05/09/2018 - The French sales agent will be pinning its hopes on Benjamin Naishtat's film at Toronto, in competition in the Platform section. Bruno Dumont's latest film also stars in the line-up

With four films selected at the 43^rd Toronto Film Festival (from 6 to 16 September), the French international sales company Luxbox (managed by Fiorella Moretti and Hedi Zardi) won't be lacking in ammunition, especially with Rojo [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Benjamín Naishtat
film profile] by the Argentinian Benjamin Naishtat, which will be making its world premiere in the Platform WP competition, before competing at the 66^th San Sebastian Film Festival (from 21 to 29 September).

The third feature film by Benjamin Naishtat after History of Fear [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (in competition at Berlin in 2014) and El Movimiento (Filmmakers of the Present at Locarno in 2015), Rojo is set in Argentina in the mid-1970s, and stars a lawyer whose seemingly perfect life begins to crumble following the arrival of a private investigator (and his questions) in his small town, which seems oh-so-quiet on the surface of things. The feature film was written by the director and produced by Argentina (Pucará Cine), France (Ecce Films), Brazil (Desvia Produções), the Netherlands (Viking Film) and Germany (Sutor Kolonko). It's worth noting that the Parisian company Ecce Films, managed by Emmanuel Chaumet (read the interview here), will have been in the spotlight a fair bit during this end-of-summer festival run, having just presented Blonde Animals [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maxime Matray, Alexia Walther
film profile] at the International Film Critics’ Week at Venice, and due to screen Jessica Forever [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] at Toronto in the Platform competition.

Luxbox will be showcasing another title in the Platform competition : The Good Girls by the Mexican director Alejandra Márquez Abella (Semana Santa). Cinépolis Distribución is handling distribution rights in North and Latin America

Two other films in Luxbox's line-up are due to be showcased at Toronto: Ray & Liz [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Richard Billingham
film profile] by the English director Richard Billingham (special mention last month at Locarno), which will be screened in the Wavelengths programme, and Museum by the Mexican director Alonso Ruizpalacios (Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at Berlin), featured in the Contemporary World Cinema section. 

Also worthy of a mention in Luxbox 's line-up is Joan of Arc [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bruno Dumont
film profile] by Bruno Dumont (read the interview here), having just wrapped on filming. Following Jeannette, the Childhood of Joan of Arc [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bruno Dumont
film profile] (presented in 2017 at the Directors' Fortnight at Cannes) – also inspired by the play Le Mystère de la charité de Jeanne d'Arc by Charles Péguy and starring Lise Leplat Prudhomme once again in the lead role – the film delves into early 1429, while the Hundred Years War is raging. Joan, invested with a warlike and spiritual mission, liberates the city of Orleans and reinstates the heir apparent to the throne of France. On the eve of the battle of Paris, she is at the heart of internal struggles between knights and prelates, who doubt her divine power, while also being subjected to the unkind behaviour of French soldiers. Made captive in Compiègne by the Burgundians, she is delivered to the English. Her trial then begins in Rouen, led by Pierre Cauchon who seeks to destroy all credibility. Faithful to her mission and refusing to recognise the accusations of witchcraft against her, Joan is condemned to the stake for heresy. Produced by Jean Bréhat for 3B Productions, Joan of Arc received an advance on earnings from the CNC, Pictanovo and Sofica Cinécapital, and will be distributed in France by Les Films du Losange.

In just three years, Luxbox has earned its stripes in the circle of international sellers with titles like A Ciambra [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jonas Carpignano
film profile] by Jonas Carpignano, Mimosas [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Oliver Laxe
film profile] by Oliver Laxe, Jeannette, the Childhood of Joan of Arc by Bruno Dumont, Apprentice [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Boo Junfeng,Hedi [+see also:
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trailer
film profile] et Dear Son [+see also:
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interview: Mohamed Ben Attia
film profile] (Directors' Fortnight 2018) by Mohamed Ben Attia, as well as The Heiresses [+see also:
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trailer
film profile] by Marcelo Martinessi (Alfred Bauer prize winner this year at Berlin), The Dead and the Others [+see also:
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trailer
film profile] by João Salaviza and Renée Nader Messora (Jury Prize at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard section), the documentary Central Airport THF [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Karim Aïnouz
film profile] by the Brazilian director Karim Aïnouz (also discovered at Berlin in the Panorama section) and Suburban Birds by the Chinese director Qiu Sheng (presented at Locarno in the Filmmakers of the Present section).

(Translated from French)