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CANNES 2017 Un Certain Regard / France

Amalric, Cantet and Serraille to be showcased in Un Certain Regard

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- Barbara, The Workshop and Jeune Femme shine bright on the Un Certain Regard line-up, as do Annarita Zambrano, Karim Moussaoui and Kaouther Ben Hania

Amalric, Cantet and Serraille to be showcased in Un Certain Regard
Mathieu Amalric, Laurent Cantet and Léonor Serraille

Two seasoned filmmakers and a young female director, in addition to three other films with French involvement on the production side, will be representing France in the Un Certain Regard selection of the 70th Cannes Film Festival (17-28 May 2017).

The honour of opening Un Certain Regard will be bestowed upon Barbara [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, 51-year-old Mathieu Amalric’s seventh feature as a director, after his two most recent opuses took part in the official selection at Cannes (On Tour [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mathieu Amalric
interview: Mathieu Amalric
film profile
]
, in competition in 2010, snagging the Best Director Award, and The Blue Room [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mathieu Amalric
film profile
]
, in Un Certain Regard in 2014). Written by the director together with Philippe Di Folco, the story revolves around a director who wants to make a film about famous French singer Barbara. The lead roles have been entrusted to Mathieu Amalric himself and Jeanne Balibar. Produced by Patrick Godeau for Waiting For Cinéma and Alicéléo, with backing from such sources as the Ile-de-France region, the movie will be distributed in France and is being sold abroad by Gaumont.

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Having won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2008 with The Class [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Carole Scotta
interview: Laurent Cantet
film profile
]
, 51-year-old Laurent Cantet is back in the official selection for the first time with his seventh feature, The Workshop [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laurent Cantet
film profile
]
. Having taken part in Venice three times (winning the Lion in the Cinema of the Present section in 2001 with Time Out, in competition in 2005 with Heading South [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laurent Cantet
interview: Robin Campillo
interview: Simon Arnal-Szlovak
film profile
]
 and winning the Venice Days Award in 2014 with Return to Ithaca [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laurent Cantet
film profile
]
) and San Sebastián twice (New Directors Award in 1999 with Human Resources and Best Actress Award in 2012 with Foxfire, Confessions of a Girl Gang [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laurent Cantet
film profile
]
), the filmmaker co-penned his new effort with his regular writing partner Robin Campillo. The plot revolves around Antoine (Matthieu Lucci), who has agreed to take part in a writing workshop, where several young people are being integrated into the world of work by penning a noir fiction with the help of Olivia (Marina Foïs), a widely respected novelist. But the young man soon starts rebelling against the group and against Olivia, who is simultaneously startled and drawn in by Antoine’s violent nature... Produced by Denis Freyd for Archipel 35The Workshop had a budget of €3.5 million, including a co-production by France 2 Cinéma, pre-purchases by Canal+ and Ciné+ and backing from the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. The French theatrical distribution will be overseen by Diaphana, and Films Distribution will take care of the international sales.

Lastly, Léonor Serraille will unveil her feature debut, Jeune femme [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Léonor Serraille
film profile
]
, starring Laetitia Dosch. Written by the director, the story hinges on Paula, who follows her partner to Paris against his wishes – but he slams the door in her face. Far from feeling nostalgic, she lets herself get swallowed up by the Parisian way of life... Produced by Sandra da Fonseca for Blue Monday ProductionsJeune femme had a budget of €0.99 million, including an advance on receipts from the CNC and a Belgian co-production. The French theatrical distribution will be handled by Shellac and the international sales are being managed by Be for Films.

Two other majority French productions will be on the Un Certain Regard programme. The first is Après la guerre [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Annarita Zambrano
film profile
]
 by Italy’s Annarita Zambrano, executive-produced by Stéphanie Douet for Sensito Films and by Tom Dercourt for Cinéma Defacto, co-produced by Italian outfit Movimento Film, and set to be released in France and sold overseas by Pyramide. The second is Until the Birds Return [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Karim Moussaoui
film profile
]
 by Algeria’s Karim Moussaoui, produced by David Thion for Les Films Pelléas, and co-produced by Arte France Cinéma, Germany’s Niko Film and Algeria’s Prolégoménes. It will be distributed in France by Ad Vitam and is being sold abroad by MK2.

Lastly, the showcase also includes Beauty and the Dogs [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Kaouther Ben Hania
film profile
]
, the third feature by Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania, after Challat of Tunis [+see also:
trailer
interview: Kaouther Ben Hania
film profile
]
 (revealed on the ACID programme of the 2014 Cannes Film Festival) and the documentary Zaineb Hates the Snow [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
 (popular out of competition at Locarno last year). The film, a co-production between Tunisia, France (Tanit Films), Sweden, Norway, Lebanon and Switzerland, will be brought out in France by Jour2Fête, which is also in charge of the international sales.

One other minority French co-production has been chosen: Out [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: György Kristóf
film profile
]
 by Gyorgy Kristof, co-produced by Guillaume de Seille for Arizona together with Slovakia, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Hungary.

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(Translated from French)

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