying. How long will they be able to hold out? Where could they go to escape the plague?

With production outsourced to Jérôme Vidal for Noodles Production and to Raphaël Rocher for Capture The Flag Films, Don't Grow Up is being co-produced by Orange Cinéma Studio and by Spanish outfits Arcadia Motion Pictures (AMP) and Inti Entertainment. Filming will last a total of five weeks. Distribution in France will be handled by Paramount, and international sales are headed up by Indie Sales.

For the record, Noodles Production has co-produced several films with Spain over the last few years, including Blancanieves [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pablo Berger
film profile
]
by Pablo Berger, Blackthorn [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
by Mateo Gil, Woman Without Piano [+see also:
trailer
interview: Javier Rebollo, director of…
film profile
]
and El muerto y ser feliz [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Javier Rebollo, and Aloft [+see also:
trailer
interview: Claudia Llosa
film profile
]
by Claudia Llosa, unveiled in competition at the 2014 Berlinale and due to be released in Spain on 28 March. The Paris-based company’s post-production line-up also currently includes Ker Salloux by Olivier Jahan (starring Emma de Caunes and Belgian actor Yannick Renier – read the article). 

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

(Translated from French)

Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.

Privacy Policy