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PRODUCTION France

Shoot to start next Monday for Fleur de Tonnerre

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- Déborah François, Benjamin Biolay and Jonathan Zaccaï are among the cast of the feature debut by Stéphanie Pillonca-Kervern, produced by JPG and sold by Le Pacte

Shoot to start next Monday for Fleur de Tonnerre
Actress Déborah François

On 2 November, the shoot will kick off for the feature-length directorial debut by Stéphanie Pillonca-Kervern: the Franco-Belgian co-production Fleur de Tonnerre [+see also:
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]
(lit. “Thunder Flower”). Having turned heads as an actress, particularly in Holidays by the Sea [+see also:
trailer
interview: Denis Delcampe
interview: Pascal Rabaté
film profile
]
and Le grand soir [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, the newly turned filmmaker has chosen to sink her teeth into an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Jean Teulé (published in 2013 by Editions Julliard). She has assembled a cast comprising Belgian actress Déborah François (nominated for the César Award for Most Promising Actress in 2006 and 2007 for The Child [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Luc & Jean-Pierre Dardenne
film profile
]
and The Page Turner [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Denis Dercourt
interview: Michel Saint-Jean
film profile
]
, winner of that same trophy in 2009 for The First Day of the Rest of Your Life [+see also:
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]
, also popular in such titles as Populaire [+see also:
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making of
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]
), singer and actor Benjamin Biolay (nominated for the César Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2009 for Stella [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
and putting on an outstanding performance in Bachelor Days Are Over [+see also:
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interview: Katia Lewkowicz
film profile
]
), and Jonathan Zaccaï (winner of the Magritte Award for Best Actor in 2011 for Private Lessons [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jacques-Henri Bronckart
interview: Joachim Lafosse
film profile
]
and nominated in 2012 for A Distant Neighbourhood [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Sam Garbarski
film profile
]
).

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Written by Stéphanie Pillonca-Kervern and Gustave Kervern (nominated for the César Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2011 for Mammuth [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Gustave Kervern, Benoî…
film profile
]
), the story revolves around little Hélène Jégado, nicknamed Fleur de Tonnerre, who is growing up in a family of very poor farmers in Brittany. One night, during the village fete, she makes her way to a secluded chapel and is irresistibly drawn to a statue of Ankou, the henchman of death, which her entire family has formed a true cult around, tinged with fear. Mesmerised and captivated, she makes a pact with him, vowing that she will be his loyal servant...

Produced by Jean-Pierre Guérin for JPG Films, Fleur de Tonnerre is benefiting from co-productions by Les Productions du Ch'timi (Dany Boon’s company) and Belgian outfit Nexus Factory, pre-purchases from Canal+ and Ciné+, support from the Brittany region, and backing from the A plus images 6 and La Banque Postale Images 9 Soficas. The entirety of the shoot will take place in Brittany from 2 November to 5 December. The film will be distributed in France by Sophie Dulac Distribution, while international sales will be handled by Le Pacte.

Since it was founded in late 2012, JPG Films has produced Diary of a Chambermaid [+see also:
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]
by Benoît Jacquot (in competition this year at Berlin), Ablations [+see also:
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]
by Arnold de Parscau and The Fear [+see also:
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film profile
]
by Damien Odoul. The company currently has Saint-Amour [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 by Gustave Kervern and Benoît Delépine in post-production; toplined by Gérard Depardieu and Benoît Poelvoorde, it tells the story of a father and son who are farmers with a rather contentious relationship, and who head off on a trip along the wine route together.

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(Translated from French)

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