Playtime touches down at Berlin with a Golden Bear candidate

by Fabien Lemercier

04/02/2019 - Playtime’s line-up features By the Grace of God by François Ozon in competition, Who You Think I Am in the Berlinale Special section and seven films in post-production

Playtime touches down at Berlin with a Golden Bear candidate

By the Grace of God by François Ozon

Always a great presence at major festivals, the French international sales company Playtime hasn’t featured a Golden Bear contender in its line-up since 2013, happily leaving the Berlin field open to its German branch, Films Boutique. But this year, at the European Film Market of the 69^th Berlinale (from 7 to 17 February), Nicolas Brigaud-Robert, François Yon and Sébastian Beffa will once again be counting on a contending title, By the Grace of God [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: François Ozon
film profile] by François Ozon, with its official premiere slated for 8 February.

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This will be the French filmmakers fifth time in the running for the award at Berlin after 2000 (Water Drops on Burning Rocks), 2002 (8 Women [+see also:
trailer
film profile] with the cast winning a Silver Bear), 2007 (Angel [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) and 2009 (Ricky [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]). For the record, he has also been selected in competition at Cannes three times (in 2003, 2013 and 2017), at Venice (2004, 2010 and 2016) and at San Sebastian (in 2009 winning a special prize, 2012, winning the Coquille d’Or, and in 2014). Produced by Mandarin Production, By the Grace of God, his latest film, was inspired by real events and stars Melvil Poupaud, Denis Ménochet and Swann Arlaud. The film is due to be released in French cinemas on 20 February by Mars Films.

Also in Playtime’s line-up is another film due to make its world premiere at Berlin: Who You Think I Am [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Juliette Binoche
film profile] by Safy Nebbou, starring Juliette Binoche (competition jury president at the Berlinale this year) in the starring role (French release on 27 February with Diaphana).

Playtime will also be driving sales for seven films currently in post-production at the European Film Market, which will be pre-sold on the basis of promo-reels: The Bare Necessity [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Erwan Le Duc
film profile] by Erwan Le Duc, I’ll Go Where You Go [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Géraldine Nakache, 5 Is The Perfect Number by the Italian director Igort (starring Toni Servillo and Valeria Golino), The Breitner Commando by Abdel Raouf Dafri (news – starring Johan Heldenbergh and Olivier Gourmet), Notre Dame [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Valérie Donzelli. The Australian Western,High Ground by Stephen Johnson will be negotiated off the back of a teaser and Guest of Honour by the Canadian director Atom Egoyan off the basis of a screenplay.