16/01/2009

François Ozon’s Ricky [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and Bertrand Tavernier’s In the Electric Mist [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bertrand Tavernier
film profile] join Rachid Bouchareb’s London River [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (see news) on the list of French productions selected in competition at the 59th Berlinale (February 5-15). Moreover, Costa-Gavras’ majority French co-production Eden is West [+see also:
trailer
film profile] will be presented out of competition.

A regular in the Berlin competition – where he has been selected three times at previous editions for Water Drops on Burning Rocks (2000), 8 Women [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (2002 - Best Actress) and Angel [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (2007) – Ozon will this year unveil Ricky (see news). The film is adapted from a short story by UK writer Rose Tremain and stars Spanish actor Sergi Lopez and Alexandra Lamy.

Produced by Eurowide in co-production with Italy’s Teodora, the title is sold internationally by Le Pacte. The latter are also handling domestic distribution (release date: February 11).

Winner of a Golden Bear for Fresh Bait in 1995 and the Special Jury Prize for The Watchmaker of St. Paul in 1974, Tavernier has been selected in competition on three other occasions (1980, 1999 and 2002). The director returns to Berlin with In the Electric Mist, adapted from a novel by James Lee Burke.

Produced by Little Bear in co-production with the US, the film stars Tommy Lee Jones, John Goodman, and Peter Sarsgaard. Sold by TF1 International, the title will be launched domestically by TFM Distribution on April 8.

Screening out of competition is Costa-Gavras’ French/Greek/Italian co-production Eden is West (see news). Featuring young Italian star Riccardo Scamarcio, French actors Sophie Raive, Éric Caravaca, Anny Duperey and Michel Bouquet, alongside Germany’s Ulrich Tukur and Alexandra Maria Lara, the film will be released in France on February 11 by Pathé. The latter are also managing international sales.

(Translated from French)