29/08/2019 - Standing out on the firm’s slate and in the selections of the main post-summer festivals are The End of Love, The Barefoot Emperor and Beyond the Horizon

The End of Love by Keren Ben Rafael

International sales agent Be For Films, the Belgian subsidiary of the French group Playtime (see the news) managed by Pamela Leu, which is usually well positioned in the selections of the premier festivals (with its most recent success stories including the 2017 Cannes Caméra d’Or winner, Montparnasse Bienvenüe [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Léonor Serraille
film profile], as well as Our Struggles [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Guillaume Senez
film profile], Sofia [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Meryem Benm'Barek
film profile], Tlamess [+see also:
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trailer
interview: Ala Eddine Slim
film profile] and so on), has once again been boarding some solid productions that it fully intends to achieve a return on investment from with buyers. Indeed, standing out on the line-up are a film being showcased at the 76^th Venice Film Festival (which kicked off yesterday and will wrap on 7 September), two titles that will be world-premiered at the 44^th Toronto International Film Festival (5-15 September) and a feature set to screen at the 67^th San Sebastián Film Festival (20-28 September).

At Venice, Be For Films is selling the French production The End of Love [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Keren Ben Rafael, which will be unveiled tomorrow on the Biennale College Cinema programme. A story of love and new technology, the sophomore feature by the promising Israeli filmmaker (following Virgins [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], which won the Best Actress Award at Tribeca last year) is toplined by France’s Judith Chemla (A Woman’s Life [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Stéphane Brizé
film profile], Burning Ghost [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], C’est la vie! [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) and Belgium’s Arieh Worthalter (Girl [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lukas Dhont
film profile], Twelve Thousand [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Razzia [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nabil Ayouch
film profile]), who are flanked by such names as Noémie Lvovsky and Bastien Bouillon. Production duties were handled by Delphine Benroubi for Palikao Films.

At Toronto, Be For Films will be negotiating deals for The Barefoot Emperor [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jessica Woodworth
film profile] by Jessica Woodworth and Peter Brosens, which will be world-premiered on 6 September in the Contemporary World Cinema section. The sequel to the madcap King of the Belgians [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jessica Woodworth, Peter Br…
film profile] (which was first revealed at Venice in 2016, in the Orizzonti section), the movie is the fifth feature by the directorial duo, following The Fifth Season [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jessica Woodworth
film profile] (in competition at Venice in 2012 and screened at Toronto the same year, as part of the Wavelengths programme), Altiplano [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (screened in the Cannes Critics’ Week in 2009) and Khadak [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jessica Woodworth
interview: Jessica Woodworth
film profile] (crowned with the Lion of the Future Award at Venice in 2006). Starring Belgium’s Peter Van Den Begin, his fellow countrywoman Lucie Debay, Germany’s Udo Kier and American-British-Spanish actress Geraldine Chaplin, The Barefoot Emperor was produced by Belgium’s Bo Films together with Belgian outfit Wajnbrosse Productions, the Netherlands’ Topkapi Films, Croatia’s Propeler Film and Bulgaria’s Art Fest.

Furthermore, Be For Films will be pinning its hopes on another film being world-premiered at Toronto: Kuessipan by Canada’s Myriam Verreault, which will be presented on 8 September as part of the Discovery programme.

Shortly after Italy and Canada, the Be For Films team will set sail for Spain and the San Sebastián Film Festival, where it will be selling Beyond the Horizon [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Delphine Lehericey
film profile] by Delphine Lehericey. The film will enjoy its world premiere in the New Directors competition, where the Belgian-based filmmaker of Swiss descent made quite a splash in 2013 with Puppy Love [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]. Boasting a cast that includes Luc Bruchez, Laetitia Casta, Thibaut Evrard, Clémence Poésy, Fred Hotier, Patrick Descamps, Lisa Harder and Sasha Gravat Harsh, the new opus by the director (who wrote the screenplay together with Joanne Giger) is set during a heatwave and a drought in the summer of 1976. Under the unforgiving sun, Gus is about to leave his childhood behind. Nature withers, emotions swell, the family unit splinters. Everything splits and cracks until the unthinkable occurs: the eagerly anticipated thunderstorms will sweep across the tired and worn countryside, washing a whole world away. Interestingly, the cinematography was entrusted to Christophe Beaucarne (who garnered five nominations for the César Award in his category between 2010 and 2018). Beyond the Horizon was produced by Switzerland’s Box Productions and Belgium’s Entre Chien et Loup, with backing from RTS, RTBF, Teleclub and BeTv, among other sources.

(Translated from French)