CANNES 2019 Directors’ Fortnight
Deerskin to open the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight
- Quentin Dupieux’s film, starring Jean Dujardin and Adèle Haenel, is set to open the famous parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival on 15 May
The 51st Directors’ Fortnight (15-25 May, unspooling as an integral part of the 72nd Cannes Film Festival) will be opened by an arthouse film bristling with utterly off-the-wall humour – and this is undoubtedly a strong message from Paolo Moretti, the parallel section’s new General Delegate. Indeed, the title that he has chosen to kick off his tenure is Deerskin [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Quentin Dupieux
film profile] by iconoclastic French director Quentin Dupieux (also known globally in the world of electronic music under the moniker of Mr Oizo).
Deerskin has a brilliant duo of actors in the lead roles – namely, Jean Dujardin (Best Actor Award at Cannes in 2011 and winner of the Oscar the following year for The Artist [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Michel Hazanavicius
film profile], popular recently in I Feel Good [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) and Adèle Haenel (César Award for Best Actress in 2015 for Love at First Fight [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Thomas Cailley
film profile], and nominated for the same award this year for The Trouble With You [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pierre Salvadori
film profile], also nominated for the César Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2018 for BPM (Beats Per Minute) [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Arnaud Valois
interview: Robin Campillo
film profile], a trophy that she actually took home in 2014, for Suzanne [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Katell Quillévéré
film profile]). In the story, written by the director, Georges drops everything overnight in order to buy the 100% suede jacket of his dreams. It’s a purchase that will cost him all of his life savings and will snowball into an obsession. This possessive and jealous relationship will eventually suck Georges into a frenzied crime spree…
This is the seventh feature by the filmmaker, following Steak [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (2007), Rubber [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Cannes Critics’ Week in 2010), Wrong [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (in competition at Sundance in 2012), Wrong Cops [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Piazza Grande at Locarno in 2013), Reality [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Orizzonti at Venice in 2014) and last year’s Keep an Eye Out [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile].
Produced by Thomas and Mathieu Verhaeghe for Atelier de Production, Deerskin was co-produced by Arte France Cinéma, pre-purchased by Canal+, and supported by the CNC’s advance on receipts and the Nouvelle Aquitaine region, among other sources of funding. The French distribution will be handled from 19 June onwards by Diaphana, and the international sales have been entrusted to WTFilms.
The complete selection of the 2019 Directors’ Fortnight will be unveiled on Tuesday 23 April, at the Forum des Images in Paris.
(Translated from French)
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