Films Boutique Boards Cannes-Bound Films by Albert Serra, Maryam Touzani, Ariel Escalante Meza, João Pedro Rodrigues (EXCLUSIVE)

Elsa Keslassy
·3 min read
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Films Boutique (“Lunana, a Yak in the Classroom”) has acquired four films set to world premiere at Cannes, including Albert Serra (“The Death of Louis XIV”)’s “Pacifiction” which will compete in the 75th edition’s Official Selection.

The Berlin-based international sales banner has also acquired rising Morrocan helmer Maryam Touzani (“Adam”)’s “The Blue Caftan” and Costa Rican director Ariel Escalante Meza’s “Domingo and the Mist” which will both play in Un Certain Regard; as well as Portuguese filmmaker João Pedro Rodrigues (“The Ornithologist”)’s “Will-O’-The-Wisp,” set for Directors’ Fortnight.

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“Pacifiction” stars Cesar-winning French actor Benoit Magimel (“Peaceful”) as a calculating French government official working in the French Polynesian island of Tahiti. While investigating on a mysterious submarine, he navigates the high end ’establishment,’ and mingles with locals in underground venues.

Serra was last in Cannes with his 2019 feature film “Liberté” which won the jury prize at Un Certain Regard.”‘Pacifiction’ is a more accessible film in terms of storytelling than Serra’s previous movies; it’s a riveting political thriller and espionage story,” said Jean-Christophe Simon at Films Boutique. Simon added that the film was also “visually impressive.”

“Pacifiction” is produced by Idéale Audience Group, Andergraun Films and Tamtam Film, Rosa Filmes. it will be distributed in France by Les Films du Losange. The cast in completed by Sergi López (“Pan’s Labyrinth”), Pahoa Mahagafanau, Cécile Guilbert and Matahi Pambrun.

“The Blue Caftan,” Touzani’s follow up to Un Certain Regard title “Adam,” stars Lubna Azabal (“Incendies”) and Saleh Bakri (“Costa Brava, Lebanon”) as Mina and Halim, a married couple running a traditional caftan store in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas. In order to keep up with the demand, they hire Youssef, a talented apprentice whom Halim takes under his wing and starts teaching the art of embroidery and tailoring. Slowly, Mina realizes how much her husband is moved by the presence of the young man.

“The Blue Caftan” is produced by Nabil Ayouch, the high profile Moroccan helmer of “Casablanca Beats” and “Much Loved,” and Amine Benjelloun at Ali n ‘Productions. Les Films du Nouveau Monde, Velvet Films and Snowglobe co-produced “The Blue Caftan.” Ad Vitam will handle the French distribution.

Films Boutique has also boarded “Will-O’-The-Wisp” which will play at Directors’ Fortnight. The daring movie tackles LGBT themes and weaves fantasy and musical. It revolves around the youth memories of a dying Portuguese aristocrat who dreamed of becoming a firefighter and unexpectedly fell in love with his instructor. Rodrigues previously directed “The Ornithologist” which played at Locarno and Toronto, and “O Fantasma.” “”Will-O’-The-Wisp” is produced by House on Fire, Terratreme Filmes and Filmes Fantasma. JHR Films will release the movie in France.

As previously announced, Films Boutique has also acquired world sales rights to “Domingo and the Mist,” a supernatural drama set in the tropical mountains of Costa Rica where a widower, Domingo, owns a piece of land which is coveted to build a new highway. Set to play in Un Certain Regard, the movie is produced by Incendio Cine and stars Carlos Ureña, Sylvia Sossa, Esteban Brenes Serrano and Aris Vindas.

At Cannes, Films Boutique will also be hosting the market premiere of Clara’s Stern’s feature debut “Breaking The Ice,” ahead of its world premiere at Tribeca. A vibrant coming-of-age movie set in Vienna, the film tells the story of Mira, a woman in her early 20’s who breaks free from the pressure of running her family’s vineyard and starts playing ice hockey. She meets Theresa, a new player who’s just joined the hockey team and challenges her to think differently about the world. The movie stars Alina Schaller, Judith Altenberger, Tobias Resch, Pia Hierzegger and Wolfgang Böck. It’s produced by Nikolaus Geyrhalter Filmproduktion GmbH.

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