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To celebrate the release of Olivier Peyon’s Lie With Me on Blu-Ray, DVD and Demand via PeccadilloPOD, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, BFI Player in UK and Ireland, we’re giving away 3 Blu-Rays!

In Olivier Peyon’s powerfully emotional drama Lie With Me, the successful novelist Stéphane Belcourt (Guillaume de Tonquédec) has returned to his hometown for the first time in decades. As a local celebrity, Stéphane has been invited to be the brand ambassador for its famous cognac distillery.

On arrival he is stunned to discover that one of the company’s executives is Lucas (Victor Belmondo), the son of his teenage first love Thomas. This triggers for Stéphane vivid memories of their passionate but secret adolescent affair – at a time when homosexuality was kept in the shadows. As he processes the pain of the lost years and what might have been, Stéphane begins to repair the deep wounds of his youth,...

Lie With Me

Some directors seem incapable of making disappointing films, and Olivier Peyon is one of them – but with Lie With Me (aka Arrête Avec Tes Mensonges), which was at Flare earlier this year and is currently screening at Newfest, he faced an additional challenge. The film, which tells the story of a writer who returns to his hometown and meets the son of his secret teenage lover Thomas, is an adaptation of a book which has many adoring fans. That book is also a deeply personal work, as he explained when we met a couple of weeks ago to discuss his work.

“The novel is the memories of the writer, Philippe Besson, and it was about his first big love story when he was a teenager. And so most of the novel is about that. It is about the past, about memories, about this tragic, this strong...

Universal family comedy ‘Strays’ opened with £509,015.

RankFilm (distributor)Three-day gross (Aug 11-13)Total gross to date Week 1. Barbie (Warner Bros) £2.7m £84.8m 5 2. Oppenheimer (Universal) £2m £50.1m 5 3. Blue Beetle (Warner Bros) £1.2m £1.2m 1 4. Meg 2: The Trench (Warner Bros) £969,140 £9.8m 3 5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Paramount) £586,000 £7m 3

The latest DC superhero Blue Beetle opened with a gross of £1.2m at the UK and Ireland box office but failed to fend off ’Barbenheimer’ from the top spots in their fifth weekend.

Barbie collected £2.7m for Warner Bros over the weekend to bring its total to £84.8m. The Greta Gerwig blockbuster has...

Curzon is re-releasing Lars von Trier’s ‘The Idiots’.

Warner Bros’ superhero sci-fi Blue Beetle and Universal’s canine comedy Strays head the new titles at the UK-Ireland box office, in a post-Barbenheimer test of how the market can handle two wide studio releases.

Opening in 556 cinemas, Blue Beetle is the third feature from Puerto Rican filmmaker Angel Manuel Soto. In the film, after an alien scarab chooses a teenager to be its symbiotic host, the youngster becomes the eponymous superhero with an unpredictable suit of armour.

Xolo Mariduena leads the cast, which also includes Bruna Marquezine, Damian Alcazar, George Lopez and Adriana Barraza.

At his grandfather’s funeral in 2021, Victor Belmondo described the legendary nouvelle vague star as an ‘eternal sun’. Now beginning to light up the screen himself, he talks about trying to capture his predecessor’s famous insouciance

It can be both a head start and a burden to bear the name of an illustrious predecessor – but what if you look like him, too? Victor Belmondo’s pillowy lips purse in amusement when the inevitable question comes up. “It’s not annoying. I get it,” he says. Although a touch less pugnacious-looking, he is unmistakably of the same lineage as his grandfather, Jean-Paul. “I know the name I have and who my grandfather was. From the moment I do the same job, it’s normal people have questions. As long as we talk about my films as well, it’s Ok.”

So we park the trifling matter of Jean-Paul, who died two years ago,...

It’s often said that fiction is a species of lying aimed at revealing greater truths, and that notion lies at the heart of Olivier Peyon’s latest drama, which screened as part of 2023’s BFI Flare. Adapted from the book by Philippe Besson, it follows a middle aged author returning to his hometown and getting to know the son of his long lost love, whilst both of them try to unravel the mysteries of a man who kept both of them at a distance.

The author is Stéphane (Guillaume de Tonquédec), a man who has lived a full life yet has never fully been able to get over his first love affair, persistently naming characters after Thomas (Julien De Saint Jean) though he hasn’t seen him since they were both 17. He travels home after being invited to speak at a distillery there, the sort of event with which writers punctuate.

“Lie With Me,” a romance drama headlined by French stars Guillaume de Tonquebec and Victor Belmondo, has lured a raft of theatrical distributors at the Berlinale’s EFM.

Represented in international markets by Be For Films and directed by Olivier Peyon, the movie is based on Philippe Besson’s book “Arrête avec tes mensonges.” The autobiographical novel was originally published in France by Editions Julliard in 2017 and won pair of awards including the Maison de la Presse prize in 2017.

After selling several key territories earlier this year, Be For Films has now closed deals for the U.S. (Cinephobia Realising), Germany/Austria (24 Bilder), Brazil (Imovision), Poland (Tongariro), Greece (Cinobo) and Turkey (Bir Films).

“Lie With Me” stars de Tonquebec as a prominent novelist Stéphane Belcourt who becomes the brand ambassador for a famous cognac celebrating their bicentennial. The gig leads him to return to his hometown for the first time in many years.

The Lgbtqia+ festival takes place March 15-26.

The BFI Flare: London Lgbtqia+ Film Festival has unveiled the line-up for its 37th edition which takes place March 15 – 26.

The programme features 58 features, six of which are world premieres, spread across three thematic strands – Hearts, Bodies and Minds.

Scroll down for full line-up

World premiering at the festival is John Hay’s documentary Willem & Frieda which is presented by Stephen Fry and explores how a gay man and a lesbian woman led the anti-Nazi resistance in Holland.

The other world premieres are Timothy Harris’ documentary Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn about the...

Brussels-based sales company Be For Films has closed a raft of pre-sales on Julien Carpentier’s feature debut “La vie de ma mère,” a mother-and-son dramedy, starring Agnès Jaoui and William Lebghil.

Now in post, the heartwarming film follows Julien, a successful 33-year-old florist whose life is turned upside down when his mother Judith, whom he hasn’t seen for two years, reappears. Mercurial and extravagant, she suffers from bipolar disorder and has recently escaped from a clinic. Pierre has only one idea in mind: Send her back as quickly as possible so his life can get back on track. But nothing happens as he hoped for. Their unexpected reunion, as funny and explosive as it is heart-wrenching, will transform Pierre and Judith forever. Alison Wheeler and Salif Cissé complete the cast. Kmbo will distribute the film in France.

“La vie de ma mere” is produced by Silex Films, the banner behind “Rose,...

Brussels-based Be For Films has closed a raft of deals on “Lie With Me,” Olivier Peyon’s romance drama starring well-known French actors including Guillaume de Tonquebec and Victor Belmondo.

The movie is based on Philippe Besson’s book “Arrête avec tes mensonges.” The autobiographical novel was originally published in France by Editions Julliard in 2017 and won pair of awards including the Maison de la Presse prize in 2017.

“Lie With Me” stars de Tonquebec as a prominent novelist Stéphane Belcourt who becomes the brand ambassador for a famous cognac celebrating their bicentennial. The gig leads him to return to his hometown for the first time in many years. Once there, he meets Lucas, the son of a man he loved passionately when he was 17. Memories of this first love come rushing back to Stephane and he and Lucas embark on an impossible love affair.

Be For Films is hosting a...

“Black Box,” Studiocanal’s flight-themed French thriller with Pierre Niney (“Yves Saint Laurent”) has been acquired by Distrib Films for U.S. distribution.

Directed by Yann Gozlan, the movie had its North American premiere on Nov. 5 at Colcoa, the French film and series festival in Los Angeles. The movie, which also stars Marine Vacth (“Young And Beautiful”) reteams Niney with Gozlan following “A Perfect Man.”

Niney stars as a skilled black box analyst investigating the deadly crash of a brand new aircraft. As he uncovers disturbing details, he has to deal with the fact that his wife (Vacth) happens to work for the authorities. The film was produced by Paris-based outfit 2425 and Wy Productions. Studiocanal co-produced, distributed in France and is handling international sales. The deal with Distrib Films doesn’t include SVOD rights in the U.S.

Gozlan penned the script with Nicolas Bouvet-Levrard and Simon Moutairou, in collaboration with Jérémie Guez.

Distrib Films has acquired U.S. rights to a flurry of high-profile foreign-language films, including the Cesar Award-winning animated feature “Josep,” the Isabelle Adjani starrer “Sisters,” and “Tokyo Shaking” with Karin Viard.

Directed by Yamina Benguigui, “Sisters” stars Adjani, Maiwenn and Rachida Brakni as siblings who tear each other apart when one of them decides to tell the life of their dying father in the theater.

The movie will be released by Distrib Films on Oct. 29 in L.A., followed by other cities. “Sisters” is set to play at the Women in Film Festival as part of of Martha’s Vineyard Film Society in October.

François Scippa Kohn, Distrib Films’ founder and president, said “Sisters” was a personal film for Benguigui as it reflects her take on family bonds, cultural identity and what it means to be a modern woman.

“Like other movies we’ve handled, notably ‘Papicha,”The Chef’s Wife,...

Paris-based Le Pacte has closed a raft of sales on Olivier Peyon’s “Tokyo Shaking” and Nadine Loiseau’s “Three Times Nothing,” both of which are screening at the Berlin Festival’s virtual European Film Market.

A hot title on Le Pacte’s slate, “Tokyo Shaking” sold to Germany and Austria (Zdf), Israel (New Cinema), Canada (Axia Films), Spain (Alfa Pictures) and the Czech Republic and Slovakia (Mediasquad).

“Tokyo Shaking” is set on March 11, 2011, when Japan was hit by the biggest tsunami it had ever experienced, leading to the Fukushima disaster. While risks are being officially downplayed, the foreign community in Tokyo is terrified by this tragic event and no one is capable of assessing its scope.

The film stars Karin Viard (pictured) as Alexandra, a French executive newly arrived from Hong-Kong to work in a bank, who has to face this nuclear crisis amid pervading terror and chaos.

“Tokyo...

European film, TV and media group Wild Bunch is moving to strengthen its involvement in production and co-productions in France, placing longtime in-house execs Adeline Fontan Tessaur and Jerome Rougier in charge of the effort. They will respectively continue as Managing Director of Elle Driver and Director of French Theatrical Distribution, and will spearhead acquisitions with a particular focus on co-productions. The first films will be announced in the coming weeks.

The push in France follows similar developments at Wild Bunch subsidiaries in Germany, Italy and Spain. Recently appointed COO of Wild Bunch, Marc Gabizon, created and developed the Wild Bunch activity in Germany and is continuing the policy to grow production and co-production in Europe.

Wild Bunch has kept busy with internal shifts and new in-roads over the past year. That includes recently setting key promotions at independent sales subsidiary Wild Bunch International, as well as securing a 35M...

The market premieres of Gaël Lépingle and Amro Hamzawi’s works shine bright in a line-up which will also provide sneak-peeks of Arthur Harari and Olivier Peyon’s feature films in post-production. Young, French talent is being showcased by the international sales division of the Parisian firm Le Pacte (steered by Jean Labadie) with two premières scheduled for the Cannes Film Festival’s Online Marché du Film (running 22-26 June). Chiefly set to be unveiled to buyers is Atomic Summer, the first feature film coming courtesy of Gaël Lépingle, described by its producer Nicolas Anthomé as a mix between a teen movie and a catastrophe film. The cast stars Shaïn Boumedine (Mektoub My Love : Canto Uno and Mektoub My Love : Intermezzo), Carmen Kassovitz, Théo Augier, Constantin Vidal and Manon Valentin. Written by the director in league with Pierre Chosson, the story centres around Victor, who’s around twenty years of age.

The director and the actress have begun filming a comedy-drama revolving around the Fukushima disaster, produced by Les Films du Lendemain and sold worldwide by Le Pacte. Monday 13 January saw shooting commence on Tokyo Shaking, Olivier Peyon’s 5th feature film following on from the fiction titles Stolen Holidays (2007) and Life Beyond Me (2017), and the documentaries Comment j’ai détesté les maths (nominated for a César in 2014 in its category) and Latifa: A Fighting Heart (2017). Shining bright as the film’s lead is Karin Viard (Best Actress César in 2000 and nominated in 2005, 2012 and 2015 – the latter for The Bélier Family - and in 2018 for Jalouse; Best Supporting Role Césars in 2003 and in 2019 – the latter for Little Tickles – and nominated in 1998, 2009, 2011 and 2016; now a candidate for the upcoming 2020 Best Actress Lumières Award by way of...

My Own Private HellThe titles for the 47th International Film Festival Rotterdam are being announced in anticipation of the event running January 24 - February 4, 2018. We will update the program as new films are revealed.SIGNATURESInsect (Jan Švankmajer)Asino (Anatoly Vasiliev)Lek and the Dogs (Andrew Kötting)The Bottomless Bag (Rustam Khamdamov)Mrs. Fang (Wang Bing)Readers (James Benning)The Wandering Soap Opera (Valeria Sarmiento, Raúl Ruiz)Lover for a Day (Philippe Garrel)Bright FUTUREThe Flower Shop (Ruben Desiere)Look Up (Fulvio Risoleo)My Friend the Polish Girl (Ewa Banaszkiewicz)Rabot (Christina Vandekerckhove)Respeto (Alberto Monteras II)The Return (Malene Choi Jensen)Windspiel (Peyman Ghalambor)All You Can Eat Buddha (Ian Lagarde)Azougue Nazareth (Tiago Melo)My Own Private Hell (Guto Parente)Ordinary Time (Susana Nobre)3/4 (Ilian Metev)Cocote (Nelson Carlo De Los Santos Arias)Drift (Helena Wittmann)The Wild Boys (Bertrand Mandico)Gutland (Govinda Van Maele)The Watchman (Alejandro Andújar...

The world of Latifa ibn Ziaten changed forever on March 11, 2012, the day her son Imad, serving as a paratrooper in the French army, was gunned down by jihadi terrorist Mohamed Merah in a rampage in southern France that left seven dead, including three young schoolchildren. Out of the grief and despair into which she was plunged, this simple, Moroccan-born housewife has forged a vocation, well described by Olivier Peyon and Cyril Brody in their documentary Latifa: A Fighting Heart.

Heading the Association for Youth and Peace that she created in the wake of her son's death, Latifa travels...

Venice Production Bridge will incorporate Gap Financing Market and Final Cut events.

The Venice Film Festival (Aug 31 - Sept 10) has revealed the line-ups for its 2016 market events, newly renamed the Venice Production Bridge (Sept 1 - 5).

The Production Bridge will host features, TV, web-series and Vr projects.

Venice’s two-day Gap-Financing Market event (September 2-3, 2016) will host 40 selected European and International projects looking to close their international financing.

The market’s Final Cut strand will award prizes to selected in-the-works projects from Africa and from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria, while the inaugural Book Adaptation Rights Area will see publishers pitch books ripe for film or TV adaptation.

The European Commission organises two workshops, one on access to finance (Sept 3) and the other on the future of cinemas (Sept 4). The second event, which will be opened by European Commissioner Oettinger, will focus on how cinemas can fully reap the benefits of digital technologies.

Gap Financing...