17/09/2015 - Soko, Mélanie Thierry, Gaspard Ulliel, François Damiens and Louis-Do De Lencquesaing star in a film staged by Les Productions du Trésor

The final preparations are in full swing prior to the shoot for the feature debut by Stéphanie Di Giusto: The Dancer [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]. According to Cineuropa’s sources, the confirmed cast includes Soko (nominated for the César Award for Most Promising Actress in 2010 for In the Beginning [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and for the Lumière Award in the same category in 2013 for Augustine [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Mélanie Thierry (winner of the César Award for Most Promising Actress in 2010 for One for the Road [+see also:
trailer
film profile], also making a big splash in such titles as The Princess of Montpensier [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Gaspard Ulliel (nominated for the César Award for Best Actor in 2015 for Saint Laurent [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Bertrand Bonello
film profile]), Belgian actor François Damiens (nominated for the César Award for Best Actor in 2015 for The Bélier Family [+see also:
trailer
making of
film profile] and popular at Cannes in May in Les Cowboys [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) and Louis-Do De Lencquesaing (who put on some very fine performances at Venice recently, in Francofonia [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and Taj Mahal [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nicolas Saada
film profile]).

Written by the director together with Sarah Thibau, with the involvement of Thomas Bidegain, the story is based on the life of Loïe Fuller. Nothing had earmarked this stocky cowgirl, born in the American West, to become a star in the Parisian nightclubs of the Belle Epoque, let alone to dance at the Paris Opera, until she invented the serpentine dance. Concealed beneath metres of lightweight fabrics, her arms extended like long wooden sticks, totally at the mercy of her movements and the venue’s lights, Loïe becomes a blossoming flower, a butterfly, a blazing fire, enthralling the audience a little more each evening. This clumsy, charmless young woman has found her place in the world – she will be The Dancer, even if the physical exertion of it breaks her back, and even if the bright lights make her go blind. But when she meets Isadora Duncan, a young prodigy hungry for glory and stardom, it will lead to the downfall of this icon of the early 20^th century...

Produced by Alain Attal for Les Productions du Trésor, The Dancer is benefiting from co-productions by Wild Bunch, Belgian outfit Les Films du Fleuve (the Dardenne brothers’ company) and Czech firm Sirena Films. Having been pre-purchased by Canal+ and Ciné+, the feature is also being supported by the CNC’s advance on receipts. The shoot will take place in France and the Czech Republic. Distribution in France and international sales will be handled by Wild Bunch.

On 21 October and 25 November, Les Productions du Trésor will see the theatrical release of two of their productions that were unveiled at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival: Mon roi [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Maïwenn (which earned Emmanuelle Bercot the Best Actress Award on the Croisette) and Les Cowboys by Thomas Bidegain (revealed in the Directors’ Fortnight). The Paris-based outfit also has two features in post-production: Mal de pierres [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Nicole Garcia (read the article – starring Marion Cotillard, Alex Brendemühl and Louis Garrel) and Pericles [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Stefano Mordini
film profile] by Italy’s Stefano Mordini (starring Riccardo Scarmarcio and Marina Fois in the lead roles), which it has co-produced with Buena Onda and Les Films du Fleuve.

(Translated from French)