Pierre Salvadori’s The Electric Kiss (La Vénus électrique) has been announced as the opening film of the 79th Cannes Film Festival.
“Cannes celebrates everything I love about cinema, direction, boldness, freedom, and filmmakers. Cannes discovers them, supports them, and celebrates them. In its own way, my film embodies all the faith and love I have for my craft. I am so proud and happy that it’s kicking off the Festival,” said Salvadori of the opening night honor.
Set against the backdrop of the early 20th century Paris art world, the period drama stars Pio Marmaï, Anaïs Demoustier, Gilles Lellouche and Vimala Pons.
Marmaï, seen recently in Netflix’s period drama Nero the Assassin and the hit The Three Muskeeters duology, stars as painter Antoine who has lost all inspiration and slipped into alcoholism since the death of his wife Irène, a loss he blames himself for.
Demoustier (The Count of Monte Cristo) plays Suzanne, a penniless sideshow performer pretending to be a clairvoyant, whom Antoine consults in a bid to connect with Irène, played by Pons (Vincent Must Die).
Antoine’s art dealer Armand (Lellouche), desperate to keep Antoine from falling apart, urges Suzanne to keep the ruse alive. She stages a series of improvised hypnosis sessions, claiming she can channel Irène in exchange for having her debts paid by Armand. An unexpected bond begins to grow.
The cast also features actor and director Gustave Kervern (Delete History) and Madeleine Baudot (Happening).
Actor, director and writer Salvadori previously made waves with romantic action comedy The Trouble With You, co-starring Marmaï opposite Adèle Hanael and Audrey Tautou. It world premiered at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in 2018, winning the SACD prize.
He co-wrote the screenplay for his new feature with Benjamin Charbit and Benoît Graffin from an original idea by Rebecca Zlotowski (A Private Life) and Robin Campillo (Enzo).
Philippe Martin at Les Pelléas Films, which is enjoying a buzzy awards season as producer of Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s Canne Palme d’Or winner and Oscar hopeful It Was Just An Accident, lead produces
Coproducers are Sandrine Dumas at Paris-based Pio & Co and Jacques-Henri Bronckart and Tatjana Kozar at Belgium’s Versus Production as well as Salvadori, under his Tovo Films banner, with French broadcaster France 2 also on board. Les Pelléas Films’ David Thion takes an associate producer credit.
The 79th Cannes Film Festival opens May 12 with a ceremony presided over by Eye Haïdara, which will be broadcast live on France Télévisions and Brut.
Cinemas across France will also screen the ceremony, which will be followed by the opening film, with the support of the Fédération Nationale des Cinémas Français and in partnership with France Télévisions and Brut.
In keeping with Cannes convention, the film’s French distributor Diaphana will launch the film theatrically in France at the same time as it premieres in the festival.