Filming began on 27 May in Mont-de-Marsan for La Foudre, the 10th feature film by brothers Arnaud and Jean-Marie Larrieu, following To Paint or Make Love (in competition at Cannes in 2005), Le voyage aux Pyrénées (Directors’ Fortnight 2008), Happy End (Piazza Grande at Locarno in 2009), 21 Nights with Pattie (Best Screenplay Award at San Sebastian in 2015), Tralala (midnight screening at Cannes in 2021) and Jim's Story (Cannes Première in 2024, César Award for Best Actor in 2025).

The brilliant cast includes Hafsia Herzi (winner of the 2025 César Award for Best Actress for Borgo and nominated in 2024 for The Rapture, who recently impressed at Cannes in Words of Love and The Birthday Party), Belgian actor Arieh Worthalter (winner of the César and Lumière Awards for Best Actor in 2024 for The Goldman Case, who impressed this year in competition at Berlin in Dust and whom we will soon see in Le Faux Soir), Sara Giraudeau (winner of the 2018 César Award for Best Supporting Actress in Bloody Milk, in competition at Cannes in Another Day, and next year in Avant la tempête) and the Spaniard Francesco Carril (The Reconquest, the series The New Years).

A loose adaptation of Pierric Bailly’s novel of the same name, the screenplay – written by the two filmmakers – centres on Jeanne, a shepherdess living in a remote valley in the Pyrenees. When she discovers that her school friend, Vickie, has been accused of murdering her neighbour, she sets out to find out more and is swept up in an unexpected tale of passion…

La Foudre was produced by Pierre Guyard for Nord-Ouest Films and co-produced by Arte France Cinéma and Belgian company Artémis Productions. Pre-bought by Canal+, Ciné+ OCS and Arte, the feature film also benefits from an advance on receipts from the CNC, as well as funding from the Sofica Cofinova, Cinémage, Cinéaxe, Entourage and Palatine Étoile. The film also receives support from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, where filming will take place until 10 July (notably in the Ossau Valley) with Irina Lubtchansky (nominated for a César Award in her category in 2016 and 2020 for My Golden Days and Oh Mercy!). International sales are handled by Lucky Number and the theatrical release in France by Pyramide Distribution.

As a reminder, Nord-Ouest Films is currently in post-production for Between Now And Then by Mikhaël Hers (read the article).