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PRODUCTION France

François Valla’s Versus in post-production

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- Jérémie Duvall and Jules Pélissier topline the director’s feature debut, a shudder-inducing genre film being produced by Playground Films

François Valla’s Versus in post-production
Jules Pélissier in Versus

Shot from 16 September-14 October in Lège-Cap-Ferret, Versus [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, the feature debut by François Valla (who turned heads with his short films Wakefield and Beauséjour, which were in the national competition at Clermont-Ferrand in 2010 and 2013, respectively), is now in post-production. Signing up to a trend that has seen young French directors exploring genre film from its most chilling angles (see titles such as Raw [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Julia Ducournau
film profile
]
by Julia DucournauRevenge [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Coralie Fargeat
film profile
]
 by Coralie Fargeat and The Night Eats the World [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 by Dominique Rocher, for instance), Versus openly references the movies of Wes Craven and Blue Ruin by Jeremy Saulnier (watch the teaser).

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The cast includes Jérémie Duvall (Mon père est femme de ménage [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
Le Fils à Jo [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
), Jules Pélissier (Lights Out [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
The Good Life [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jean Denizot
film profile
]
), Lola Le Lann (One Wild Moment [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
 and set to grace screens next year in A Blue Bird in My Heart) and Karidja Touré (nominated for the César Award and the Lumière Award for Most Promising Actress in 2015 for Girlhood [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Céline Sciamma
interview: Céline Sciamma
film profile
]
). Other names among the credits include Benjamin BaffieVictor BelmondoMatilda MartyMichael CohenRani BheemuckNathalie SportielloInès Melab and Coline Lepomby.

Written by François Valla, Nicolas Journet (who co-penned the screenplay for Vandal [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
), Sophie Kovess-Brun and Erwan Augoyard, the story kicks off as Achille, a handsome Parisian teen from a well-off family, falls victim to a violent attack. After being sent to the seaside for a holiday to get himself back on track, he meets Brian, an angry young man. Their showdown will reveal their true nature, and their struggle will give rise to a killer…

Produced by Nicolas Journet for Playground Films solely with private funding, Versus is open to any potential co-production, as the French market (television channels in particular) is still fairly reluctant to invest in films where fear and blood feature prominently. The French distribution and international sales rights are still being negotiated.

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(Translated from French)

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