François Nobécourt

Présenté en ouverture d’Un Certain Regard, le nouveau film du réalisateur islandais Rúnar Rúnarsson parle de deuil, et de mensonges. La jeune comédienne et chanteuse islandaise Elin Hall y compose un personnage tout en ambiguïté, partagé entre sa douleur d’avoir perdu son homme, et l’impossibilité de le révéler aux autres... C’est la directrice de la photographie suédoise Sophia Olsson qui a mis en image ce film, presque entièrement tourné dans la capitale islandaise et dont certains lieux emblématiques évoqueront sans doute des choses aux amoureux de cette ville un peu hors du temps. (FR)

With The Girl with the Needle, Swedish filmmaker Magnus Von Horn (who studied in Łódź and lives in Warsaw) delves into a harsh depiction of poverty in 1920s Denmark. This frightening black-and-white tale draws parallels with certain aspects and characters (notably the circus scene) from The Elephant Man, David Lynch’s 1980 Gothic monument (photographed by the great cinematographer and director Freddie Francis, BSC). Behind the camera is Michal Dymek, PSC, the young Polish cinematographer (noted for EO, which competed in 2022). He talks to us about black-and-white filmmaking, relative authenticity, and the unforeseen events on set that can sometimes turn into assets for the film... (FR)

After more than 10 years of absence, the filmmaker behind The Godfather and Apocalypse Now returns with an extremely personal project in which he has invested a significant portion of his fortune. This is Megalopolis, a fable aimed at younger generations that reinterprets classical texts from ancient Rome in the context of a futuristic city reminiscent at times of Batman’s Gotham. It is also a family film with many main roles, featuring extensive sets and special effects to immerse the audience in this anticipatory atmosphere. The film is shot by Romanian-born cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr., ASC, a loyal collaborator of the director for nearly 20 years. The film is in Official competition for the 77th Palme d’Or.