Indie filmmaker Ira Sachs (“Love Is Strange,” “Keep the Lights on”) makes his Cannes Film Fest debut in Competition with “Frankie.”
Co-written and directed by Sachs, “Frankie” co-stars Brendan Gleeson, Marisa Tomei, Jeremie Renier, and Greg Kinnear.
It will be the first time since the 1980 scandalous and controversial “Heaven’s Gate” that French legendary actress and Oscar nominee Isabelle Huppert has gone to Cannes with a lead role in an English-language film.
The actress said that her performance in the family drama is “very different from anything I’ve done before.”
Shot in the resort town of Sintra, Portugal, and set over the course of a single tumultuous day, “Frankie” tells the story of a family vacation that takes a turn for the worse when a dramatic event leaves strong impact on its members.
Huppert, who plays the matriarch, had only seen a few scenes of the film last month, but she says that “it’s very tender, nothing really tragic happens in the film, but the situation itself is tragic, even though we shot in the most beautiful environment.”
“There’s something really honest about my work in this,” she said, before correcting herself. “‘Honest’ is not the right word, because I think I’m honest in my other performances, but there’s something very simple about this one because the story speaks for itself. There are none of the usual devices, only a little bit of irony and humor in the way we spoke.”
Frankie might see her more vulnerable and exposed than she’s been before, even on stage.
Huppert was thrilled for the opportunity to work with Sachs: “I love all of Ira’s movies,” citing “Love Is Strange” as personal favorite.
The film is slated to be released in France on September 25, and is currently seeking U.S. distribution.
End Note:
Artistically, Frankie was one of the worst titles in competition.