– The French sales agent is selling Alive by Aina Clotet and Marvelous Mornings by Avril Besson, set to be unveiled in the Critics’ Week and the Official Selection, respectively
Alive by Aina Clotet
True to its editorial line revolving around young talent, French international sales agent Loco Films (led by Laurent Danielou) will be pinning its hopes on two first feature films in the 79th Cannes Film Festival’s Marché du Film: Alive by Spanish director Aina Clotet (read our article) and Marvelous Mornings by French filmmaker Avril Besson, which are due to world premiere in competition in Critics’ Week and in an Official Selection Special Screening, respectively.
Aina Clotet (co-creator of the series This Is Not Sweden and a well-known actress from 53 días de inverno, La filla d’algú and The Enchanted) leads the cast of her first feature-length directorial effort. Stand-out names in the cast of Viva also include Naby Dakhli, Marc Soler, Willy Toledo and Lloll Bertrán. Written by the neo-filmmaker in league with Valentina Viso, the story revolves around 40-year-old Nora who’s overcome by an urgent need to feel alive after coming face to face with death. She dives into passionate relationships with two very different men, Tom and Max, whose opposing natures reflect her own inner conflict. But when neither can fill the void, Nora is forced to face the truth: she will have to confront a deeper fear driving her hunger for life… Clotet’s movie was produced by Ikiru Films in co-production with Funicular Film.
Nominated for the 2025 Best Short Film César via Queen Size, Avril Besson is making her feature film debut with a romantic comedy starring India Hair (recently acclaimed in Three Friends and That Summer in Paris, and also appearing in competition in Cannes via Parallel Tales), Éric Cantona, Raya Martigny, Mathias Minne and Fanny Sidney. Written by the director and Pauline Baduel, in collaboration with the very same Fanny Sidney, the story follows Charlie who’s driving south with a stash of old vinyl disco records in the boot of her Twingo, having barely recovered from her grandmother’s passing. What she doesn’t yet know is that these records will bring her mother’s dance moves to mind for misty-eyed wine merchant and dreamer Titou, or that a deserted Mediterranean beach will form the backdrop for her meeting with Marina, who dreams of freedom from the village pizzeria… Production on this movie was steered by To Be Continued in co-production with Topshot Films. Its release in French cinemas will fall to Arizona Films Distribution.
The Marché du Film will also see Loco Films pressing on with sales on Chronicles From the Siege by Abdallah Al-Khatib (named Best First Film in Berlin following its premiere in the Perspectives section) and on Kazakh thriller Sicko by Aitore Zholdaskali (discovered in Rotterdam’s Bright Future line-up).
(Translated from French)
