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20152015 VENICE FILMFILM FESTIVAL OffcialOfficial Competition

IDEALEIDEALE AUDIENCE,AUDIENCE, ZERO ONE FILMFILM,, N279N279 ENTERTAINMENT presentpresent MANEinin co-production with ARTE FRANCE CINEMA and LE MUSEENIA DU LOUVRE

aA FILMfilm BYby ALExANDERALEXANDER SOkUROVSOKUROV with Louis-Do DE LENCqUESAINgLENCQUESAING,, Benjamin UTZERAThUTZERATH,, Vincent NEMEThNEMETH,, JJohannaohanna kORThALSKORTHALS ALTES

WORLD SALES AND FESTIVALS INTERNATIONALINTERNATIONAL PRESSPRESS FILMSFILMS BOUTIqUEBOUTIQUE RIChARDRICHARD LORMAND -- FILM|PRESS|PLUSFILMIPRESSIPLUS KöpenickerKopenicker Strasse 184 - berlin,Berlin, Germany tel.tel. +33-9-7044-9865+33-9-7044-9865 Tel : +49-30-695-378-50+49-30-695-378-50 iNIN VENiCE:VENICE: +39-347-256-4143+39-347-256-4143 www.flmsboutique.comwwwfilmsboutique.com www.FilmPressPlus.comwww.FlimPressPlus.com [email protected]@fihnsboutique.com [email protected]@aol.com

2015 -- FranceFrance/Germany/Netherlands/Germany/Netherlands -- 87 minsmins -- inin FrenchFrench,, Russian andand GermanGerman 02 - SyNOPSISSYNOPSIS

FRANCOFONIA isis thethe story of two remarkableremarkable men, Louvrelouvre director Jacques Jaujard and Nazi Occupation offcerofficer Count Franziskus Wolff-Metternich - enemies then collaboratorscollaborators -- whosewhose alliancealliance wouldwould bebe thethe drivingdriving force behind thethe preservation of museum treasures. FRANCOFONIAfRaNCOfONia explores the relationship between artart and power, the Louvre museum as a living example ofof civilization,civilization, and whatwhat artart tellstells usus aboutabout ourselvesourselves eveneven inin the midst of oneone of thethe bloodiest conflictsconflicts the worldworld has ever seen.seen.

From the master directordirector ofof FAUSTFAUST (Venice(Venice Golden Lion), , MOLOCHMOLOCH and MOTHER AND SON.

ThroughoutThroughout his vast filmography flmography — – documentary, fiction fction and others somewhere in between — – Alexander Sokurov has demonstrated that a museum is much more than a place to preserve art. Museums are the veritable DNA DNA of of a civilization, civilization, the the living organ of the city where the heart of a nation beats. Sokurov's Sokurov’s approach to a museum is nothing less than sacred. With FRANCOFONIA,FRANCOFONIA, hehe exploresexplores aa historicalhistorical chapterchapter thatthat we might know, but whose description does not take into account all the lines that run through it. Against the backdrop ofof thethe Louvre Museum’sMuseum's historyhistory andand artworks,artworks, SokurovSokurov appliesapplies hishis uniqueunique personalpersonal visionvision ontoonto staged re-enactments and archives for a fascinating portrait of real-lifereal-life characters Jacques Jaujard andand Count Franziskus Wolff-Metternich and theirtheir compulsorycompulsory collaborationcollaboration atat thethe LouvreLouvre MuseumMuseum underunder thethe NaziNazi Occupation.

FRANCOFONIAFRANCOHNIA - 0303 04 - FRANCOFONIA ThETHE LOUVRELOuVRE UNDERuNDER NAZI OCCUPATIONOccuPATION ThTHEE GOALSgOALS OF STATESTATE AND ARTART SELDOmSELDOM cOINCOINCIDEcIDE

InIn view ofof thethe threatthreat ofof warwar triggeredtriggered by Germany’sGermany's invasioninvasion ofof thethe Sudetenland,Sudetenland, thethe Louvre’sLouvre's artart collectionscollections werewere packedpacked up on September 27 and 28, 1938 on the orders of itsits director, Jacques Jaujard, and transportedtransported byby lorrylorry toto thethe ChâteauChâteau de Chambord in the Loire Valley, according to a plan thatthat had been drawndrawn upup longlong beforebefore byby France’sFrance's National MuseumsMuseums Department.Department. DaysDays later,later, after the signing of the Munich agreement, the evacuation was halted and the works were returnedreturned to Paris that October.

InIn earlyearly SeptemberSeptember 1939,1939, JaujardJaujard repeatedrepeated thethe procedure:procedure: the works of artart belonging to the Louvre and other ParisParis museums were removed from Paris under the responsibility of the National museumsMuseums Department in order toto protect them fromfrom possiblepossible bombing (and(and not principally due to the danger of a possible invasion or occupation).occupation). Although the Château de Chambord was the principal storage facility, other châteaux, especially thosethose inin thethe LoireLoire Valley,Valley, werewere requisitionedrequisitioned with the consentconsent ofof theirtheir ownersowners toto househouse thethe collections.collections. The curatorscurators tooktook onon responsibilityresponsibility forfor managingmanaging the storage facilities.

Concurrently, protective measures were taken in the Louvrelouvre itself, directed by Jaujard: the sculptures were protected with sandbags, frefire protection was installed, the windows were camouflaged, etc. Those paintingspaintings and sculpturessculptures thatthat had not been evacuated were stored in the museum basement. The frames ofof thethe removedremoved paintingspaintings werewere leftleft inin place.place.

InIn springspring 19401940 inin Germany,Germany, the Curator of the Rhineland, FranziskusFranziskus Wolff-Metternich, was appointed toto taketake chargecharge of protecting worksworks of art. There were many good arguments in favor ofof settingsetting up a Department forfor thethe ProtectionProtection ofof Artworks, such as the experience of the First World War, during which priceless cultural artifacts were lostlost forever, andand also the interest in the many German art treasures that had been in fFrancerance sincesince thethe NapoleonicNapoleonic wars.wars.

On September September 29, 29, 1940, 1940, the the Louvre Louvre was partially partially reopened. The The opening ceremony was attended by Jaujard and MetternichMetternich (who made a speech), Field Marshal von Rundstedt, Hermann Bunjes, Ambassador OttoOtto Abetz, andand others.others. FromFrom October 1940, some sculpture galleries were openopen to the public for a few daysdays a week. A sales deskdesk forfor postcardspostcards was also opened. opened. Hermann Hermann Bunjes Bunjes wrote a German-language German-language guide, and guided tours were organized for German offcersofficers and soldiers.

FRANCOFONIAFRANCOHNIA - 0505 The protectorsprotectors of works of art were faced withwith a dilemma. They had to cooperate with the Reichsleiter Rosenberg Taskforce, which was authorized by a July 1940 order ofof thethe FührerFlihrer toto confscateconfiscate all culturalcultural artefactsartefacts ofof obviousobvious valuevalue that werewere thethe "ownerless“ownerless goods of Jews”.Jews". AsAs there were no particularparticular regulations apart from the Hague Convention and the the Franco-German Franco-German armistice armistice pact, Wolff-Metternich tried to impose an interpretation of the orders compliant with international law. The German archives concerning the theft of artworksartworks in France testifytestify toto the bizarrebizarre spectaclespectacle that took place during those months of war: Metternich, who stood his ground, attracted the hostilityhostility ofof thethe German Ambassador, and then of Alfred Rosenberg, and of ReichsmarschallReichsmarschall Göring.Goring.

Tensions betweenbetween Wolff-MetternichWolff-Metternich and the other Occupation organisations, as well as with his superiors in Berlin, intensifed.intensified. In 1942, he was fnallyfinally sentsent away fromfrom Paris, butbut continued toto oversee thethe workwork ofof hishis staffstaff fromfrom Bonn.Bonn.

Jaujard spent the whole war in Paris, Paris, and and in his old Renault car, in which he travelled from château to château to inspectinspect thethe collectionscollections that had been evacuated.evacuated. When thethe fghtingfighting movedmoved closercloser toto Paris,Paris, JaujardJaujard organisedorganised aa systemsystem ofof protection and defence in the Louvre involving all the available staffstaff andand curators. The frstfirst skirmishesskirmishes eruptederupted inin ParisParis on August 19, 1944. The main danger for the Louvre was its proximity to the Hotel Meurice, thethe GermanGerman HQ. Although fghtingfighting for the liberationliberation of Paris raged all around the Louvre, itit suffered no signifcantsignificant damage.damage. On AugustAugust 25,25, 1944,1944, thethe armored column commanded by General Leclercleclerc entered the city. The battle in the Tuileries ended atat about 4pm withwith the surrender of the German forces.

FromFrom OctoberOctober 1944, the collections were progressively returned and the Louvre was partly reopened. A Commission for the returnreturn of the works waswas set up, headed by Jaujard, whose task itit was to search out and recover thethe worksworks ofof art stolen by the Germans. The Louvre fully reopened its doors in July 1945. Its collections emerged from the war practically unscathed, which was not the case of those previously owned by the Jewish victims ofof thethe Petain regime and the occupying forces.

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— 08 - FRANCOFONIAFRANCONNIA - 11•2:c •-• cOmmENTSCOMMENTS FROMFROm ALEXANDERALEXANDER SOKUROVSOKuROV ThETHE ARKS What would ParisParis bebe without the Louvre, or Russia without the Hermitage, those indelible national landmarks? Let’sLet's imagineimagine an ark on thethe ocean, withwith people andand great worksworks ofof artart aboardaboard —– books,books, pictures,pictures, music,music, sculpture,sculpture, moremore books,books, recordings,recordings, andand more.more. TheThe ark'sark’s timberstimbers cannot resist and a crack has appeared. What will we save? The living? Or the mute, irreplaceable testimonies to the past? FRANCOFONIA is a requiem for whatwhat has perished, aa hymnhymn toto humanhuman courage and spirit, and to what unites mankind.

A WORLD WITHINWIThIN A WORLD The museum community is probably the most stable part of the cultural world. What wouldwould we bebe withoutwithout museums?museums? MuseumsMuseums show us that a grand and magnifcentmagnificent culture existed before ---- considerably grander,grander, smarter,smarter, thanthan anythinganything we are able to create today. The levels of thethe Louvre, the Hermitage,Hermitage, thethe Prado, thethe BritishBritish Museum have alwaysalways seemedseemed to me located at staggering heights. I went to the Hermitage for thethe frstfirst timetime atat ageage 27.27. This isis veryvery late,late, butbut II diddid notnot have other options. I am from a very simple family, very simple background.

ThETHE HERMITAGEhERmITAgE When I heardheard we would be able to shoot RUSSIAN ARKARk in the Hermitage, II was intoxicated byby thethe possibilities.possibilities. I waswas literallyliterally intoxicatedintoxicated byby the good treatmenttreatment toward me and the crew by the Hermitage and [Mikhail] Piotrovsky. I was happy working there, there, and and it seemed seemed to me that under these conditions we could create a hymn to this world. The museum is a world within a world. By creatingcreating flmsfilms in museums and aboutabout museums,museums, wewe inviteinvite differentdifferent people,people, peoplepeople from different cultures, to actually meetmeet thesethese originaloriginal works.

ThETHE LOUVRELOuVRE II waswas immediatelyimmediately enthusiastic when the opportunity arose to flmfilm in the Louvre. I saw itit asas aa return toto mymy dreamdream ofof making a cycle of art filmsflms with the Hermitage, the Louvre, the Prado, thethe British museum. It waswas wonderful thatthat thethe lLouvreouvre administration responded so enthusiastically to our proposal. Andand then it was sheer joy toto have thethe chance toto work with my remarkable and illustriousillustrious colleague, cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel, a prominent master, a great artist. This combination of circumstancescircumstances is a wonder in itself.

FRANCOFONIAFRANCOHNIA - 0909 10 - FRANCOFONIA NAZI SOLDIERS IN THEThE LOUVRELOuVRE PeoplePeople seem to be fascinated by the sight of Nazi soldiers in the galleries of the Louvre. Those soldiers in a temple to art?art? AA paradox?paradox? But why should that be a paradox? Soldiers are also human beings, except that they wearwear bootsboots and helmets. In actual fact, though, the Louvre'sLouvre’s galleries were bare duringduring the Occupation. The works they containedcontained had been removed and hidden several years before. People had been seized by a premonition ofof aa secondsecond worldworld war, involvinginvolving the whole of Europe. In Leningrad, in Paris and in London, peoplepeople beganbegan anxiouslyanxiously seekingseeking sheltershelter —– holesholes inin the ground, refuges, strong walls and spaces deep undergroundunderground —– toto hide worksworks ofof art.art. PeoplePeople beganbegan toto understand:understand: ifif we perish, our art will also inevitably perish —– our hopes, ourour prayers, our God.

ThETHE BOMBINGBOmBINg OF PARIS Paris,Paris, the city of museums, of a deep-seated humanistic culture, thethe culturalcultural capital ofof thethe Old World. IfIf ParisParis hadhad beenbeen bombed in World War II, what would that have meant to us? Only asas the end ofof allall things, an irreparableirreparable event,event, aa turningturning of the back on life. Strangely enough, it did not happen. Everything else was being bombed and burned while soldierssoldiers pillaged and army trucks bore off the spoils of war. Everywhere except in Paris. Paris was a haven ofof salvation.salvation. In old photos of the German Occupation in Paris, we see soldiers sitting in cafés and going to theatre. Young French womenwomen and men are seen in the streets, out cycling or strolling. It was as ifif peace,peace, gloriousglorious peace, hadhad broken out.out.

JAJACQUEScQuES JAUJARDJAuJARD & FRANZ GRAFgRAF WOLFF-mETTERNIchWOLFF-METTERNICH InIn studying contemporary documents,documents, two unique fguresfigures immediatelyimmediately standstand outout fromfrom thethe rest:rest: LouvreLouvre directordirector JacquesJacques Jaujard, and a representative of thethe OccupationOccupation forces, FranzFranz GrafGraf Wolff-Metternich.Wolff-Metternich. ItIt wouldwould seemseem thatthat theythey areare enemies,enemies, but it gradually gradually becomes clear clear that they are not enemies and that they have a lot in common. The period of their meeting, their confrontation, and their cooperation during the Second World War isis the bulk ofof FRANCOFONIAFRANCOFONIA.. These two remarkableremarkable figures,fgures, who werewere almost the same age, each had the same vocation to protect and preserve works of art. WhoWho were these men and who did they represent as humanist senior civil servants? Through which practical initiativesinitiatives werewere they able to defend the artworks? Is it possible, in the circumstances ofof aa mercilessmerciless war, toto defenddefend thethe values of humanity? Even in the most difficultdiffcult times of that war, these two not very influential men were able toto halthalt aggression and preserve the Louvre’sLouvre's great art collection. How deeply wewe regretregret todaytoday thatthat nothingnothing similarsimilar happenedhappened inin the Soviet Union, Poland, or the rest ofof EasternEastern Europe.

FRANCOFONIA111ANCOHNIA - 1111 12 - FRANCOFONIA A PAThPATH WE HAVEhAVE ALL TRAVELLED FRANCOFONIA is not an historical flmfilm in the classicclassic sense.sense. I diddid notnot wantwant toto taketake aa scientifcscientific approach,approach, eveneven ifif II attachattach great importance to factual details. What I was after was not a political aim, but an aim that one could characterize as artistic or more exactly as “fully"fully conscious of”of" —– to reflect through the lives ofof ourour characterscharacters a feeling forfor aa period, itsits intonation,intonation, languages. PeoplePeople in their own particular circumstances, people whowho have foughtfought toto protect culture,culture, toto preserve art by overcoming the circumstances bearing down on them. InIn my mind'smind’s eye,eye, I saw this filmflm as a path, a path we have allall been on, aa pathpath thatthat wewe areare travellingtravelling again,again, andand whichwhich the contemporary human travelling alongside us can understand and feel. A path thatthat willwill enable usus toto shiftshift betweenbetween past, present, and future, in our own way, guided only by thoughts,thoughts, reflections,reflections, andand associations.associations. FRANCOFONIA isis moremore collage than chronological, often following the meanderings of changingchanging thought-processes.thought-processes.

A ShIPSHIP IN A STORMSTORm iInn FRANCOFONIA,FRANCOFONIA, thethe AuthorAuthor correspondscorresponds withwith his FriendFriend aboardaboard aa shipship carryingcarrying anan importantimportant collectioncollection ofof museummuseum art.art. The ship battling the storm, like fate in its purest form, is unavoidable: what will be will be. One may suppose thatthat thethe ship might have been able to avoid the storm, but for somesome unknownunknown reason itit diddid notnot divert, oror perhapsperhaps waswas unableunable to.to. All the containers are lost at sea. The confrontation, the dialogue, between the Friend at sea andand thethe Author atat homehome isis a storyline of thought, a stream of consciousness.

ART AND HISTORYhISTORy IfIf we we touch touch art, art, we we cannot cannot not not touch touch history. history. Art Art is linked linked to such a degree degree to history, the historical process, that unfortunately history history takes takes on on a destructive destructive influence influence on art. It would be nice to detach art from history, but it’sit's impossible...impossible... These characters areare a part of this history, and part of life. For me, Napoleon and Marianne are not formal fgures,figures, symbolic figures.fgures. For me they are living characters, completely alive. All ghosts are alive, ifif theythey exist.exist. And I believe inin the existence ofof ghosts, and all these creaturescreatures thatthat inhabitinhabit houses.houses.

FRANCOFONIA111ANCOHNIA - 1313 14 - FRANCOFONIA FRANcOFONIAFRANCOFONIA II liked the sound of “francofonia”,"francofonia", itsits tone. Like musicmusic imbuesimbues aa flm.film. As aa title,title, FrancofoniaFrancofonia sayssays somethingsomething aboutabout whatwhat II was looking for, somethingsomething that evokes a French intonation even if German and RussianRussian havehave theirtheir placeplace inin thethe flm,film, too.too.

DOcumENTARyDOCUMENTARY AND FICTIONFIcTION Our task was how to bring together the part that we filmedflmed with the flmfilm archives. How wouldwould we bringbring it allall togethertogether inin oneone artistic fabric? WhenWhen working with the archival material, we had to strip thatthat footagefootage ofof theirtheir invented,invented, artifcialartificial image.image. Everything Everything that that is is related related to to Paris Paris in in the the time of the Occupation is a fictional fctional representation. 1 100%! 00%! People walking in the streets, sitting in cafés - absolutely narrative cinema. We did the same thingthing whenwhen wewe flmedfilmed thethe LouvreLouvre from thethe roof. ThatThat was moremore anan art project than documentary. But behind any documentary imageimage shot there isis anan artistic endeavor. ThisThis is inevitable. It is no coincidencecoincidence that many documentary flmmakersfilmmakers want to make narrativenarrative cinema. All this has the same single space in reality.reality. The materialsmaterials we flmfilm or thatthat wewe have,have, wewe cancan treattreat themthem artisticallyartistically or adopt a formal and non-artistic attitude.

A STuDENTSTUDENT ItIt still seems to me that whatever I do is very flawed.flawed. So mymy relationshiprelationship toto cinema isis thatthat ofof aa student.student. I’mI'm simplysimply aa student in this process. I learn from whom I can learn. And these flmsfilms are likelike mymy lessons.lessons. Thanks toto mymy illustriousillustrious imaginaryimaginary teachers, I try to do my lessons, pass teststests and exams. WhatWhat thethe resultsresults willwill be, II dodo notnot know.know.

FRANCOFONIA111ANCOHNIA - 1515 .0

16 - FRANCOFONIA ALEXANDER SOKuROVSOKUROV waswas bornborn JuneJune 14,14, 1951 in Podorvikha,Podorvikha, RussiaRussia (Irkutsk(Irkutsk region).region). HeHe hashas aa Master’sMaster's degree in history from the University of Gorky and a Master’sMaster's degree inin flmmakingfilmmaking fromfrom VGIK StateState CinemaCinema School.School. HisHis 2011 filmflm FAUST won Venice’sVenice's Golden Lion.

SELEcTEDSELECTED FEATUREFEATuRE FILMOGRAPHYFILmOgRAPhy OTOTHERhER SELEcTEDSELECTED WORKS

19781978 The Lonely Voice of Man 19781978 MariaMaria (medium-length)(medium-length) 19831983 PPainfulainful Indifference (aka MournfulMournful Unconcern) 19791979 SonataSonata for hHitleritler (short)(short) 19881988 19801980 TheThe Degraded (short) 19891989 SaSaveve and Protect 19811981 SonataSonata forfor Viola:Viola: Dmitri Shostakovich (documentary)(documentary) 19901990 19861986 MoscowMoscow Elegy 19921992 Stone 19861986 ElegyElegy (short)(short) 19931993 Whispering Pages 19891989 SovietSoviet Elegy (short)(short) 19951995 Spiritual Voices (documentary) 19901990 PPetersburgetersburg Elegy (medium-length)(medium-length) 19961996 Mother and Son 19911991 AAnn Example ofof IntonationIntonation (medium-length)(medium 19991999 Moloch 19921992 ElegyElegy fromfrom Russia 2000 TTaurusaurus 19961996 OrientalOriental Elegy (medium-length)(medium 2002 Russian Ark 19961996 hHubertubert Robert: A FortunateFortunate LifeLife (short)(short) 2003 FFatherather and Son 19971997 AA hHumbleumble LifLifee (documentary)(documentary) 2004 The Sun 19981998 DialoguesDialogues with Solzhenitsyn (documentary) 2006 Elegy of LifLifee 19981998 ConfessionConfession (miniseries)(miniseries) 2007 Alexandra 19991999 DolceDolce (documentary)(documentary) 2009 Reading Book of the Blockade (documentary) 20012001 ElegyElegy ofof aa VVoyageoyage (medium-length) 2011 FFaustaust 20052005 Mozart:Mozart: Requiem (documentary) 2015 FFrancofoniarancofonia

FRANCOFONIA111ANCONNIA - 1717 18 - FRANCOFONIA LOuIS-DOLOUIS-DO DEDE LENCQUESAINGLENcQuESAINg (as Jacques JAUJARD) Louis-DoLouis-Do de Lencquesaing is a FrenchFrench actor and writer-director. He was recently seen in L'APOLLONIDEL’APOLLONIDE (HOUSE OFOF TOLERANCE) by Bertrand Bonello,Bonello, POLISSE byby mMaaïwen,(wen, and FATFATHERhER OF MYMY CCHILDRENhILDREN byby MiaMia Hansen-Love.Hansen-Love. HisHis otherother credits include filmsflms by CedricCédric Kahn, Jean-Luc Godard, Arnaud Desplechin, Laetitia Masson, Benoit Jacquot, Olivier Assayas, Pascal Bonitzer and Michael Haneke, among others. His theater career began at the Avignon Festival under the direction of ValereValère Novarina before assisting Luc Bondy,Bondy, SarniSami Frey,Frey, Bruno Bayen. His frstfirst stage directiondirection waswas aa a Musset play that Benoit Jacquot filmedflmed for Arte.Arta Many theater productions followed - Schnitzler,Schnitzler, Wedekind, Sarah Kane,Kane, Martin Crimp - for the Festival d’Automned'Automne in Paris and some of Paris’Paris' mostmost important theaters.theaters. De LencquesaingLencquesaing directed three short flms,films, before making his feature debut withwith 2012’s2012's AU gGALOPALOP (IN(IN A RUSH),RUSH), presentedpresented inin thethe CannesCannes FilmFilm Festival'sFestival’s Critics'Critics’ Week.Week. He will soon be seen in Nicolas Saada'sSaada’s TAJ MAHAL, MAhAL, Gela Babluani’sBabluani's MONEY andand Kad Merad’sMerad's MARSEILLE.MARSEILLE. He is currently preparingpreparing hishis secondsecond featurefeature asas a director.director. BENJAmINBENJAMIN UTZERATHuTZERATh (as Count Franziskus WOLFF-METTERNICh)WOLFF-METTERNICH) German actor Benjamin UtzerathUtzerath has an extensive careercareer inin theatertheater andand television. HeHe hashas playedplayed inin prestigiousprestigious theaterstheaters includingincluding Hamburg's Hamburg’s Ernst Ernst Deutsch Deutsch Theater, Theater, Berlin's Berlin’s Schlosspark Schlosspark Theater Theater and principal principal theaters theaters like the Altonaer Altonaer Theater, MOnchnerMünchner Volkstheater and Theater Lüneburg.LOneburg. HeHe was a member ofof thethe HamburgHamburg companycompany ThaliaThalia TheatreTheatre forfor nine years, but has been a free agent since 2004. He also played in a production of MotherMother CourageCourage atat Paris’Paris' TheatreThéatre NationalNational de Chaillot. His various appearences in German TV sincesince 1998,1998, includeinclude Sesamestreet,Sesamestreet, DieDie nervösenervbse Grossmacht,Grossmacht, DieDie Spielerin, Tatort Kiel, St. Angela, Die Eltern der Braut, Evelyn Hamanns Geschichten aus dem Leben, JudJud SüssSliss -- ein FilmFilm als Verbrechen,Verbrechen, BargeBargeldId lacht, Der Ermittler, Meine beste Feindin, and Ein Mann wie eine Waffe. Born in 1963 in Duesseldorf, he studied at Berlin’sBerlin's „Ernst Busch Hochschule ffOrür Schauspielkunst“.Schauspielkunst". He currentlycurrently liveslives inin Hamburg.Hamburg. with VINCENT NEMETHNEMETh (as Napoleon), JOJOHANNAhANNA KORTHALSkORThALS ALTESALTES (as Marianne), ANDREY CHELPANOV,ChELPANOV, JEANJEAN-CLAUDE -CLAUDE CAER and the voices of ALEXANDERALExANDER SOKUROV,SOkUROV, FRANCOIS SMESNYSMESNY,, PETER LONTZELONTZEKk

FRANCOFONIAFRANCONNIA - 1919 20 - FRANCOFONIA PRODucTIONPRODUCTION NOTESNOTES The productionproduction of FRANCOFONIAFRANOOFONIA broughtbrought togethertogether threethree countriescountries andand threethree producersproducers familiarfamiliar withwith AlexanderAlexander Sokurov’s Sokurov's flmsfilms andand hishis working methods for having already produced or distributed several of his flms.films. From France, Pierre- Olivier Bardet (Ideale(Ideale Audience)Audience) has produced and distributed Sokurov documentaries and elegies, including ELEGYELEgY OF A VOYAGE.VOYAgE. FromFrom Germany,Germany, Thomas KufusKufus (zero(zero one flm)film) has produced several Sokurov featurefeature flms,films, includingincluding MOLOCMOLOCHh andand MOTHERMOThER AND SON.SON. From the Netherlands, Els Vandevorst (N279 Entertainment)Entertainment) was aa co-producerco-producer onon Sokurov’sSokurov's FATHERFAThER AND SON.SON.

Over the the course course of eighteen months' months’ development development financed fnanced by the producers, the Louvre, the MEDIA programme, France’sFrance's CNC, and the German-Russian Co-Development Fund, the special creative process ofof AlexanderAlexander SokurovSokurov waswas supported by contributing extremely precise factual information to nourish his own imaginary vision.vision. There isis nothingnothing vague in his approach, but on the contrary, a freedom of interpretation that is all the greater asas itit is nourished by thethe many facts, images and sounds gradually amassed, translated, and organized soso thatthat he cancan inhabitinhabit themthem inin hishis turnturn inin order to try and findfnd a truth: not a historical truth, nor one derived from hypothetical speculation, butbut rather anan organicorganic truth, the product of his highly personal, often unexpected vision. As an artist, Sokurov detects what wewe cannot see.see. iInn the case of FRANCOFONIA,FRANCOFONIA, the lines between documentary andand fctionfiction fade,fade, notnot toto taketake usus towardstowards whatwhat isis false,false, oror reconstructed, but on the contrary to seek out the blinding revelation which enlightens, and the interpretativeinterpretative gesturegesture which touches what is right and true.

What meaning can we give to the appropriation of a work of artart byby an occupying army? WhileWhile inin thisthis casecase wewe areare talkingtalking precisely about the German occupation of France during the Second World War, and while the occupying forces are driven by a specificspecifc ideology —– Nazism —– there is no shortage of examples of otherother removals, pillage, expropriations, extortion andand exports of art works in history. Francofoniafrancofonia is is a meditation on the uniqueunique charactercharacter ofof thethe workwork ofof arart,t, and thethe common desiredesire to incorporate what Walter Benjamin called the aura that emanates from it. Sokurov'sSokurov’s flmfilm encourages people to think about the links between appropriation and domination, a political vision ofof thethe world and an aesthetic representation of it. Inin addition, it shows the specialspecial positionposition occupiedoccupied byby museumsmuseums inin thethe publicpublic spacespace ofof the West today.

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22 - FRANCOFONIA These issues are perceptible in FRANCOFONIA,FRANCOFONIA, butbut alwaysalways withwith the subtletysubtlety specifcspecific toto aa poeticpoetic cinemacinema whichwhich doesdoes notnot tackle its subjectssubjects head-on, but rather by successive brushstrokes, seeking to peel away, layer byby layer, thethe materialmaterial to confrontconfront ourselvesourselves with what is nearly impossible to say or show. AsAs in many ofof hishis other flms,films, Sokurov usesuses aa combination of techniques in FRANCOFONIA:FRANCOFONIA: filming flming with digital cameras, the inclusion ofof archivearchive footage, image processing by adding,adding, superimposing or incorporatingincorporating other visualvisual components,components, byby distortingdistorting oror modifyingmodifying perspectives,perspectives, etc. His mastery of the visual results of compositecomposite images reveals a stylisticstylistic unityunity whichwhich thethe multiplicitymultiplicity ofof sourcessources andand techniques used could have otherwiseotherwise diluted.

The film's flm’s E1.8 €1.8 million million budget budget was was financed fnanced in co-production with ARTEARTE FRANCE CINEMA and LE MUSEE DU LOUVRELOUVRE,, andand withwith supportsupport fromfrom FONDSFONDS EURIMAGES,EURIMAgES, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA CINEMATOCINEMATOGRAPHIEgRAPhIE ETET DEDE L’IMAL'IMAGEgE ANIMEEANIMEE,, MEDIENBOARDMEDIENBOARD BERLIN-BRANDENBURG,BERLIN-BRANDENBURg, FILM- UND MEDIENSTIFTUNGMEDIENSTIFTUNg NRW,NRW, FILMFORDERUNGSANSTALT,FILMFORDERUNgSANSTALT, DEUTSCDEUTSCHERhER FILMFORDERFONDS, FILMFORDERFONDS, NETHERLANDSNEThERLANDS FILM FILM FUND, FUND, and and PROGRAMMEPROgRAMME MEDIA MEDIA DE DE LA COMMUNAUTE COMMUNAUTE EUROPEENNE (MEDIA SLATE).

World sales are being handled by Berlin-based company Films BoutiqueBoutique.. FRANCOFONIA will be distributed in Francefrance by Sophie Dulac DistributionDistribution.. aA release date has been set for November 11,11, 2015.201 5.

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24 - FRANCOFONIA FRANcOFONIAFRANCOFONIA A FILM BY AALEXANDERLExANDER SSOKUROVOkUROV IDEALEIDEALE AUDIENCE,AUDIENCE, ZERO ONE FILMFILM,, N279N279 ENTERTAINMENT present inin co-production with ARTE FRANCE CINEMA and LE MUSEE DU LOUVRE with support from FONDS EURIMAEURIMAGES,gES, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA CINEMATOCINEMATOGRAPHIEgRAPhIE ETET DEDE L’IMAL'IMAGEgE ANIMEEANIMEE,, MEDIENBOARD BERLIN-BRANDENBURG,BERLIN-BRANDENBURg, FILM-UND MEDIENSTIFTUNMEDIENSTIFTUNGg NRWNRW,, FILMFORDERUNFILMFORDERUNGSANSTALT,gSANSTALT, DEUTSCDEUTSCHERhER FILMFORDERFONDS,FILMFORDERFONDS, NETNETHERLANDShERLANDS FILM FUND,FUND, PROPROGRAMMEgRAMME MEDIA DE LALA COMMUNAUTECOMMUNAUTE EUROPEENE (MEDIA(MEDIA SLATE)SLATE)

mAINMAIN CREWcREW DirectedDirected by ALEALEXANDERxANDER SOSOKUROVkUROV Director of Photography BRUNO DELBONNEL Assistantassistant Directors ALEALEXEIxEI JANJANKOWSKI,kOWSkI, MARINAMARINA kKORENEVAORENEVA Original Score MURAT kKABARDOKOVABARDOkOV EditorEditor ALEALEXEIxEI JANJANKOWSKI,kOWSkI, hHANSJORGANSJORg WEISSBRICWEISSBRICHh SoundSound Recordists ANDRE RIRIGAUT,gAUT, JAC VLEESVLEESHOUWERhOUWER SoundSound Editor EMILEMIL kKLOTZSCHLOTZSCh Sound Mixmix ANSGARANSgAR FRERICFRERICHh Costumes Costumes COLOMBE LAURIOT PREVOST Makeupmakeup SIMONSIMON LIVET Hair Stylist MAURINE BADASSARI ColorColor Grading gILLESGILLES gRANIERGRANIER SteadicamSteadicam JAN RUBENS Production Manager FRANCOISE ETCETCHEGARAYhEgARAY Post-ProductionPost-Production Supervisors BORIS MANMANG,g, WILLEMIEWILLEMIEKEkE BONBONGERSgERS lLineine Producers CLAIRE LION, TASSILO ASCHAUER,ASChAUER, ANN CAROLIN RENNINRENNINGER,gER, MARIANNE VANVAN hHARDEVELDARDEVELD

ProducedProduced by PIERRE-OLIVIER BARDET ((IDEALEiDEalE aAUDIENCE),UDiENCE), ThTHOMASOMAS kKUFUSUFUS ((ZEROzERO ONE filmFILM),), ELS VANDEVORST (N279(N279 ENTERTAINMENT)

iInternationalnternational Sales FILMS BOUTIQUEBOUTIqUE (BERLIN)(BERLIN)

CANADIAN DISTRIBUTION Films We Like Bookings and Inquiries: mike@filmswelike.com

CANADIAN PUBLICITY & MEDIA REQUESTS V Kelly & Associates, Inc.: [email protected] om

Press Kit and High Rez Images: http://filmswelike.com/francofonia FRANCOFONIAFRANCONNIA - 2525 111•••••••• ittomwsporm FRANC FON A FILM BY ALEXANDER SOKUROV

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