Filming on L’Art et la manière, which is co-directed by French-Swiss filmmakers Malou Briand and Raphaël Meyer, kicked off on 25 May. This is their first feature film, a baptism of fire which they’ve chosen to tackle together. But this is far from their first collaboration, having previously directed a number of fictional short films together, as well as a web-series entitled Bâtards (2020).

Their first feature film catapults the audience into the everyday lives of two best friends called Mado and Sara, who experience an event which upends their lives. One summer’s afternoon, behind the closed doors of a house which morphs into a prison, their view of the world and, first and foremost, of their friendship, is transformed forever. Sara wants to talk about what’s happened, but Mado wants to forget everything. Their opposing reactions lead them onto different paths. Convinced she’s made the right decision, Mado blindly charges ahead, alone, wrestling with her memory and the private battles which only time can appease. What follows is a far-reaching quest for resilience and acceptance, carried by a story about a friendship which changes over time.

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As explained by the two filmmakers: "We wanted to use Mado’s journey to explore the denial reflexes and survival strategies which sometimes allow us to carry on living after a trauma […]. Our film looks at what happens when words fail us, when we make the conscious or subconscious choice to look the other away so as to continue moving forwards". The setting for the directorial duo’s movie is film between the Haute-Savoie region and Geneva, between the vast expanses surrounding Lake Geneva and the minimalist, sterile environments of modern art galleries.

Starring in the cast is young French actress Malou Khebizi, who was revealed in Wild Diamond, which earned her a nomination for the Best New Actress César. She’s joined by young Milla Kuentz, whom we previously saw in the series Ceux qui rougissent and who’s now stepping into her first big film role. The film also features Guslagie Malanda (nominated for the Best New Actress César via Saint Omer and seen in Cannes this year in A Girl’s Story) and Arcadi Radeff (Passages, That Summer in Paris, and seen in Cannes this year in A Woman’s Life).

L’art et la manière is being produced by Swiss firm Box Productions and French outfits 10:15! Productions and Le plein de super, in co-production with RTS Radio Télévision Suisse. The feature film also enjoys support from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, in partnership with the CNC, as well as from Cofimage 38 and MEDIA Desk Suisse. The Party Film Sales are handling world sales, while distribution in Switzerland will fall to Outside the Box and distribution in France to Nour Films.