My New Friends (film)

My New Friends
Teaser poster
FrenchLes gens d’à côté
Directed byAndré Téchiné
Written byAndré Téchiné
Régis de Martrin-Donos
Produced by
  • Sylvie Pialat
  • Benoît Quainon
Starring
CinematographyGeorges Lechaptois
Edited byAlbertine Lastera
Music byOlivier Marguerite
Production
companies
  • Les Films Du Worso
  • France 2 Cinéma [fr]
  • Same Player [fr]
  • Cine Nomine [fr]
  • Srab Films [fr]
  • Les Films du Camélia [fr]
Distributed by
  • Jour2Fête [fr]
  • Pyramide Films [fr]
Release dates
  • 19 February 2024 (2024-02-19) (Berlinale)
  • 8 May 2024 (2024-05-08) (France)
Running time
85 minutes
CountryFrance
LanguageFrench

My New Friends (French: Les gens d’à côté) is a 2024 French Psychological drama film directed by André Téchiné. The film starring Isabelle Huppert, revolves around Lucie a specialized agent in the scientific police. Her solitary daily life is disturbed by the arrival in her housing estate of a young couple and their little girl.[1]

It was selected in the Panorama section at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival and was screened on 19 February 2024.[2] It is scheduled for theatrical release in France on 8 May 2024.[3]

Synopsis[edit]

Lucie is an officer in the scientific police. She lives alone and her routine is disrupted by a new family moving into her apartment complex. As she befriends them, she finds out that Yann, the dad, has a history of opposing and breaking the law. Lucie faces a dilemma between her duty as a police officer and her wish to assist this family, which challenges her beliefs.

Cast[edit]

Isabelle Huppert (2018)

Production[edit]

The film is directed by André Téchiné for Les films du Worso. George Lechaptois and Albertine Lastera were respectively cinematographer and editor of the film.[4]

Principal photography began on 9 January 2023 in Albères, Pyrénées-Orientales department, Occitania in France. Major part of the film was shot in the town of Saint-Génis-des-Fontaines, but some scenes were also filmed in Perpignan and Tresserre.[5] In January 2023, it was reported that Isabelle Huppert was shooting for the film in the Occitanie region where the 30-day film shoot took place.[6]

Filming ended on 24 February 2023.[1]

Release[edit]

My New Friends had its world premiere on 19 February 2024, as part of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, in Panorama.[7][8]

It will be released in French theaters on 8 May 2024 by jour2fête.[3]

Reception[edit]

Fabien Lemercier reviewing the film at Berlinale for Cineuropa wrote, "Clearly, we still have Isabelle Huppert, who carries the entire film squarely on her shoulders, not to mention a highly effective editing approach, but, sadly, it isn’t enough to elevate My New Friends to the great heights of Téchiné’s sophisticated ambitions."[9]

Jordan Mintzer reviewing the film for The Hollywood Reporter dubbed it as "A misfire from a gifted auteur," and opined, "My New Friends does tackle some interesting issues, whether its professional versus personal commitments, conflicting political beliefs, or dealing with trauma and loss, but it fails to treat any of them convincingly."[10]

Allan Hunter wrote in ScreenDaily while reviewing the film at Berlinale, "This is a police story without a shot fired in anger, any whiff of impropriety or a great mystery to be solved. Instead, the focus is on ordinary people, painful choices and the price of principles.[11]

Accolades[edit]

Award Date Category Recipient Result Ref.
Berlin International Film Festival 25 February 2024 Panorama Audience Award for Best Feature Film André Téchiné Nominated [7]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "My New Friends: Feature Film – 2023-2024, Psychodrama, France". Crew United. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  2. ^ Abbatescianni, Davide (17 January 2024). "The Panorama strand of the Berlinale to open with Levan Akin's Crossing". Cineuropa. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Les Gens d'à côté" [My New Friends]. AlloCiné (in French). 2 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  4. ^ "My New Friends". Unifrance. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  5. ^ François David (6 January 2023). "Isabelle Huppert en tournage dans les Pyrénées-Orientales" [Isabelle Huppert filming in the Pyrénées-Orientales]. France Bleu (in French). Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  6. ^ Lemercier, Fabien (17 January 2023). "Isabelle Huppert now filming My New Friends by André Téchiné". Cineuropa. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  7. ^ a b Goodfellow, Melanie (17 January 2024). "Berlinale Unveils Full Panorama, Forum & Generation Line-Ups With New Films By Nathan Silver, Levan Akin, André Téchiné & Bruce LaBruce". Deadline. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  8. ^ "My New Friends". Berlinale. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  9. ^ Lemercier, Fabien (19 February 2024). "Review: My New Friends". Cineuropa. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  10. ^ Jordan Mintzer (19 February 2024). "'My New Friends' Review: Isabelle Huppert Headlines Andre Techine's Unconvincing Social Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  11. ^ Hunter, Allan (19 February 2024). "'My New Friends': Berlin Review". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 20 February 2024.

External links[edit]

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