France, Belgium, Germany

Synopsis

Los Angeles, today. Henry is a stand-up comedian with a fierce sense of humor. Ann, a world-renowned opera singer. Under the spotlight, they form a wholesome and glamorous couple. The birth of their first child, Annette, a mysterious little girl with an exceptional destiny, will turn their lives upside down.

Director's Biography

At the end of the 70s/beginning of the 80s, at the faculty of Jussieu, where Leos Carax was an auditor, Serge Daney and Serge Toubiana introduced him to Les Cahiers du Cinéma. He only made a very short passage there, and launched into the direction of his first short film, LA FILLE RÊVÉE. Shot with the system D, the film was aborted when a projector exploded, setting fire to the restaurant used for a scene. But at the age of 19, his second attempt, STRANGULATIONS BLUES, already revealed outstanding technical qualities, which earned him a Best Award for short films at the Hyères festival in 1981. His meeting with producer Alain Dahan launched him into feature films. From their collaboration came the trilogy of "the complicated meeting", with, first of all, BOY MEETS GIRL (1984). The story of a tortuous love between Alex and Mireille, the first mark of an abrasive universe, it is also the first collaboration with Denis Lavant - the alter-ego of the filmmaker - joined by Juliette Binoche for MAUVAIS SANG (1986) and LES AMANTS DU PONT-NEUF (1991). This was followed by POLA X (1998), a dark, violent and raw adaptation of Herman Melville's "Pierre; or, The Ambiguities". In 2004, he was given carte blanche at the Cinémathèque Française, then made his return to cinema in 2008 with TOKYO! for which he signed the segment MERDE. This film, made in collaboration with Michel Gondry and Joon-ho Bong, also marks the birth of the character of Mr. Merde, played by the eternal accomplice Denis Lavant. In 2012, he directed his new feature film, HOLY MOTORS. Radical and hyper singular, the film marks the return of the character of Mr. Merde (again Denis Lavant), and was a sensation at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was presented in Official Competition.

FILMOGRAPHY:
2021 - ANNETTE
2014 - GRADIVA, short
2012 - HOLY MOTORS
2010 - 42 ONE DREAM RUSH, short
2008 - TOKYO! - segment MERDE, short
2006 - MY LAST MINUTE, short
1999 - POLA X
1997 - SANS TITRE, short
1991 - LES AMANTS DU PONT-NEUF
1986 - MAUVAIS SANG
1984 - BOY MEETS GIRL
1980 - STRANGULATION BLUES, short
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Cast & Crew

Directed by: Leos Carax

Written by: Leos Carax, Ron Mael, Russell Mael

Produced by: Charles Gillibert

Cinematography: Caroline Champetier

Editing: Nelly Quettier

Production Design: Florian Sanson

Costume Design: Pascaline Chavanne

Make-Up & Hair: Bernard Floch

Original Score: Ron Mael, Russell Mael

Sound: Erwan Kerzanet

Visual Effects: Guillaume Pondard

Casting: Carmen Cuba

Cast: Adam Driver (Henry McHenry), Marion Cotillard (Ann Defranoux), Simon Helberg (The Accompanist)

Nominations and Awards

  • Feature Film Selection 2021