26/11/2020 - Reda Kateb and Naidra Ayadi also star in the cast of Thomas Kruithof’s second feature film, which is produced by 24 25 Films and sold by Elle Driver

Thomas Kruithof has kicked off filming in the Paris region on his second full-length work: Promises [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Thomas Kruithof
film profile]. Discovered via The Eavesdropper [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (2017), the filmmaker has drawn together a cast composed of Isabelle Huppert (recently well-received in Mama Weed [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and whom we’ll be seeing next year in Joan and Caravaggio’s Shadow), Reda Kateb (the winner of 2015’s Best Supporting Role César for Hippocrates [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Thomas Lilti
film profile], who was also nominated for the Best Actor César in 2018 and in 2020 for Django [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Etienne Comar
film profile] and The Specials [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]; recently at his best in The Wolf’s Call [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) and Naidra Ayadi (crowned Best Female New Hope at the 2012 Césars thanks to Poliss [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maïwenn
film profile]; likewise drawing attention in the series Black Spot).

Written by Thomas Kruithof and Jean-Baptiste Delafon (of the series Baron noir), the story revolves around Clémence, a committed and pugnacious mayor in the Parisian suburbs who is completing the final few months of her political career. Helped by her brilliant and faithful right-hand-man Yazid, she fights passionately for her town plagued by inequality, unemployment and slumlords. But when Clémence is approached to become a minister, her ambitions are roused, raising questions over her devotion and commitment to her citizens. Will her political integrity and election promises survive this newly found ambition?

Promises is produced by Thibault Gast and Matthias Weber on behalf of 24 25 Films (who are already helming The Eavesdropper) in co-production with France 2 Cinéma. Pre-purchased by Canal+ and Ciné+, the feature film also enjoys the support of the Ile-de-France region (where filming will proceed until 23 December, with Alex Lamarque in charge of photography), as well as the SOFICA company Indéfilms. Distribution in France will be managed by Wild Bunch with international sales in the hands of Elle Driver.

For the record, 24 25 Films - who recently gave us A Perfect Man [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (2015), among other works - are launching Yann Gozlan’s thriller Black Box [+see also:
trailer
film profile] in cinemas next year (starring Pierre Niney at the head of the cast and released by StudioCanal on 17 March), alongside François Desagnat’s comedy Zaï Zaï Zaï Zaï [+see also:
trailer
film profile], and have recently kicked off post-production on The Test [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Emmanuel Poulain-Arnaud.

(Translated from French)