Bontzolakis’s film adaptation of Upstate transposes action to Marseilles
Written by American author Kalisha Buckhanon, the novel Upstate is set to be adapted for the big screen by Bruno Bontzolakis. Set in the black community of Harlem, the book is a social melodrama tracing a passionate and thwarted love affair between two teenagers who are at odds with society but, despite everything, find the strength to grow up and break the cycle of fate. In the film version, the setting will be transposed to France, in the North African community of Marseilles.
The cast so far includes Emmanuel Devos (Bachelor Days Are Over [+see also:
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Co-written by Mélina Jochum and Bontzolakis, the screenplay opens in the Marseilles suburbs. Seventeen-year-olds Assem and Naima are experiencing their first major love affair. But Assem is arrested by the police, then sentenced to ten years in prison for murder.
The two teenagers are convinced that one day they will start everything over from scratch and have a beautiful life together. But the years pass by. The prison walls, and soon their destinies, separate them…
Bontzolakis already has three feature films to his name: Familles Je Vous Hais (unveiled at Locarno in 1997), All For One (Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in 1998) and Je T’aime, Je T’adore (2004).
(Translated from French)
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