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Duo previously collaborated on ’Bullhead’ and ’Racer And The Jailbird’.

Belgian filmmaker Michaël R. Roskam is reuniting with the team behind Bullhead and Racer And The Jailbird for wartime feature Le Faux Soir, set to star regular collaborator Matthias Schoenaerts.

Set in 1943, it tells the story of when the Belgian resistance secretly produced a spoof version of the country’s leading newspaper, Le Soir, which had become a propaganda tool of the occupying Nazi forces.

Schoenaerts, who starred in Roskam’s Oscar-nominated Bullhead and was more recently seen in David O Russell’s Amsterdam, is set to play the Belgian resistance hero.

Alan Cumming will oversee a traitorous game: The Good Wife vet will host Peacock’s reality competition show The Traitors, based on the Dutch series of the same name.

Set in a remote castle in the Scottish Highlands, the program features 20 contestants competing in a series of challenges for a cash prize — but “a number of the contestants coined ‘The Traitors’ will meet in secret to devise a plan to eliminate their fellow players coined ‘The Faithful,'” per the official description. “‘The Faithful’ must figure out who is a Traitor and vote them out so they can take the prize money for themselves.

Exclusive: Two-time Emmy-nominated writer Theresa Rebeck is set to pen The Faithful for Concordia Studio, based on the true story of how a fight over land between St. Stanislaus Church and the St. Louis archdiocese became a battle to define the future of Catholicism. The story is based on the life of Father Marek Bozek.

Concordia’s Jonathan King and Patrick Callan are set as producers. Dan O’Brien is also producing.

The WGA- and Peabody-winning Rebeck co-wrote femme spy ensemble The 355 with Simon Kinberg which recently hit theaters via Universal. The movie, also directed by Kinberg, stars Jessica Chastain, Diane Kruger, Lupita Nyong’o, Penélope Cruz and Bingbing Fan.

Additionally, Rebeck wrote and directed the 2018 film Trouble, starring Angelica Huston and Bill Pullman. She also created the NBC musical series Smash, which earned four Emmy nominations in its first season. Rebeck has won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America,...

Fabrice du Welz, whose latest film “Inexorable” (pictured) played at Toronto, is reteaming with his Belgian producer Jean-Yves Roubin at Frakas Production on his next project, “Maldoror.”

Inspired by a true story, “Maldoror” follows Paul Chartier, a young policeman who became obsessed with a case involving a notorious child abuser after coming close to catching him. Popular Belgian actor Benoit Poelvoorde, the star of “Inexorable,” is part of the cast of “Maldoror.”

Roubin, who is attending San Sebastian with Lucile Hadzihalilovic’s “Earwig,” as well as “Titane” (which he co-produced), described “Maldoror” as a mix of thriller and film noir in a similar vein to David Fincher’s “Zodiac.” He said the film, now in development, was inspired by a notorious crime case that shook Belgium in the 1990s, known as the Affaire Dutroux.

Marc Dutroux was a convicted Belgian serial killer, rapist, and child molester who was sentenced to...

Donna Smith’s 2W Network in the US will co-produce the adaptation with Korea’s Yulmae Entertainment.

Korean director Im Sang-soo (The Housemaid) is set to make his Hollywood feature debut with a film adaptation of art world crime novel Soho Sins by Richard Vine.

Donna Smith’s 2W Network in the US is producing the US-Korea co-production with newcomer Yulmae Entertainment in Korea.

Im’s latest feature, Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness, was selected for the Cannes 2020 ‘The Faithful’ category and is waiting for an appropriate time for release in the pandemic. He made previous outings to Cannes...

Spain’s San Sebastian Festival, the highest-profile movie event in the Spanish-speaking world, has delivered on director José Luis Rebordinos’ promise of considering Cannes Official Selection titles for selection, slating five Cannes label titles in its own main competition, the Festival announced Friday.

These include two of the biggest sales attractions at last week’s Cannes Marché du Film Online: François Ozon’s “Summer of 85” and Thomas Vinterberg’s “Another Round.” They also take in two other titles included in what Cannes head Thierry Fremaux called The Faithful in his lineup of film which would have screwed at Cannes, had the festival taken place: Naomi Kawase’s “True Mothers” and Sharunas Bartas “In the Dusk.”

Also making San Sebastian’s competition cut are “Beginning,” a Cannes Official Selection first feature from Georgia’s Dea Kulumbegashvili, plus “Any Cry Babies Around?” from Japan’s Takuma Sato.

“Another Round” and “True Mothers...

Adding more value to their June 3rd unveiling, what went into this selection process and to be frank, some of these short descriptions will clue us in on the DNA of what we can expect to see from specific titles (including Maïwenn’s own DNA) that for the most part would have been included in the Un Certain Regard section. Here are some value added descriptions which will help figure out what the fall film festival might look like for Telluride, Tiff, Nyff.

The Faithful (or at least selected once before)

The French Dispatch by Wes Anderson (USA) – 1h43

ÉTÉ 85 by François Ozon (France) – 1h40

Asa Ga Kuru (True Mothers) by Naomi Kawase (Japan) – 2h20

Lovers Rock by Steve McQueen (United Kingdom) – 1h08

Mangrove by Steve McQueen (United Kingdom) – 2h04

Druk (Another Round) by Thomas Vinterberg – (Denmark) – 1h55

Adn (DNA) by Maïwenn (France / Algeria) – 1h30

Last Words by Jonathan Nossiter...

Mystery thriller Sohn Won-pyung has sold to 26 countries, including Russia, Cis and the Baltics.

South Korean sales company Contents Panda has sold mystery thriller Intruder to 26 countries, including Russia, Cis and the Baltics (Provzglyad), and provided an update on its release of Peninsula, Yeon Sang-ho’s follow-up to zombie action thriller hit Train To Busan.

Directed by Sohn Won-pyung and starring Song Ji-hyo and Kim Moo-yul, Intruder follows a man who goes under hypnosis to find his wife’s killer and instead encounters his long-lost sister who returns after 25 years.

The film also sold to Taiwan (Movie Cloud), Singapore, Malaysia...

2020 has seen the cancellation of many film festivals around the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Even though Cannes, one of the most prestigious festivals, won’t be going ahead they have compiled 2020’s Official Selection.

Comprising of 56 films that would have been selected to play at this year’s festival, the selection is made up of features from filmmakers that have been selected at least before, newcomers, documentary’s and animations.

Amongst the line-up is Steve McQueen’s ‘Lovers Rock’ and ‘Mangrove’ which McQueen has dedicated to George Floyd.

“I dedicate these films to George Floyd and all the other black people that have been murdered, seen or unseen, because of who they are, in the U.S., U.K. and elsewhere,” said McQueen. “‘If you are the big tree, we are the small axe.’ Black Lives Matter.”

Others amongst the line-up include Wes Anderson’s highly anticipated ‘The French Dispatch,...

Titles will be eligible for selection in competitions of San Sebastian and Toronto

Cannes Film Festival delegate general Thierry Frémaux unveiled his special 2020 Official Selection to an empty cinema theatre on the Champs-Elysées in Paris on Wednesday (June 3), some two weeks after the event’s scheduled May 12-23 dates which were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Normandie cinema, which traditionally hosts the announcement, would usually have been packed with journalists but this was not possible under France’s lockdown measures that will only see theatres reopen on June 22 after nearly three months of closure.

Instead, Frémaux sat alone with festival president Pierre Lescure,...

There was no Palme d’Or ceremony, no red carpets, and no yacht parties on the French Riviera this year, but there was still a lineup for the 2020 Cannes Film Festival. Forced to cancel its physical event, the world’s highest-profile festival devised a workaround, announcing the “Cannes 2020” selection today in the same way Criterion might unveil an extensive box set: These are films worthy of anticipation, wherever they show up, and the Cannes laurels will show up with them.

The selection highlights a range of films that were already highly anticipated, from Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch” to Pixar’s “Soul,” but the announcement is even more notable for the films with much lower profiles.

Films selected for the lineup were required to have release dates planned between this June and May 2021. Others that planned later releases had to apply for the festival’s next edition. That means...

There is no Cannes Film Festival this year, but there are Cannes Film Festival films this year. Pierre Lescure and Thierry Frémaux from Cannes officially announced a selection of 56 films that would've been in the main line-up at the 2020 festival. It's still hard to figure out what the point of this is, but they've been saying it's to bring attention to these films and allow them to exist with the "official Cannes selection" designation. "Comprising fifty-six films to be accompanied by the Festival for their release in cinemas and screenings at certain festivals." The 56 films are listed in brand new, very basic categories including "The Faithful" (or at least selected once before), "The Newcomers" (first time at Cannes), finally "The First Features", along with some documentaries and comedies. Truffle Hunters from Sundance is listed, and Peninsula, the Korean zombie horror Train to Busan sequel, plus Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch...

The show is going on for the 2020 Cannes Film Festival, even though by now in a normal year we would have known which film would succeed Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” as the new Palme d’Or winner. The original 2020 festival was scheduled to run May 12-23 but was canceled in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Cannes is living on this year as festival president Pierre Lescure and general delegate Thierry Frémaux are announcing the 56 films that made the cut for the 2020 Official Selection. Selected films will be branded with an official Cannes 2020 label that they can take to additional festivals later this year and use when they open in theaters.

The Official Selection at Cannes usually includes the following sections: Competition, Un Certain Regard, Out of Competition, Special Screenings, and Midnight Screenings. The Palme d’Or contenders premiere in the Competition category. Last year’s Cannes Competition section...

Pixar’s “Soul,” Wes Anderson’s star-packed “The French Dispatch” and Steve McQueen’s “Mangrove” and Lover’s Rock” are among the 56 movies which will receive a Cannes 2020 label as part of the festival’s eclectic Official Selection.

Also included in this year’s lineup, are Cannes regulars such as Francois Ozon’s anticipated “Summer 85,” Naomi Kawase’s “True Mothers” and Maiwenn’s “DNA.”

The other celebrated filmmakers who will receive the Cannes 2020 label are Jonathan Nossiter with “Last Words,” Im Sang-soo with “Event” and Thomas Vinterberg with “Another Round.” As many other titles on this year’s lineup, these films were initially tipped for the festival before it canceled its physical edition in April and sticked with the French Riviera-set fest for various reasons, ranging from loyalty to distribution/marketing strategy. For instance, “Summer 85,” which marks Ozon’s follow up to his Berlin Golden Bear winning “By The Grace of God,...

The director of the head-turning shorts Castle to Castle and Le Film de l’été is making his feature debut with a variation on the theme of the low-cost lifestyle. Director Emmanuel Marre is embarking on his first feature-length adventure with Carpe Diem, the shoot for which kicked off on Monday. He has enlisted the services of French actress Adèle Exarchopoulos, who will breathe life into his heroine, 26-year-old Cassandre, an air hostess working for a low-cost airline. She lives one day at a time and parties after each flight with not a care for tomorrow. For her Tinder handle, she’s chosen Carpe Diem because she sees herself reflected in her company’s motto: “The world won’t wait.” The filmmaker made a splash with his shorts,...

Welcome to Paranoia, the ultimate escape game. Rule #1: Nothing is real. Rule #2: One of you will die.

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired North American rights to the horror movie Play or Die, directed by Jacques Kluger. The film stars Charley Palmer (Dunkirk), Roxane Mesquida (“Now Apocalypse”), Marie Zabukovec (Interrail), Thomas Mustin (Raw), and Igor Van Dessel (Racer And The Jailbird).

Play Or Die will be available through On-Demand and on Digital platforms July 2.

Synopsis:

In the story, Lucas and Chloe are two passionate gamers. They decide to participate in Paranoia, a very exclusive escape game. After solving the first riddle, they make it to the location of the finale in an abandoned mental hospital, hidden deep in a frighten...

France.tv, the newly revamped streaming service of French broadcasting group France Televisions, has ordered “Parlement,” a half-hour satirical comedy series about the European Parliament created by Noé Debré.

Debré’s credits include Jacques Audiard’s Palme d’Or winning “Dheepan.”

The series, which is being produced by Fabienne Servan-Schreiber and Thomas Saignes at Paris-based production banner Cineteve, centers around five young assistants of different nationalities and backgrounds who work at the European Parliament in the midst of a post-Brexit chaos.

“Parlement” marks the first original series commissioned by France.tv, which aims to feed its digital pipeline with premium original series from France and Europe aimed at younger viewers.

Studio Hamburg’s CineCentrum is co-producing the series; a yet-to-be-named German TV network will soon come on board. The series is also backed by Artemis in Belgium and All3 Media’s 7Stories in the U.K.

Debré is writing the series...

This last half-decade, few French screenwriters have run up such an illustrious list of co-write credits as Noé Debré. Thomas Bedigain’s writing partner on Jacques Audiard’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner “Deephan,” Debra co-penned Bedigain’s own debut, “The Cowboys,” “Racer and the Jailbird,” by Michael Roskam, and “Le Brio,” directed by Yvan Attal. He has now made his directorial debut, “The Seventh Continent.” Few films in MyFrenchFilmFestival, which launched yesterday.

In it, Emile, a rotund-girthed private investigator is asked by Thybaud to find his girlfriend Claire Soares, who has been abducted by billionaire John Rapoport, or so Thybaud says. The first person Emile down his local club says she knows Rapport very well – he comes to cry on her shoulder every night; the second announces he’s going to a party at Claire’s place, just nearby. But Emile really shouldn’t take Mdma, when he’s on the job.

A total of 16 projects selected for Rotterdam industry event.

CineMart, the co-production market held during the International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr), has named the 16 feature projects to be showcased at next year’s edition.

Held January 27-30 during the festival (which runs Jan 23 – Feb 3), the event invites filmmakers to pitch their projects to a host of attending film professionals in tailored one-to-one meetings, as well as presentations that are open to all CineMart guests.

This year’s selection features one returning filmmaker, Nathalie Teirlinck, who previously presented her project Past Imperfect at CineMart in 2015 – that film went on to play...

“The Sisters Brothers” gallops on screen with a lot of ambitions, and it fulfills them all. It’s a sprawling Western that’s also an intimate character piece; it has moments of wit but also devastating tragedy; it delves into larger themes like the impact of fathers upon sons, and how greed and industrialization lead to environmental devastation, and yet it offers the hope of redemption.

In the pantheon of English-language debuts from international filmmakers — it’s directed by Jacques Audiard, the Frenchman behind “A Prophet,” “Rust and Bone,” “Dheepan” and “The Beat My Heart Skipped” — it’s a notable one. And it’s also a reminder that while the Western may never regain the massive cinematic popularity it once enjoyed, it’s also a genre that will never die so long as talented artists still find ways to use it to tell new and interesting stories.

It’s got...

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Incredibles 2

Holly Hunter and Sarah Vowell costar (in voice performances) as part of a family of superheroes. Also costarring Catherine Keener, Sophia Bush, and Isabella Rossellini. (male writer-director)

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The Secret of Marrowbone

Anya Taylor-Joy and Mia Goth costar in this thriller about a family of siblings who cover up the death of their mother. (male writer-director)

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Pin Cushion

Deborah Haywood writes and directs this drama about a mother and daughter (Joanna Scanlan and Lily Newmark) making a new life in a new town.

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Summer 1993 [pictured]

Carla Simón writes (with Valentina Viso) and directs this drama about a young girl (Laia Artigas) coping with the sudden death of her mother.

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Racer and the Jailbird

Adèle Exarchopoulos costars as a race driver who gets romantically involved with a (male) gangster in this crime drama. (male writers and director)

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Please let me...

Shady Matthias Schoenaerts falls for racing driver Adèle Exarchopoulos in a messy thriller from the director of Bullhead

Racer and the Jailbird is the rather plonking English title that’s been slapped on to a French- and Flemish-language movie that on its home turf is more pleasingly called Le Fidèle, or The Faithful One. It’s a tragic crime drama starring Matthias Schoenaerts and Adèle Exarchopoulos – a handsomer couple can hardly be imagined – and directed by the Belgian film-maker Michaël R Roskam, who made the excellent thriller The Drop and gave Schoenaerts his first break with his debut Bullhead, in 2011. So my anticipation was high for this one, but initial involvement and excitement gave way to bafflement and dissatisfaction. Frankly, it is a bit of a mess.

If it can, should a film lay its foundation on intertextuality? The question being: can you believe two people are in love because you are told, not because you see it? Because you know it’s happened before, not because it’s happening now? If you answer yes, then Racer and the Jailbird will shake and move you, leading you seductively by the hand through a series of romances and heartbreaks. Michaël R. Roskam’s latest finds the familiar premise of a heist film, with truth as a currency in bankruptcy and hopes of a dream getaway dashed against the pillars of human nature fused with trauma dictating otherwise. So we have robber and racer, lovers in trouble. If your answer to the above question is no, Racer and the Jailbird will leave you battered but hollow.

Gigi (Matthias Schoenaerts) is a criminal who poses as a business man in the car import-export business.

Updated at 10:55Am Pt with more numbers and analysis. Magnolia and Participant’s Sundance documentary Rbg opened in 34 locations Friday with momentum behind it and it delivered a solid start.

Directed by Julie Cohen and Betsy West, the feature spotlighting U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg grossed 560,000, or $16,471 per location, making it one of the top non-fiction releases of the year. The headway was all the more impressive given the long shadow of The Avengers.

Music Box Films opened The Guardians in a single location, grossing $7,199 over the weekend, while French-Dutch crime-drama Racer And the Jailbird bowed in two theaters, taking in $2,222. Bleecker Street’s Disobedience by Sebastián Lelio continued to lure audiences in a second-week expansion, grossing $310,272 from 31 runs, averaging $10K. Sundance Selects’ Let The Sunshine In by Claire Denis also flexed muscle in its second weekend, taking in $66,754 in seven locations.

Sony Classics added runs...

While Cannes may supply some oxygen to its most export-worthy titles before they reach cinephiles stateside, the current scene is in dire need of new titles. Magnolia’s “Rbg,” a documentary about Ruth Bader Ginsberg, stands out as a major new specialty opening, with a robust per-theater-average for a multi-city release.

Last week’s top opener “Disobedience” (Bleecker Street) expanded to continued good response in new cities; its crossover potential is enhanced by name stars in a sexy story as well as little competition.

Opening

Rbg (Magnolia) – Metacritic: 77; Festivals include: Sundance, Miami, San Francisco 2018

$560,000 in 34 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $16,471

Magnolia could replicate its “I am Not a Negro” triumph early last year. That documentary about the iconic James Baldwin grossed over $7 million after it also launched with a strong multi-big city debut. This Sundance-debuted film about the life and career of the Supreme Court Justice notched an even...

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Tully

Charlize Theron stars as a new mother overwhelmed by baby care who bonds with her night nanny (Mackenzie Davis). Written by Diablo Cody. (male director)

my review | find cinemas

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Angels Wear White [pictured]

Vivian Qu writes and directs this drama about how a teenaged girl (Vicky Chen) and a tween (Meijun Zhou) react when one of them suffers a sexual assault.

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Rbg

Julie Cohen and Betsy West direct this documentary biography of pioneering judicial activist and Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

my review | find cinemas

Everything Else

Natalia Almada writes and directs this drama about a woman (Adriana Barraza) who reawakens herself to life in her 60s.

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The Desert Bride

Cecilia Atán and Valeria Pivato direct and cowrite this adventure drama about a woman (Paulina García) whose life is upended when her job is threatened.

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Altered Perception

Kate Rees Davies directs...

While the summer season got a humongous start last weekend, there’s still four long months of movies this season. After highlighting the ones we’re most looking forward to, it’s time to zero in on the first round of May. Around these parts, much of the month will be devoted to Cannes coverage, but there’s still much to be unveiled in theaters, including perhaps the finest film of the year thus far.

Matinees to See: The Desert Bride (5/4), The Guardians (5/4), Anon (5/4), Mountain (5/11), Revenge (5/11), Terminal (5/11), The Seagull (5/11), Boom for Real (5/18), Pope Francis – A Man of His Word (5/18), and The Gospel According To André (5/25), and Summer 1993 (5/25)

15. How to Talk to Girls at Parties (John Cameron Mitchell; May 25)

Synopsis: An alien touring the galaxy breaks away from her group and meets two young inhabitants of the most dangerous place in the universe: the London suburb of Croydon.

Trailer

Why You...

Trailers are an under-appreciated art form insofar that many times they’re seen as vehicles for showing footage, explaining films away, or showing their hand about what moviegoers can expect. Foreign, domestic, independent, big budget: What better way to hone your skills as a thoughtful moviegoer than by deconstructing these little pieces of advertising? This week […]

The post This Week In Trailers: Surfer: Teen Confronts Fear, New Town Utopia, Racer and the Jailbird, Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie, Granny Project appeared first on /Film.

It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything about director Michaël Roskam’s “Racer and the Jailbird.” The sexy crime saga has been something we’ve been following since early 2017. And at the time of our review, from the Venice Film Festival, there was no official release date in the United States. However, in the new trailer for the film, we see more footage from the sexy heist film, as well as get news on when it will finally see its release in theaters.

After teaming together for the Oscar-nominated Bullhead and The Drop, Matthias Schoenaerts and Michaël R. Roskam have reunited for another crime drama, this time bringing along Blue is the Warmest Color star Adèle Exarchopoulos for the ride. Racer and the Jailbird, which premiered at film festivals last fall, will arrive in the U.S. early this summer, and now the trailer has landed.

Dropping the duo into a Bonnie and Clyde-esque thriller set in the world of racing and gangsterdom, it looks like another stylish, intense outing for Roskam. After being the minority as I was met with a tinge of disappointment from his last feature, hopefully this a slow burn with more under its engine. Check out the trailer and poster below.

Racer And The Jailbird is the latest breathlessly stylish and sexy crime epic from Oscar ® nominated director Michaël R. Roskam (Bullhead, The Drop), set against an electrifying...

"We know the risks. But it keeps us alive." Super Ltd has debuted a new Us trailer for Belgian romantic crime drama Racer and the Jailbird, from Belgian director Michaël R. Roskam, of Bullhead and The Drop. This premiered at the Toronto and Venice Film Festivals last year under the title Le Fidèle in French, which just means The Faithful. Racer and the Jailbird stars Matthias Schoenaerts (from Bullhead, Rust and Bone, Red Sparrow) and Adèle Exarchopoulos (from Blue is the Warmest Color), along with Eric De Staercke, Jean-Benoît Ugeux, Nabil Missoumi, Thomas Coumans, and Nathalie Van Tongelen. This is described as a "breathlessly stylish and sexy crime epic" that is "set against an electrifying backdrop of high-speed racing and high-stakes heists." It looks very good, and I like the way they handle the subtitles. Here's the new Us trailer (+ new poster) for Michaël R. Roskam's Racer and the Jailbird,...

Author: Zehra Phelan

Blade Runner 2049 actress Sylvia Hoeks has signed up to play Emmanuelle star Sylvia Kristel in an upcoming biopic from Michael R. Roskam.

The project is said to be inspired by Kristel’s life after she relocated to L.A. and her life spiralled out of control with a number of relationships and developing a cocaine addiction. The centres on Kristel’s iconic career in the ’70s and ’80s when the huge success of the “Emmanuelle” films stood in stark contrast to her troubled personal life, a press statement said:

“Sylvia Kristel was one of the women that opened up a sexual way of looking at sex for women,” said Hoeks. But she added: “She was also “very free-spirited, maybe even too early in that regard for her generation.”

Hoek’s stated on the troubled actress “her intelligence and creativity as an artist made her difficult to grasp.

European Film Promotion highlights 28 European films for the 90th Academy AwardsPutting a spotlight on a record number of 28 European Oscar® entries, Efp (European Film Promotion) offers additional screenings of the films in L.A. for Academy members, journalists, U.S. distributors and international buyers. With the special support of the Efp member organizations, the event helps the productions to stand out among a record number of 92 submissions for the 90th Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

This year the Efp Screenings Of Oscar® Entries From Europe were held from November 2–15 at the state of the art Dick Clark Screening Room. The campaign is financially supported by the Creative Europe — Media Programme of the European Union and the participating Efp member organizations.

Many of the European Oscar submissions feature European Shooting Stars or were made by Efp-related filmmakers. Notably four films were realized by participants of this year’s edition...

Another autumn whizzes by and with it a look back on the festivals we've covered. Here's everything we reviewed from Tiff and Nyff and Middleburg this year in case you missed it. Reviews from Jason Adams, Manuel Betancourt, Nick Davis, Sean Donovan, Murtada Elfaldl, John Guerin, Chris Feil, and Nathaniel R

Tiff 2017

the films

The Breadwinner • Darkest Hour •

Death of Stalin • Disaster • Downsizing •

Euphoria • Film Stars Dont Die in Liverpool •

First They Killed My Father •

The Florida Project • Happy End • I, Tonya •

The Killing of a Sacred Deer • Kings •

Lady Bird • Lodgers • Mademoiselle Paradis •

Mary Shelley • mother! •

Never Steady Never Still • On Body and Soul •

The Racer and the Jailbird • Revenge •

The Seen and Unseen • The Shape of Water •

Sheikh Jackson • Thelma •

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri •

Tigre • Western • The Wife • Zama

parties, events, randomness

greatest party photo ever • "I'm Armie" •

Helena Bonham-Carter • mother! moods •

portraits from the fest • Podcast...

The final deadline for submitting each country’s film for consideration for the foreign-language Oscar was October 2. Last year 85 were finally deemed eligible by the Academy; this year the number is a record 92. Haiti, Honduras, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mozambique, Senegal and Syria are first-time entrants. These films are vying for the initial shortlist of 9, and final five nominations to be announced on January 23. See the final list below.

Read More:Oscar Announces Changes for Foreign-Film Voting: Now Simpler! (Sort Of.)

The frontrunners include Sweden selected Ruben Östlund’s hilarious Palme d’Or-winner “The Square” (October 27, Magnolia Pictures), an art-world satire shot in majority Swedish with some English from stars Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, and Dominic West, thus giving Östlund another shot after “Force Majeure” was a surprise 2015 Oscar omission.

Germany’s choice, Fatih Akin’s “In the Fade” (December 27, Magnolia Pictures), won Best Actress for Diane Kruger at Cannes.

Following the disappointing performance of The Drop, Bullhead director Mikael Roskam returns to his native Belgium for Le Fidele - titled internationally as Racer And The Jailbird - and awkward international title aside, this looks very much to be a return to form. Set against the background of a brutal crime gang in Brussels, a tragic love story between Gigi (Matthias Schoenaerts), a high-flying gangster, and Bibi (Adèle Exarchopoulos), a young racing driver with very upper-class roots. The French theatrical trailer for this one has just arrived and is looking very good, indeed. Roskam is one of the absolute best of his generation of European directors so here's hoping for good things here....

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

We don’t always have the same opinions here at The Playlist, and “Racer And The Jailbird” is one such case. Where Jessica was able to roll with the film’s “drunken romanticism,” when I caught the movie at Tiff I thought it was just plain drunk. The overly long, two-hour-plus film lurches from one unbelievable plot twist to the next, in a crime picture/love story that never knows when to slow down.

Continue reading ‘Racer And The Jailbird’ Trailer: Matthias Schoenaerts & Adèle Exarchopoulos Accelerate Their Passion at The Playlist.

Though the lead characters of Michaël Roskam‘s “Racer and the Jailbird” (original title: “Le Fidèle”) speak French, and conduct their low-key criminality on the streets of Brussels, their story feels like a song of old-timey heartland America — one of those spare, broken-hearted ditties in which boxers fall for waitresses and love conquers everything except bad luck. It’s an impression partly delivered by Roskam’s smooth, 70s-noir-tinged filmmaking, which suggests doomed romance in even the sunniest scene, but mostly it comes from the combination of leads Adele Exarchopoulos and Matthias Schoenaerts, who could not boast more chemistry if they were mixed in a conical flask and held over a bunsen burner.

Continue reading Sexy Slow-Burn ‘Racer And The Jailbird’ With Matthias Schoenaerts & Adele Exarchopoulos [Venice Review] at The Playlist.

“Racer and the Jailbird” has all the makings of an elegant, old-school heist movie: fast cars, romance, high stakes, and beautiful people. The third feature from Belgian genre director Michael Roskum (“Bullhead,” “The Drop”) shows a strong eye for emulating those traditions, while co-stars Adèle Exarchopoulos and Matthias Schoenaerts bring a palpable sexual chemistry to the tragic relationship at its center. Yet no matter the sleek direction and skillful performances towing it along, “Racer and the Jailbird” struggles to make much out of its scenario that isn’t already evident from the opening act.

Nevertheless, the movie’s accessible drama holds water for some time, competently establishing the central couple as an appealing cinematic pair. Petite speed racer Bénédicte (Exarchopoulos) wows crowds at a local race track where the beefy Gino (Schoenaerts) finds her after one rousing triumph. He leaves an impression, the way the hyper-masculine Schoenaerts usually does, making...

Belgium has submitted Michaël R Roskam’s Racer And The Jailbird as the country’s entry into this year’s Foreign Language Oscar race. The dark romantic thriller stars Matthias Schoenaerts and Adèle Exarchopoulos and is having its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival before heading to Toronto next month. It’s the second submission for Roskam, whose feature debut Bullhead was nominated in the category in 2012. The pic (original title: Le Fidèle) is a love story set at…...

After delivering the knockout “Bullhead,” writer/director Michael R. Roskam could do whatever he wanted, and we’d be there. So we followed him to “The Drop,” and were rewarded with an entire film with Tom Hardy and a puppy (it was pretty good too). Now, the filmmaker is reteaming with Matthias Schoenaerts for “The Racer And The Jailbird,” and we’re pretty much sold already.

Continue reading ‘The Racer And The Jailbird’ Trailer: Adèle Exarchopoulos & Matthias Schoenaerts Explore Romance & Racing at The Playlist.

Sâm Mirhosseini and Jérémie Renier in Clément Cogitore's Neither Heaven Nor Earth (Ni Le Ciel Ni La Terre)

Neither Heaven Nor Earth (Ni Le Ciel Ni La Terre) director Clément Cogitore spoke with me on the role his producer Jean-Christophe Reymond played in the collaboration with Les Cowboys director Thomas Bidegain, who also has screenwriter credits for Bertrand Bonello's Saint Laurent, Jacques Audiard's Rust And Bone, A Prophet and Cannes Palme d'Or winner Dheepan, and Michaël R Roskam's Racer And The Jailbird (Matthias Schoenaerts, Adèle Exarchopoulos) which will have its world première at the Venice International Film Festival.

Bax's (Clément Bresson) tattooed back in Neither Heaven Nor Earth

Clément went into the invisible worlds of his debut feature (starring Jérémie Renier with Kévin Azaïs, Swann Arlaud, Finnegan Oldfield, Clément Bresson, Marc Robert, Hamid Reza Javdan, Edouard Court, Steve Tientcheu, Aria Faghih Habib, Stéphane Boissel, and the voice...

Racer and the Jailbird Trailer Michaël R. Roskam‘s Racer and the Jailbird / Le Fidèle (2017) teaser trailer stars Matthias Schoenaerts, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Kerem Can, Sam Louwyck, and Stefaan Degand. Racer and the Jailbird‘s plot synopsis: “Roskam’s highly anticipated film takes place in the fast-paced world of racing, and centers on [...]

Continue reading: Racer And The Jailbird (2017) Teaser Trailer: Adèle Exarchopoulos Searches for a Way to Race & Love...

We’re in the middle of summer, and tentpole fatigue might be wearing you down, but the good news is fall festival and awards season movies are closer than you think, and one we can’t wait to watch is “Le Fidèle” aka “The Racer And The Jailbird.” It’s the new film from Michael R. Roskam (“Bullhead,” “The Drop“) who once again teams with Matthias Schoenaerts for what looks like a truly winning picture.

Continue reading First Trailer For ‘The Racer And The Jailbird’ Starring Adèle Exarchopoulos & Matthias Schoenaerts at The Playlist.

Screen investigates which films from around the world could launch on the Croisette, including on opening night.

With just over a month to go before the line-up for this year’s Cannes Film Festival is unveiled in Paris, Croisette predictions and wish lists are hitting the web thick and fast.

Screen’s network of correspondents and contributors around the world have been putting out feelers to get a sense of what might or might not make it to the Palais du Cinéma or one of the parallel sections.

Just like the Oscars, this year’s festival is likely to unfold amid a politically-charged atmosphere. Beyond Trump and the rise of populism across the globe, France will be digesting the result of its own presidential election on May 7. Against this background, the festival will be feting its 70th edition.

Below, Screen reveals which titles might - and might not - be in the running for a place at the...

Roskam’s third feature The Racer And The Jailbird starring Matthias Schoenaerts will be among the line-up.

Flanders Image – a division of the Flanders Audiovisual Fund — is hosting the first NeXT event from Oct 9-12 in Ghent, Belgium.

The event will include a showcase of new films and pitches of future projects, alongside works in progress presentations from both established names and new talents of Belgian cinema made in Flanders. There will also be a day of talks, workshops and panel discussions that bring together local filmmakers and international experts.

Among the high profile Flemish films to be discussed will be Michael R Roskam’s third feature The Racer And The Jailbird, described as a dark romantic drama and starring his Bullhead star Matthias Schoenaerts alongside Adèle Exarchopoulos; and Loft director Erik Van Looy’s new thriller The Prime Minister, which is being sold by The Works. Those are both part of short works in progress presentations...

Actor Matthias Schoenaerts and director Michaël Roskam both broke out with 2011’s visceral “Bullhead,” and while the English language effort “The Drop” didn’t resonate in the same way (even with Tom Hardy and a puppy!), it hasn’t dampened their spirits to work together again. And indeed, their next collaboration is already rolling in front of […]

The post Matthias Schoenaerts Reteams With Michaël Roskam For "The Racer And The Jailbird" Co-Starring Adele Exarchopoulos appeared first on The Playlist.

Belgian thriller The Prime Minister, about a terrorist plot to kidnap the Us president, is currently filming in and around Brussels.

Belgian terrorist-themed thriller The Prime Minister, which started shoot this week, is to continue production in spite of the bomb attacks in Brussels on Tuesday.

The film, directed by Erik Van Looy (The Loft), is about a plot to assassinate the Us President, played by Saskia Reeves. Koen De Bouw plays the kidnapped Belgian prime minister, whom terrorists try to force into committing the murder.

Producer Hilde De Laere confirmed to Screen that filming is still underway. The early scenes have been shot outside Brussels but the production is due to move to the city next week.

“Until now, we haven’t received any indication that things are no longer possible,” De Laere commented of the situation in Brussels. “For the moment, the spirit is that life has to go on.”

The film will...

Luca Guadagnino is reuniting with his A Bigger Splash cast—Dakota Johnson, Matthias Schoenaerts, Ralph Fiennes and Tilda Swinton—for a remake of Dario Argento's Suspiria. More news of projects in the works: Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne's La Fille inconnue with Adèle Haenel, Olivier Gourmet and Christelle Cornil; Joachim Lafosse's L’Economie du couple with Bérénice Béjo and Cédric Kahn; Eleanor Coppola's Bonjour Anne with Diane Lane, Alec Baldwin and Arnaud Viard; Maria Schrader's Stefan Zweig biopic with Josef Hader and Barbara Sukowa; Doug Liman's Luna Park with Tom Cruise; Michael R. Roskam’s The Faithful with Adèle Exarchopoulos and Matthias Schoenaerts; and more. » - David Hudson...

Luca Guadagnino is reuniting with his A Bigger Splash cast—Dakota Johnson, Matthias Schoenaerts, Ralph Fiennes and Tilda Swinton—for a remake of Dario Argento's Suspiria. More news of projects in the works: Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne's La Fille inconnue with Adèle Haenel, Olivier Gourmet and Christelle Cornil; Joachim Lafosse's L’Economie du couple with Bérénice Béjo and Cédric Kahn; Eleanor Coppola's Bonjour Anne with Diane Lane, Alec Baldwin and Arnaud Viard; Maria Schrader's Stefan Zweig biopic with Josef Hader and Barbara Sukowa; Doug Liman's Luna Park with Tom Cruise; Michael R. Roskam’s The Faithful with Adèle Exarchopoulos and Matthias Schoenaerts; and more. » - David Hudson...