Playtime (“Son of Saul”) is reteaming with celebrated French directors François Ozon (“By the Grace of God”) and sister duo Delphine and Muriel Coulin (“17 Girls”) on their respective upcoming films, “When Fall Is Coming” and “The Quiet Son.”
“When Fall is Coming” marks Ozon’s follow up to “The Crime Is Mine.” The film stars Hélène Vincent (“The Specials”), Josiane Balasko (“Back to Mom’s”), Ludivine Sagnier (“Lupin”) and Pierre Lottin (“Notre-Dame on Fire”).
The film tells the story of Michelle, who is enjoying a peaceful retirement in a charming Burgundy village near her longtime friend Marie-Claude. She eagerly anticipates her grandson Lucas spending the school vacation with her, but things don’t go as planned. Feeling lonely, Michelle loses her sense of purpose, until Marie-Claude’s son gets out of prison.
The film is self-produced by Ozon through his vehicle FOZ. Diaphana Distribution (“Close,” “Drive My Car,” “Titane”) will release it in France.
“The Quiet Son” is led by a powerful French cast including Vincent Lindon (“Titane”), Benjamin Voisin (“Lost Illusions”) and Stefan Crepon (“Peter von Kant”). Lindon stars as Pierre, a devoted father in his 50s who raises his two sons alone. When Louis, the youngest, leaves home to attend the Sorbonne in Paris, Fus, slightly older and not as successful academically, becomes more and more secretive. Driven by a fascination for violence, he gets entangled in far-right extremist groups, at the very opposite of his father’s values. Between them, there is love and hate, until tragedy happens.
The Coulin sisters previously directed “The Stopover” and “17 Girls,” both of which played at Cannes. “The Stopover” premiered at Un Certain Regard, where it won best screenplay, while “17 Girls” played at Critics Week.
Key crew on “The Quiet Son” includes Frédéric Noirhomme (“Behind the Mountains”), production designer Yves Fournier (“Tomorrow and Thereafter”) and costume designer Julia Dunoyer (“Spring Blossom”).
The movie is produced by Olivier Delbosc at Curiosa Films and Marie Guillaumond at Felicita Films. It will be distributed in France by Ad Vitam, whose recent releases include “Kidnapped,” “Forever Young” and “The Innocent.”
Playtime will start selling both titles at the European Film Market. “’The Quiet Son’ marks our third collaboration with the two sister directors Delphine and Muriel Coulin, and ‘When Fall Is Coming’ is our ninth partnership with François Ozon, including this time again as co-producers,” said Playtime’s co-CEO Nicolas Brigaud-Robert. He said the company was “committed to work with talents in the long term, building the international exposure they deserve over the years.”
Playtime’s recent title includes Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s “About Dry Grasses,” which competed at Cannes and won best actress for Merve Dizdar. The banner will be attending the Berlin Film Festival with several movies, including Olivier Assayas’ “Suspended Time.”
