Arnaud des Pallières shoots Party of Fools this summer
- Mélanie Thierry, Marina Foïs, Josiane Balasko, Carole Bouquet, Lucie Zhang, Yolande Moreau and Dominique Frot are all in the cast of this Prélude production sold by Elle Driver
After beginning on 4 July, the shoot for the new film by Arnaud des Pallières, titled Party of Fools (Captives) [+see also:
film review
film profile] is coming to an end. This is the 8th feature film from the filmmaker, after Drancy Avenir (1997), Adieu (2004), Park [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (in Venice’s Orizzonti section in 2008), Michael Kohlhaas [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Arnaud des Pallières
film profile] (in Cannes’ Competition in 2013), Orphan [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Arnaud des Pallières
film profile] (unveiled in Toronto and in Competition in San Sebastián in 2016) and the documentaries Poussières d’Amérique (2011) and American Journal [+see also:
film review
interview: Arnaud des Pallières
film profile] (discovered this year in the Berlinale in the Encounters competition).
Standing out in the cast are Mélanie Thierry (nominated for the 2019 Best Actress César award for Memoir of War [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Emmanuel Finkiel
film profile] and in the Best Supporting Actress category in 2017 and 2019; appreciated this year in The Family [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Marina Foïs (nominated for the Best Actress César award in 2008, 2012, 2017 for Faultless [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and 2018 for The Workshop [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laurent Cantet
film profile]; appreciated recently in The Beasts [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rodrigo Sorogoyen and Isabe…
film profile], and in Venice in The Sitting Duck [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jean-Paul Salomé
film profile]), Josiane Balasko (recently nominated for the 2020 Best Supporting Actress César award for By the Grace of God [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: François Ozon
film profile] and seen last year in Tralala [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Carole Bouquet (winner of the Best Actress César award in 1990 and recently seen in the series En thérapie), Lucie Zhang (nominated this year for the Most Promising Actress César award and for the Best Female Newcomer Lumière award for Paris, 13th District [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Belgian actress Yolande Moreau (recently nominated for the Best Supporting Actress César award for How to be a Good Wife [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Anamaria Vartolomei
film profile], seen in Cannes this year in Scarlet [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pietro Marcello
film profile] and fresh from directing her latest film Même au milieu des ruines - read the news) and Dominique Frot (seen recently in The Worst Ones [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Romane Gueret and Lise Akoka
film profile]).
Written by the director together with Christelle Berthevas (nominated with the filmmaker for the 2018 Best Screenplay Lumière award for Orphan), the script is set in 1894 Paris. Every year, on the occasion of the Carnival, a big and popular Ball is held in a mental institution. Politicians, artists and social figures flock to the doors of this women-only institution, eager to attend the famous “Party of Fools”. Inside, 150 “madwomen”, selected among the 4,500 patients and dressed up in extravagant costumes, wait with great apprehension. Among them is the 35-year-old Fanni. Unlike the other women who are interned unjustly against their will, she is here voluntarily. Her only goal: to find her mother and escape together.
Produced by Philippe Rousselet and Jonathan Blumental for Prélude, Party of Fools is co-produced by France 2 Cinéma. Pre-bought by Canal+ and Ciné+, the feature film benefits from the support of the Hauts de France, Normandy and Ile-de-France regions. The direction of photography is handled by David Chizallet (winner of the 2016 Lumière award for Best Cinematography and nominated that same year for the César award in his specialty). Wild Bunch will be in charge of French distribution and international sales are handled by Elle Driver.
(Translated from French)
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