The Titanic Syndrome shows planet in danger

07/10/2009

A few weeks ahead of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, Nicolas Hulot and Jean-Albert Lièvre’s environmental documentary, The Titanic Syndrome, is being released in France today by Mars Distribution on 179 screens.

After Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s Home [+see also:
trailer
film profile] in June (see news), French cinema is once again sounding the global environmental alarm, this time combining powerful images of a planet in danger with a fervent voice-off commentary on the uneven distribution of wealth.

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Hulot explained: "We’ve set up a system which is on the road to ruin for it works on the principle of exponential growth and infinite resources in a world that isn’t expanding. When we have to deal with increasing shortages, our veneer of civilisation will shatter".

Produced by Mandarin Cinéma for €4.5m, The Titanic Syndrome received co-production support from Studio 37 and TF1 Film Production.

On the narrative side, there has been critical approval this week for Julie Lopes-Curval’s Mothers and Daughters [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (see news), starring Catherine Deneuve, Marina Hands and Marie-Josée Croze (released by Bac Films on 144 screens); UK director Peter Strickland’s Katalin Varga [+see also:
film review
trailer
Interview Peter Strickland - Director …
film profile] (Memento Films Distribution - nine screens); and Patrik, Age 1.5 [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Sweden’s Ella Lemhagen (Equation - 13 screens).

The other nine new releases include French features Victor [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Thomas Gilou (TFM Distribution); Denis [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Matthieu Boivineau (Les Films à Fleur de Peau); and Vivre [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (“Living”) by Yvon Marciano (Colifilms Diffusion); and two documentaries: Frederick Wiseman’s The Dance: Paris Opera Ballet [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Sophie Dulac Distribution); and Denis Gheerbrant’s La République Marseille (“Marseilles Republic”), which is made up of seven short films about Marseilles (Editions Montparnasse).