Unearthed in competition at the 2009 Locarno Film Festival by way of A Real Life, Sarah Leonor is returning to the Swiss gathering for its 79th edition (3 - 15 August), having been selected for the event’s most prestigious showcase via her new opus, D’ici là. This is the fourth feature film by the director, whose previous works include The Great Man (screened in Toronto’s Discovery section in 2014) and the documentary Ceux de la nuit (selected for the 2022 Cinéma du Réel Festival).

The cast stars Frank Beauvais (making his acting debut having previously directed Just Don’t Think I’ll Scream), Dinara Drukarova (nominated for the Most Promising Actress César via Since Otar Left and for the 1998 Best Actress European Film Award thanks to Des monstres et des hommes; also acclaimed for Compartment No.6 and her directorial debut Woman At Sea), Louiza Aura (at her best in Queens of Drama and Stereo Girls), Laetitia Dosch (winner of the Lumières Acting Revelation Award for Montparnasse Bienvenüe and hitting screens next year in Avant la tempête) and Dimitri Doré (awarded the Lumières Acting Revelation Prize and nominated for the Most Promising Actor César via Bruno Reidal, Confessions of a Murderer).

Penned by the director, the screenplay takes us into the depths of a valley in the Vosges mountain range where Lucien seeks out peace in total solitude, Aline faces her innermost fears while following the tracks of a wolf, and young Jade wrestles with her true nature. The three characters’ destinies overlap at the heart of this remote region…

D’ici là was produced by Michel Klein for Les Films Hatari (the filmmaker’s faithful partner in crime) and Florence Borelly for Sésame Films, with Manuel Cam and Studio Orlando acting as associate producers. The film features cinematography by Laurent Desmet (nominated for a technical César for Mademoiselle de Joncquières and Love Affair(s)) and will be released in French cinemas by La Traverse. World sales are currently under negotiation.