The Cannes Film Festival said Wednesday that Pierre Salvadori’s new film, La Vénus électrique, will open the 79th edition of the festival on May 12, with its premiere set for the Grand Théâtre Lumière following the opening ceremony hosted by actor Eye Haïdara. The film will also open simultaneously in theaters across France.
The movie is Salvadori’s 11th feature in 34 years and marks the French director’s first period film, set in Paris in 1928. Festival organizers described it as a burlesque romantic comedy that retains the filmmaker’s familiar themes of deception, ambiguity and pretense.
“Cannes celebrates everything I love about cinema,” Salvadori said, according to a statement, “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!”
The story follows Antoine Balestro, a young painter who loses his ability to work after his wife’s death. During a drunken attempt to contact her through a psychic, he instead encounters Suzanne, a carnival worker who has slipped into the trailer to steal food. Suzanne proves to be a gifted fraudster and, with the help of Antoine’s gallery owner, begins staging fake séances that gradually help restore his inspiration — while also drawing her into a romantic entanglement with the man she is deceiving.
The cast includes Pio Marmaï, Anaïs Demoustier, Gilles Lellouche, Vimala Pons, Gustave Kervern and Madeleine Baudot. The screenplay is credited to Benjamin Charbit, Benoît Graffin and Salvadori, based on an original idea by Rebecca Zlotowski and Robin Campillo. The film was produced by Les Films Pelléas and is scheduled for French release on May 12, with Diaphana Distribution handling domestic distribution and Goodfellas overseeing international sales.
The festival said the opening ceremony will be broadcast live in France by France Télévisions and Brut, with cinemas around the country also set to screen the ceremony followed by the opening film. The 79th Festival de Cannes is scheduled to run from May 12 to May 23, while the official selection is due to be announced on April 9.