28/08/2018 - Fabrice Luchini and Anaïs Demoustier star in the director's second feature film. A Bizibi production to be sold by Bac Films

Actors Fabrice Luchini and Anaïs Demoustier

Filming kicked off on Nicolas Pariser’s second feature film in Lyon on 20 August: the political comedy Alice and the Mayor [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nicolas Pariser
film profile]. Well known for his first filmThe Great Game [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (revealed at Locarno in the Filmmakers of the Present section in 2015 and winner of the Louis-Delluc award for Best Film the same year), this time around the filmmaker has reunitedFabrice Luchini (Coupe Volpi for Best Actor at Venice in 2015 for Courted [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], nominated for a César award for Best Actor six times in 1991, 1997, 2013 for In the House [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], 2014 for Cycling with Moliere [+see also:
trailer
film profile], 2016 for Courted and 2017 for Slack Bay [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Bruno Dumont
film profile]; in cinemas on 7 November in Un homme pressé [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) and Anaïs Demoustier (European Film Promotion Shooting Star award in 2010; nominated for a César award in 2009 and 2011 for Most Promising Actress and in 2018 for Best Supporting Role in The House by the Sea [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Robert Guédiguian
film profile]; also notably appreciated in The New Girlfriend [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: François Ozon
film profile] and Bird People [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pascale Ferran
film profile]; in cinemas on 28 November in Sauver ou périr and in Deux fils next year).

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The duo will star alongside Nora Hamzawi (who will be on screen at Venice in Non Fiction [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Olivier Assayas
film profile]), Maud Wyler (2 Autumns 3 Winters [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Breath of Life [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Alexandre Steiger (Yves Saint Laurent [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jalil Lespert
film profile]), Léonie Simaga (A Season in France [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
film profile]) and Antoine Reinartz (winner of a César award in 2018 for Best Supporting Role in BPM (Beats Per Minute) [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Arnaud Valois
interview: Robin Campillo
film profile]).

Written by the director, the screenplay focuses on the mayor of Lyon, who has reached his limit. He has run out of ideas. After 30 years in politics, he feels completely empty. To remedy the problem, his team decides to bring in a young and brilliant philosopher. A dialogue opens up between them, bringing Alice and the mayor closer together and causing them to question their beliefs. A question slowly arises: are thought and political practice compatible?

Produced by Emmanuel Agneray (European Film Promotion Producer on the Move 2009 and already at the helm of Nicolas’ first feature film) for Bizibi, Alice and the Mayor was co-produced by Arte France Cinema, Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Cinema, and the Belgian outfit Scope Pictures. The feature film is also supported by an advance on earnings from the CNC, as well as Sofica Cinémage, Cofinova, SG Image, Cinécap and Cinéventure. Seven weeks of filming will take place in Lyon until 5 October with Sébastien Buchmann attached to the project as the director of photography. Bac Films will be handling international sales.

For the record, Bizibi also produced Welcome to Argentina [+see also:
trailer
interview: Edouard Deluc
film profile] by Edouard Deluc and Persona non grata [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Roschdy Zem, which iscurrently in post-production.

(Translated from French)