27/08/2012 - In the line-up are Russe Kirill Serebrennikov’s film to compete in Venice and Costa Gavras’ film to screen as a Special Presentation in Toronto

The start of the new school year is looking good for Parisian international sales company Elle Driver. Adeline Fontan Tessaur and Eva Diederix's team have a title to compete for a Golden Lion at the 69th Venice Film festival (from August 29 to September 8) in their line-up: Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov’s Betrayal.

Elle Driver can also hope for very good business at the Toronto Film Festival (from September 6 to 16) where Costa Gavras’ Capital (read more) will make its world premiere in the Special Presentations section. The film, which stars Gad Elmaleh and Gabriel Byrne (photo), is then to compete at the 60th San Sebastian Film Festival (from September 21 to 29). Its French release (Mars Distribution) is due on November 14.

In Toronto, Elle Driver is also to count on Shola Lynch’s US-French documentary Free Angela & All Political Prisoners, a title to be presented at a Gala screening. The documentary tells the true story of famous human rights activist Angela Davis, on the 40th anniversary of her acquittal in a trial in which she was accused of murder. The documentary was produced by the French De films en aiguille (Carole Lambert and Carine Ruszniewski).

Juan Carlos Medina’s Painless (news) also stands out in the line-up. This co-production between Spain, France and Portugal is to make its international premiere in Toronto in the Vanguard programme. The Canadian festival is also to screen another Elle Driver title in its City to City section: Gangs of Wasseypur, a two-part Indian feature film discovered at the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes.

Finally, also in the line-up is Cherien Dabis’s May In The Summer, her latest feature after Amreeka. Produced by Qatar, with Lebanon, the United States, and Jordan, the film was shot this summer and stars Hiam Abbas.

As for titles in post-production, the line-up features French director Stéphanie Murat’s Max, a film with Mathilde Seigner, Joey Starr, and Jean-Pierre Marielle.

(Translated from French)