07/02/2019 - Of particular note in the French international sales company’s line-up is the latest film by the Italian director Claudio Giovannesi, which is in the running for the Golden Bear

The French international sales company, Elle Driver is due to touch down at the European Film Market, which kicks off today, with a film in competition at Berlin under its belt – a good three years after its last competitive entry (in 2016 with Being 17 [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: André Téchiné
interview: Kacey Mottet Klein
film profile]). Piranhas [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Roberto Saviano
film profile] by the Italian director Claudio Giovannesi (appreciated with Fiore [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Claudio Giovannesi
film profile] at the Directors’ Fortnight in 2016 and with Alì Blue Eyes [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Claudio Giovannesi
film profile], winner of the special jury prize at Rome in 2012) – in the running for this year’s Golden Bear, and due to have its world premiere on Tuesday, 12 February – has been very hotly anticipated, due, in particular, to the notoriety of the author of the book on which it’s based: Roberto Saviano, who was also behind Gomorra, a very successful book, film and world-renowned TV series. 

"We have already secured a lot of pre-sales. Important distributors in all major European regions have already made purchases," stated Adeline Fontan Tessaur, manager of Elle Driver. "It is a very powerful film, a tale about young boys living in the suburbs of cities all around the world. Because, although the story takes place in Naples, it could easily apply to New York or Tokyo and young people between the ages of 10 and 16 – an Instagram generation accustomed to immediacy, quick communication and easy money. They’re not focused on the patient construction of the future and are catapulted into criminal life because they want everything, and they want it right now: money, power, women. But there is a stark contrast between their adult-like attitudes and the fact that they are essentially just children who are largely not conscious of what they’re doing.” 

Elle Driver’s line-up also includes another impressive title in official selection, which is due to make its world premiere out of competition at Berlin: Marighella by the Brazilian director Wagner Moura. Produced by his compatriot Fernando Mereilles, this first feature plunges us into 1969 in the wake of a revolutionary leader, considered public enemy number one in Brazil, where a violent military dictator is terrorising the local population. Armed with a group of young guerilleros, he decides to take action, all while trying to keep his promise to reunite with his son, who he has distanced himself from in order to protect.

Elle Driver will also be at the European Film Market with three films in post-production, armed with first-look promoreels: The Room [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Christian Volckman
film profile] by Christian Volckman (starring Olga Kurylenko and the Belgian actor Kevin Janssens), Happy Birthday [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Cédric Kahn and Fahim [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Pierre-François Martin-Laval (starring Gérard Depardieu and Ahmed Assad), which focuses on the misfortune of a very young Bangladesh refugee who comes to France and turns out to be a child chess prodigy, taken on by a high-profile coach
(a Waiting For Cinéma production, which will be distributed by Wild Bunch in France on 16 October).

Also in post-production and being sold based on its screenplay, is the documentary film In The Bottle by Flavio Vinson, which sees the artist Thierry Barré and actors José Garcia and Joël Dupuch embark on a trip in a rusty old Mini Cooper that spans 2,000 kilometres over the course of 13 days, in pursuit of art, wine and Don Quixote.

Finally of note are two market premieres: Casanova, Last Love [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Benoît Jacquot (starring Vincent Lindon, Stacy Martin and Valeria Golino – article – released in France on 20 March by Diaphana Distribution) and Savage [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Vincent Mariette (which is due to be released in French cinemas and stars Lily-Rose Depp, Laurent Lafitte and Camille Cottin).

(Translated from French)