23/06/2023 - The English filmmaker’s upcoming feature is set to be co-produced by the French-German network, as are projects by Nadav Lapid, Lucile Hadzihalilovic and Bruno Podalydès

Director Andrea Arnold (© Festival de Cannes)

The second selection committee of 2023 organised by Arte France Cinéma (steered by Olivier Père) has committed to co-producing and pre-purchasing six projects.

Standing tall among these works is Bird, which will be Andrea Arnold’s 5th fiction feature after Red Road [+see also:
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film profile], Fish Tank [+see also:
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interview: Andrea Arnold
film profile] and American Honey [+see also:
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Q&A: Andrea Arnold
film profile] (all rewarded with Cannes’ Jury Prize in 2006, 2009 and 2016), not to mention Wuthering Heights [+see also:
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interview: Andrea Arnold
film profile] (in competition in Venice in 2011), and the documentary Cow [+see also:
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film profile], unveiled on the Croisette in 2021. Currently shooting until the end of July in Kent, England, her latest opus - starring Germany’s Franz Rogowski (seen this year in Disco Boy [+see also:
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interview: Giacomo Abbruzzese
film profile] and Passages [+see also:
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film profile]) and Ireland’s Barry Keoghan (nominated for this year’s Best Supporting Role Oscar thanks to The Banshees of Inisherin [+see also:
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Arte France Cinéma are also supporting Oui, which will be Israeli director Nadav Lapid’s 5th feature after Synonyms [+see also:
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interview: Nadav Lapid
film profile] (awarded Berlin’s Golden Bear in 2019) and Ahed’s Knee [+see also:
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film profile] (scooping Cannes’ Jury Prize in 2021), to name just two. The story revolves around Y. who used to be a pianist and composer. Now he entertains powerful people alongside his wife Jasmine. The couple throw themselves into their work body and soul. They never say no, only yes. And it works out rather well for them. But their life is horrible: people can’t just dance, sing and sell themselves all day long… Produced by Les Films du Bal (France), Komplizen Film (Germany) and Bustan Film (Israel), and sold worldwide by Les Films du Losange, the feature film will commence filming in April 2024.

The list of selected projects also includes La Tour de glace by Lucile Hadzihalilovic (rewarded at San Sebastian for her first three feature films: Innocence in 2004, Evolution [+see also:
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film profile] in 2014 and Earwig [+see also:
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interview: Lucile Hadzihalilovic
film profile] in 2021), which is set to be toplined by Marion Cotillard. Co-written by the filmmaker alongside Geoff Cox, the story unfolds in the 1970s, in a high-mountain village where 15-year-old Jeanne dreams of leaving the orphanage she’s lived in since childhood and discovering the world. Running away to the city of lights, she takes refuge in a hangar. In the morning, a dazzling Snow Queen appears before her. The hangar turns out to be a studio where a film based on the fairy tale is being shot. The star, Cristina, who’s playing the Queen, reigns supreme on set. Fascinated by this cruel and troublingly charming woman who’s both powerful and vulnerable, Jeanne becomes her protégée and confidante, but the net is slowly closing in around her… Steered by 3B Productions and set to be sold by Goodfellas, the movie will be shot between January and February 2024.

Arte France Cinéma will also be co-producing La Petite vadrouille by seasoned director Bruno Podalydès (produced by Why Not Productions) and Louise Hémon’s debut feature film ​​​L’Engloutie (produced by Take Shelter).

For the record, Arte France Cinéma is also throwing its weight behind upcoming films by Bertrand Bonello, Miguel Gomes, Abderrahmane Sissako, Walter Salles, Dea Kulumbegashvili, Alain Guiraudie, Emmanuel Mouret, Fernando Trueba, Thierry de Peretti, Patricia Mazuy, Emmanuel Finkiel, Justyna Tafel, Johanna Pyykkö, Payal Kapadia, Diego Céspedes, Gints Zilbalodis, Arnaud and Jean-Marie Larrieu, Francesca Comencini, Karim Moussaoui, Mareike Engelhardt, Momoko Seto, Jérémy Comte, Jonathan Millet, and by the duo Caroline Poggi - Jonathan Vinel.

(Translated from French)