Melanie Thierry-Starring ‘Mariana’s Room,’ Adapted From Novel ‘Blooms of Darkness,’ Launching in Berlin With WestEnd (EXCLUSIVE)

WestEnd Film has boarded “Mariana’s Room,” the adaptation of Aharon Appelfeld’s prize-winning 2006 novel “Blooms of Darkness,” for worldwide sales.

The film — which is now in post-production — comes from writer-director Emmanuel Finkiel (“A Decent Man,” “Voyages”) who reunited with his Cesar-winning “Memoir of War” star Mélanie Thierry (“The Zero Theorem’).

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“Mariana’s Room” revolves around a Jewish boy who spends over a year hidden in the room of his mother’s friend Mariana in a Ukrainian brothel during WWII. As the war rages on outside the bordello, Hugo risks capture under the noses of its Nazi patrons. Hugo and Mariana form an intimate yet complex bond of love, loyalty and devotion — one that will change their lives forever.

“What captivated me about the novel was Appelfeld’s unique perspective, weaving the fundamental notion of desire into his narrative through the lens of a child on the brink of adolescence,” said Finkiel. “Little Hugo navigates the brutality of war, experiences heartbreak and loss, all while awakening to sexuality and encountering love. It’s a story where Eros triumphs over Thanatos, where Eros represents not just sexual desire, but also the urge to embrace life fully, to move beyond oneself towards the desire to live.”

The film, shot on location in Hungary, was produced by David Silber (“Lebanon,” “Incitement”), David Gauquié (“Meandre,” “Memoir of War”), Julien Deris (“Meandre,” “Memoir of War”), Moshe Edery (“Tatami,” “Footnote”) and Olivier Delbosc (“The Braid,” “The Taste of Things”).

“We are thrilled to be bringing Emmanuel Finkiel’s spellbinding and cinematic tale of humanity and bravery to the market. It cannot be more relevant than today,” said Maya Amsellem of WestEnd, which is introducing the film to buyers at the European Film Market. In France, “Marianna’s Room” will be distributed by Ad Vitam.

WestEnd’s current lineup also includes “Freud’s Last Session,” starring Anthony Hopkins and Matthew Goode; “Tatami,” by Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir; “Reading Lolita in Tehran,” starring Zar Amir and Golshifteh Farahani; “Irena’s Vow,” starring Sophie Nelisse and Dougray Scott; revenge thriller “Uncle,” with Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísu and Morfydd Clark; and “The Last Rifleman,” starring Pierce Brosnan.

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