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Coma

Encounters 2022
© Les films du Bélier / My New Picture / Remembers
Bertrand Bonello’s daughter has just turned 18. But the moment this young adult officially begins to “spread her wings” coincides with a global health crisis. Locked indoors, she experiences life in a state of limbo. In between reveries and video chats with her friends, she follows an influencer named Patricia Coma. A device she buys from her, called a “revelator”, leads her to question how much free will she actually has.
One of the sharpest minds in French cinema today, Bonello was bound to treat us with a commentary on the pandemic. What comes as a surprise is the dark humour in Coma. Poised somewhere between essay and fantasy, this cinematic anomaly sheds light on his fatherly efforts to connect with his daughter’s predicament and mirrors widespread anxiety about our children’s future. Making use of ever-changing formats that include animation and stop-motion, observations abound on global warming, geopolitics and our seeming inability to analyse what we see. Odd obsessions, nefarious role models and harmful perceptions of gender relations – there are many reasons why virtual life can terrify a parent. Unless, like Bonello, you know that trust is the most important gift you can bestow on your child.
by Bertrand Bonello
with Julia Faure, Louise Labeque, Laëtitia Casta, Gaspard Ulliel, Vincent Lacoste, Louis Garrel, Anaïs Demoustier France 2022 French 80’ Colour

With

  • Julia Faure (Patricia Coma)
  • Louise Labeque (Young Girl)
  • Laëtitia Casta (Sharon’s Voice)
  • Gaspard Ulliel (Scott’s Voice)
  • Vincent Lacoste (Nicholas’ Voice)
  • Louis Garrel (Dr Ballard’s Voice)
  • Anaïs Demoustier (Ashley’s Voice)

Crew

Written and Directed by Bertrand Bonello
Cinematography Antoine Parouty
Editing Gabrielle Stemmer
Music Bertrand Bonello
Sound Design Jean-Pierre Laforce, Clément Laforce
Sound Romain Cadilhac
Production Design Daphné Yvon, Gaston Portejoie, Anna Bonello
Costumes Pauline Jacquard
Make-Up Raphaële Thiercelin
Assistant Director Alexis Diop
Producers Justin Taurand, Bertrand Bonello
Co-Producers Felix de Givry, Ugo Bienvenu
Co-Production Remembers Paris

World sales

Best Friend Forever Sales

https://www.bestfriendforever.be/ https://www.bestfriendforever.be/

Produced by

Les Films du Bélier

http://www.lesfilmsdubelier.fr http://www.lesfilmsdubelier.fr

My New Picture

Photos

Berlinale Meets | Interview

Bertrand Bonello

© Carole Bethuel

The musician and filmmaker was born in Nice, France in 1968. In 1996, he adapted Pier Paolo Pasolini’s autobiography as a short documentary entitled Qui je suis. His debut feature film Quelque chose d’organique was selected for the 1998 Panorama; his following films were presented in various sections of the Cannes film festival. In 2014, his film Saint Laurent, about the French fashion designer, was nominated in ten categories at the César film awards. In the same year, he organised an exhibition at the Centre Pompidou and released a music album. He continues to make successful short and musical films.

Filmography

1996 Qui je suis – d’après Pier Paolo Pasolini; short film 1998 Quelque chose d’organique (Something Organic) 2001 Le pornographe (The Pornographer) 2002 The Adventures of James and David; short film 2003 Tiresia 2005 Cindy: The Doll Is Mine; short film 2007 My New Picture; short film 2008 De la guerre (On War) 2010 Where the Boys Are; short film 2011 L’Apollonide: Souvenirs de la maison close (House of Tolerance) 2012 Ingrid Cavan, musique et voix; documentary form 2014 Où en êtes-vous ?; short film · Saint Laurent 2016 Nocturama · Sarah Winchester, opéra fantôme; short film 2019 Zombi Child 2020 Où en êtes-vous ? #2; short film 2022 Coma

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2022