The Balconettes
| The Balconettes | |
|---|---|
| French | Les Femmes au balcon |
| Directed by | Noémie Merlant |
| Written by |
|
| Produced by | Pierre Guyard |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Evgenia Alexandrova |
| Edited by | Julien Lacheray |
| Music by | Uèle Lamore |
Production company | Nord-Ouest Films |
| Distributed by | Tandem |
Release date |
|
| Country | France |
| Language | French |
| Budget | €3.5 million[1] |
The Balconettes (French: Les Femmes au balcon) is an upcoming 2024 French comedy horror film directed by, co-written by, and starring Noémie Merlant.[2] Also starring Souheila Yacoub and Sanda Codreanu, the film follows three young women during a heatwave in the south of France.
The film is set to premiere in the non-competitive Midnight Screenings section at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in May 2024.
Plot[edit]
During a heat wave in Marseille, three roommates are cooped up in their apartment. From the balcony they look out at their mysterious neighbor, about whom they indulge in all sorts of fantasies. However, late into the night, an ordinary conflict turns into a bloodbath.
Cast[edit]
- Souheila Yacoub
- Noémie Merlant
- Sanda Codreanu
- Lucas Bravo[3]
Production[edit]
The Balconettes is the second feature film by French actress Noémie Merlant, who is primarily known as an actress, following her award-winning debut film Mi Iubita Mon Amour (2021).[2] Noémie Merlant wrote the screenplay in collaboration with Céline Sciamma, who previously directed Merlant in her 2019 historical drama film Portrait of a Lady on Fire.[4] The Balconettes was touted in advance as "bloody, punk and exhilarating"[1] and as a "comedy horror".[4] Pierre Guyard produced the film for Nord-Ouest Films, a role which he had previously undertaken on Mi Iubita Mon Amour. [2] Merlant decided to take on one of the main roles, as in her directorial debut, alongside Souheila Yacoub and Sanda Codreanu. Codreanu had also previously been entrusted with a larger role in Mi Iubita Mon Amour.
Filming was originally scheduled to begin in August 2023. Due to an impending filming conflict with Audrey Diwan's film project Emmanuelle, in which Merlant had been given the title role, the start of filming was brought forward to July. Principal photography began on 10 July 2023 in Marseille and took place there for seven weeks. The project was financially supported by the government film funding agency CNC, as well as by Canal+ and France Télévisions. The production costs were given as 3.5 million euros.[1][5]
Release[edit]
The Balconettes was selected to be screened out of competition in the Midnight Screenings section at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it will have its world premiere in May 2024.[6]
The film is scheduled to be theatrically released in France by Tandem.[1] International sales are handled by mk2 Films.[2]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d "Noémie Merlant réalisera "les Femmes au balcon" cet été". Écran total (in French). 12 May 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
- ^ a b c d Keslassy, Elsa (10 May 2023). "Noemie Merlant, Celine Sciamma Reteam for Genre-Bending 'The Balconettes,' MK2 Films Bows Sales (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
- ^ Leffler, Rebecca (16 February 2024). "EFM 2024: The buzz titles from France". Screen International. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ a b Radovic, Elena (11 July 2023). "Avant Emmanuelle, Noémie Merlant tourne son second long-métrage, Les Femmes au Balcon". Première (in French). Retrieved 11 April 2024.
- ^ "Noémie Merlant tourne son deuxième long". Le Film français (in French). 10 July 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
- ^ "The films of the Official Selection 2024". Festival de Cannes. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
