The first clapperboard is set to slam on 22 March for Normale [+leggi anche:
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scheda film], Olivier Babinet’s 4th feature-length movie after two titles unveiled in Cannes’ ACID competition in 2010 and 2016 (the fiction film Robert Mitchum est mort [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] and the documentary Swagger [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] which was also nominated at the Césars), and Fishlove [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] (which just won India Hair a nomination for 2021’s Best New Actress César).

The lead roles will be played by Belgium’s Benoît Poelvoorde (whom we’ll soon be seeing in My Father’s Stories [+leggi anche:
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scheda film], Inexorable and Adieu Paris), Justine Lacroix (revealed via Real Love [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Claire Burger
scheda film]) and Steve Tientcheu (recently brilliant in Night of the Kings [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Philippe Lacôte
scheda film] and Les Misérables [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Ladj Ly
scheda film]).

Adapted by Juliette Sales, Fabien Suarez and Olivier Babinet (the first two having notably written all three instalments of the Belle et Sébastien [+leggi anche:
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making of
scheda film] trilogy) based upon the play intitled The Monster in the Hall by Scottish playwright David Greig, the story revolves around 14-year-old Lucie who has a vivid imagination. She lives alone with her father, who spends his days hanging about the house in his dressing gown. Behind this eternal teenager façade, William struggles daily against the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Between caring for her father, schoolwork and the undeclared hours she works at the sandwich shop, Lucie’s only escape is writing a shoddy autobiographical novel.

Produced by Carole Scotta, Caroline Benjo and Barbara Letellier on behalf of Haut et Court, Normale will be co-produced by France 2 Cinéma, by Belgian group Tarantula and by Page 1. Pre-purchased by France 2, Canal+ and Ciné+, the feature film benefits from a CNC advance on receipts, as well as support from the Ile-de-France region, Wallimage, the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Eurimages, the Media programme, BeTV, Proximus, RTBF and O'Brother. Shooting will unfold over eight weeks, between 22 March and 14 May, in the Ile-de-France region, with Jean-François Hensgens (who worked on Les Intranquilles last year and was nominated for the 2019 Magritte for Above the Law [+leggi anche:
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intervista: François Troukens
scheda film]) helming photography. Haut et Court will ensure distribution in French cinemas while mk2 Films are handling international sales.

For the record, Haut et Court’s recent film slate includes, in production, Gagarin [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Fanny Liatard e Jérémy Tro…
scheda film] by Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Trouilh (gracing Cannes’ Official Selection 2020, already presented in close to 25 international festivals and now awaiting release in France), two titles in the showcase of the upcoming 71st Berlinale (the majority production Memory Box by Lebanese directors Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige – read our news – in competition for the 2021 Golden Bear, and the minority production Copilot [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Anne Zohra Berrached
scheda film] by Germany’s Anne Zohra Berrached, which will premiere in the Panorama line-up) and the minority co-production A Chiara [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Jonas Carpignano
scheda film] by Italy’s Jonas Carpignano (in post-production). In terms of series, the firm recently won great acclaim from audiences and critics alike for No Man’s Land.