France, Belgium, 2015, 112’
directed by: Joachim Lafosse
written by: Joachim Lafosse, Thomas van Zuylen & Bulle Decarpentries
cast: Vincent Lindon, Valérie Donzelli, Louise Bourgoin, Reda Kateb, Stéphane Bissot
cinematography: Jean-François Hensgens A.F.C. – S.B.C
edited by: Sophie Vercruysse (With the collaboration of Yann Dedet)
producers: Jacques-Henri & Olivier Bronckart (Versus production) & Sylvie Pialat (Les Films du Worso)
production: Versus production, Les Films du Worso
Toronto Film Festival 2015., San Sebastian Film Festival 2015.
The same painstaking, non-judgmental approach he applied to his tale of marital depression and infanticide – his previous, critically acclaimed and multi-award winning film Our Children, screened at last year’s ZFF – director Joachim Lafosse now applies to another morally and ethically complex situation, straight from the covers of French media. Jacques, played by the Cannes award-winning actor Vincent Lindon, is a team leader in a French adoption agency pretending to be a charity that provides accommodation to local orphans in wartime Chad. They lure the local population to get their trust under false pretences. Their aim is to smuggle the children from Africa to the hands of their overseas adopters. The film premiered at this year’s Toronto Film Festival, winning also a Silver Shell for best director at San Sebastian Film Festival.
A renowned director of contemporary cinema, Joachim Lafosse has seen his career go from strength to strength as shown by the national and international recognition garnered by Our Children (selected for the Un Certain Regard category and winner of the Best Film Award and Best Actress Award (Emilie Dequenne) at the Magritte film awards). Adept with challenging subjects, his filmography is populated by monstrous characters whose motivations he always seeks to understand, as it is often said: the road to hell is paved with good intentions.