Denis wins over critics with 35 Shots of Rum
"The day you take my daughter away from me, I’ll get drunk", said a Caribbean pirate. Vaguely inspired by these words, Claire Denis’ 35 Shots of Rum [+see also:
trailer
film profile] was considered one of the strongest films at the latest Venice Film Festival, where it screened out of competition.
Highly acclaimed by critics, the feature – co-produced by France and Germany – is being launched in French theatres tomorrow by Wild Bunch Distribution.
Starring Alex Descas, Mati Diop, Nicole Dogue and Grégoire Colin, alongside Ingrid Caven in a guest appearance, 35 Shots of Rum looks at the delicate and powerful bonds that unite a father and his daughter.
"This is a simple and understated story" commented Jean-Pol Fargeau, who co-wrote the screenplay with the director. It is explored in a style reminiscent of Yasujiro Ozu in order to "shed light on the complexity of the personal conflicts that affect the characters without betraying their extreme modesty".
Sober and moving, the film traces the life of RER train driver Lionel and his daughter Joséphine, whom he has brought up alone. They live a life of ingrained habit in a cocoon that shields them from external advances and worries.
But Lionel’s little girl is now a young woman and he gradually realises that time has passed, even for them, and the moment has perhaps come to go their separate ways.
Produced by Bruno Pesery for Soudaine Compagnie on a €3.61m budget, 35 Shots of Rum received co-production backing from Arte France Cinéma and Germany’s Pandora Film, €330,000 from the Franco-German co-production fund and €360,000 from Eurimages. The title also obtained funding from the Ile-de-France region and Filmförderungsanstalt Schleswig-Holstein, as well as pre-sales from Canal + and TPS.
The film was lensed by DoP Agnès Godard and the soundtrack was composed by Tindersticks.
Denis has also finished White Material [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], which is produced by Why Not and written by Marie Ndiaye. Starring Isabelle Huppert and Christophe Lambert, the film is ready for release and will be launched by Wild Bunch Distribution on an as-yet-unconfirmed date.
(Translated from French)
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