To say this is a strange and interesting film doesn't begin to describe the Opening Night and Paris Premiere of "Valley of Love" by Guillaume Nicloux, which had its World Premier in competition at Cannes last month.
Starring two of Europe's most famous actors (Isabelle Hupert and Gérard Dépardieu) who play two lost souls on a mystical mission in one of the most barren, frightening and glorious places on earth - Death Valley.
Speaking in French, Isabelle and Gérard, lovers and parents in their youth but now separated for many years and really not knowing each other anymore, just lost their adult son Michael, a gay man.
However, 6 months after his death, they each receive a strange and compelling letter from him in which he beckons each of them to come together for a reunion, a meeting with him in Death Valley, in various places on succeeding days.
Despite the absurdity of the situation, the now much older mother and father each decide to go there and wait for Michael.
The film then, in glorious locales, becomes a dialogue between two strangers about their lives, their former connection, and about a son whom both barely knew.
The two actors are fascinating. Dépardieu seems particularly lost and even speaks about his vast girth (He Is fat!!!) which seems symbolic of his wasted life and he doesn't hesitate here to show it off.
Hupert, whenever she is on screen, takes over and rages with amazing skill about her anger, disappointment and loss of the son she mourns but hardly knew.
The film is a compelling, interesting discourse on life's disappointments set in a vast mysterious location. The spiritual upheaval both characters experience at the end throws their confused, lost lives further into question in ways they never expected.
Credits
Guillaume Nicloux - director
Guillaume Nicloux - screenplay
Sylvie Pialat - producer
International rights are being handled by Le Pacte, U.S. Rights are still available.
Abut the Director
From experimental cinema ("The Flying Children," "Punctured Life") to his triptych of noir films (A Private Affair, Hanging Offense, The Key ), from unconventional comedy (The Octopus, Holiday) to political film ("The Gordji Affair"), through to drama ("Happiness Is No Joke," "La Reine des Connes"), Guillaume Nicloux’s work is dense and highly personal. "La Religieuse" and "L’Enlèvement" de Michel Houellebecq, presented at the last Berlinale Film Festival, is no exception. "Valley of Love," shot in the USA, starring Gérard Depardieu and Isabelle Huppert, is his 15th film. Guillaume Nicloux is also a novelist and he has been teaching at Femis for ten years.
Starring two of Europe's most famous actors (Isabelle Hupert and Gérard Dépardieu) who play two lost souls on a mystical mission in one of the most barren, frightening and glorious places on earth - Death Valley.
Speaking in French, Isabelle and Gérard, lovers and parents in their youth but now separated for many years and really not knowing each other anymore, just lost their adult son Michael, a gay man.
However, 6 months after his death, they each receive a strange and compelling letter from him in which he beckons each of them to come together for a reunion, a meeting with him in Death Valley, in various places on succeeding days.
Despite the absurdity of the situation, the now much older mother and father each decide to go there and wait for Michael.
The film then, in glorious locales, becomes a dialogue between two strangers about their lives, their former connection, and about a son whom both barely knew.
The two actors are fascinating. Dépardieu seems particularly lost and even speaks about his vast girth (He Is fat!!!) which seems symbolic of his wasted life and he doesn't hesitate here to show it off.
Hupert, whenever she is on screen, takes over and rages with amazing skill about her anger, disappointment and loss of the son she mourns but hardly knew.
The film is a compelling, interesting discourse on life's disappointments set in a vast mysterious location. The spiritual upheaval both characters experience at the end throws their confused, lost lives further into question in ways they never expected.
Credits
Guillaume Nicloux - director
Guillaume Nicloux - screenplay
Sylvie Pialat - producer
International rights are being handled by Le Pacte, U.S. Rights are still available.
Abut the Director
From experimental cinema ("The Flying Children," "Punctured Life") to his triptych of noir films (A Private Affair, Hanging Offense, The Key ), from unconventional comedy (The Octopus, Holiday) to political film ("The Gordji Affair"), through to drama ("Happiness Is No Joke," "La Reine des Connes"), Guillaume Nicloux’s work is dense and highly personal. "La Religieuse" and "L’Enlèvement" de Michel Houellebecq, presented at the last Berlinale Film Festival, is no exception. "Valley of Love," shot in the USA, starring Gérard Depardieu and Isabelle Huppert, is his 15th film. Guillaume Nicloux is also a novelist and he has been teaching at Femis for ten years.
- 6/15/2015
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
The folks who brought us Certified Copy, Dogtooth and To the Sea have a huge film in their possessions that might topple the Venice Film Fest. MK2, the Sales Agent, Theatrical Distribution and Production Company must be close to selling out all the territories for Walter Salles' On the Road, but in the mean time they've got Beauty playing in the Ucr, The Fairy opening the Directors' Fortnight, a doc on Charlotte Rmpling and are bringing back Melies' A Trip to the Moon to life. Here is the entire slate which includes Xavier Dolan's next. Beauty (Skoonheid) by Olivier Hermanus - Completed On The Road by Walter Salles - Post-Production The Fairy (La Fee) by Dominique Abel - Completed A Trip To The Moon (Le Voyage Dans La Lune) by Georges Melies - Completed Black Venus (Venus Noire) by Abdellatif Kechiche - Completed Charade by Stanley Donen -...
- 5/13/2011
- IONCINEMA.com
Infusing last year's Cannes with such unique films as Greece's Dogtooth, Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno and the biking in the birthday suit comedy The Misfortunates, the all encompassing heavyweight French unit MK2 is on one of those odd winning streaks – managing to find/rep films that are celebrated at not only the major heavyweight film fests, but the “second tier” noteworthy fests as well – such as the Rotterdams and the Locarnos of this world we brought about Alamar (To the Sea) and Nothing Personal. - Infusing last year's Cannes with such unique films as Greece's Dogtooth, Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno and the biking in the birthday suit comedy The Misfortunates, the all encompassing heavyweight French unit MK2 is on one of those odd winning streaks – managing to find/rep films that are celebrated at not only the major heavyweight film fests, but the “second tier” noteworthy fests...
- 5/13/2010
- IONCINEMA.com
Infusing last year's Cannes with such unique films as Greece's Dogtooth, Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno and the biking in the birthday suit comedy The Misfortunates, the all encompassing heavyweight French unit MK2 is on one of those odd winning streaks – managing to find/rep films that are celebrated at not only the major heavyweight film fests, but the “second tier” noteworthy fests as well – such as the Rotterdams and the Locarnos of this world we brought about Alamar (To the Sea) and Nothing Personal. This year they present films from distinguished auteurs in Kiarostami (see Binoche in still above) and Zhang-ke, but anyone who follows the site knows how much we look forward in seeing Abdellatif Kechiche's next feature – headed to and to be celebrated in, Venice. P.S: MK2 reps can invite me to see the first images of the biopic set way before our time. Black Venus...
- 5/12/2010
- IONCINEMA.com
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