Last Summer (2023 film)

Last Summer (French: L'Été dernier) is an upcoming French erotic drama film directed by Catherine Breillat, from a screenplay written by Breillat in collaboration with Pascal Bonitzer.[1] It is a remake of the 2019 Danish film Queen of Hearts. Starring Léa Drucker and Samuel Kircher, the film explores the taboos of a stepmother–stepson relationship.[2]

Last Summer
FrenchL'Été dernier
Directed byCatherine Breillat
Screenplay by
Based on
Queen of Hearts
by
Produced bySaïd Ben Saïd
Starring
CinematographyJeanne Lapoirie
Edited byFrançois Quiqueré[1]
Production
company
SBS Productions
Distributed byPyramide Distribution
Release date
  • 25 May 2023 (2023-05-25) (Cannes)
Running time
104 minutes[1]
CountryFrance
LanguageFrench

The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, where it is set to premiere on 25 May 2023.

Synopsis

Anne is a respected lawyer who lives in Paris with her husband Pierre and their two young daughters. Théo, Pierre's 17-year-old son from a previous marriage, moves in, and Anne eventually begins an affair with him. In doing so, she risks jeopardizing her career and losing her family.[2] Théo is a fragile figure and, as time goes on, the relationship turns destructive.[3]

Cast

Production

Last Summer is director Catherine Breillat's 15th feature film and her first film since her autobiographical drama Abuse of Weakness released ten years earlier.[4] The film is a remake of the 2019 Danish film Queen of Hearts, which was directed by May el-Toukhy, who co-wrote the film with Maren Louise Kaëhne.[1]

Valeria Bruni Tedeschi was initially cast in role of Anne before being replaced by Léa Drucker.[5][6] Samuel Kircher, the son of actors Irène Jacob and Jérôme Kircher, makes his film debut here as the teenage stepson Théo. In an interview given in early February 2023, Drucker said that Last Summer is "one of the most disturbing films" in which she has acted. The film poses the questions "Is it love? Where does love stop? Where does the transgression begin?" without being "moralistic". The film reminded Drucker of the play Blackbird by Scottish dramatist David Harrower, in which she has starred on stage. Blackbird tells the story of a young woman meeting a middle-aged man fifteen years after being sexually abused by him when she was twelve.[3]

Filming took place from 7 June to 13 July 2022. Jeanne Lapoirie served as the director of photography. The film was produced by Saïd Ben Saïd through his company SBS Productions.[7] According to director Catherine Breillat, the shooting took place "in a state of absolute grace". Breillat described herself as physically diminished and "afraid of not holding on", but said she rediscovered her love of filming during the production of Last Summer.[8]

Release

Last Summer was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival,[9] where it will have its world premiere on 25 May 2023.[10]

The film is scheduled to be released in France by Pyramide Distribution on 20 September 2023.[1]

References
  1. "L'Été dernier". distrib.pyramidefilms.com. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  2. Keslassy, Elsa (11 January 2023). "Pyramide Boards Catherine Breillat's Erotic Thriller 'Last Summer' Starring Léa Drucker (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  3. Cénac, Lætitia (26 January 2023). "Léa Drucker : En étant mère à 42 ans, j'ai eu l'impression de commencer une nouvelle vie". Madame Figaro (in French). Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  4. "Festival de Cannes 2023 : entre vétérans du 7ème art et nouveaux venus". TV5Monde (in French). AFP. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  5. Lucia, Thibault (6 April 2021). "[Exclu] Catherine Breillat signe un nouveau film avec Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi et Olivier Rabourdin". Les Inrockuptibles (in French). Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  6. Dandeu, Mathilde (10 May 2022). "Léa Drucker va jouer chez Catherine Breillat dans son prochain film". Jellyfish France (in French). Orange. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  7. Lemercier, Fabien (22 July 2022). "Catherine Breillat's Last Summer is now in post-production". Cineuropa. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  8. Cooper-Hadjian, Olivia (13 April 2023). "Catherine Breillat : L'Été dernier". Cahiers du Cinéma (in French). Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  9. "The films of the Official Selection 2023". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  10. mraultpauillac (10 May 2023). "The Screenings Guide of the 76th Festival de Cannes". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
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