Valeria Bruni Tedeschi 's fifth feature film behind the camera, Les Amandiers was presented in official competition at the Cannes Film Festival 2022. The director probes the depths of her memories and returns to her beginnings as an actress on the stage of the Amandiers theater school in Nanterre, a modern and experimental structure created by Patrice Chéreau (Louis Garrel) and Pierre Romans (Micha Lescot).
The film begins with a lively casting to determine who will be the young aspiring actors lucky enough to enter the school and benefit from the knowledge and advice of the mythical director, played by Louis Garrel, full of anguish, love for words and excesses of all kinds. The formed troupe quickly becomes a band of friends and starts rehearsing Platonov, a play written by Chekhov when he was 18.
But the emulation of the mid-80s is quickly overtaken by the appearance of the AIDS virus and the trivialization of drugs, which lurks in the wings and interferes in the lives of the characters, especially that ofEtienne (Sofiane Bennacer), a sort of young tortured Marlon Brando who intrigues as much as he exasperates. This dark shadow floats over the blond and sensual Stella - the heroine played by the stunning Nadia Tereszkiewicz whose big expressive eyes and sulky face pierce us - and it is a whole era that wavers.
The boundaries between characters and actors become porous, and all emotions are exacerbated - we shout, laugh and cry as much on stage as off - at a time when this troupe of pretty young people is about to experience its greatest first times in a cataclysmic way: first trip to New York, first passionate and carnal love, first fears, first grief.
Valeria Bruni Tedeschi signs an intimate and personal autofiction in which we all find ourselves a little bit, finally.
November 2023 cinema releases: list of films in theatres and opening times near you
Lovers of the 7th art have a lot to look forward to! And with good reason: the editors have unveiled the cinema releases for November 2023, and the program is as varied as ever. So much to discover for the whole family. Enjoy the show! [Read more]
November 2023 cinema releases: list of films in theatres and opening times near you
