Pompei

“Victor. The sun will rise soon.”

Near an excavation site lies a barren, desert-like area inhabited by a gang of young people. Toxou is the oldest and the leader of the pack, while Jimmy, still barely a boy, has made Victor his role model. Everyone wears jeans and a T-shirt and knows that sooner or later, it is time to take up smoking. Lost cowboys digging for relics of a past civilization, they are caged in the freedom of a strange, seemingly deserted wasteland. The arrival of a girl called Billie awakens Victor’s desire to escape – much to Toxou’s chagrin. Calm and restless, with echoes of James Dean and Lord of the Flies, this film by Anna Falguères and John Shank tells a tale of liberation through powerful, otherworldly imagery.
by Anna Falguères, John Shank
with Garance Marillier, Aliocha Schneider, Auguste Wilhelm, Vincent Rottiers, Judit Williquet
Belgium / France / Canada 2019 French 91’ Colour

With

  • Garance Marillier (Billie)
  • Aliocha Schneider (Victor)
  • Auguste Wilhelm (Jimmy)
  • Vincent Rottiers (Toxou)
  • Judit Williquet (Hélène)

Crew

Directors Anna Falguères, John Shank
Screenplay Anna Falguères, John Shank
Cinematography Florian Berutti
Editing Julie Brenta
Music Dear Criminals
Sound Emmanuel De Boissieu, Olivier Calvert, Bernard Gariépy Strobl
Production Design Alina Santos
Costumes Claire Dubien
Make-Up Caroline Philipponnat
Assistant Director Christèle Agnello
Casting Patricia Guyotte
Production Manager Hélène Pigeard-Benazera
Producers Joseph Rouschop, Valérie Bournonville, Clément Duboin, Luc Déry, Kim McCraw, Jasmyrh Lemoine
Executive Producers Karim Cham, Florence Cohen

World sales

The Party Film Sales

Produced by

Good Fortune Films

Anna Falguères

A French production designer, author and photographer, she has worked on films by directors including Mia Hansen-Løve, Catherine Corsini and Joachim Lafosse. Pompei is her debut film as a director.

Filmography

2019 Pompei

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2020

John Shank

Born in Bloomington, Indiana, he developed his first feature film, Last Winter, in the Cannes Cinéfondation programme. In 2011, the film screened at the Giornate degli Autori in Venice and at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Filmography

2000 Un veau pleurait, la nuit; short film 2003 Les mains froides; short film 2007 Abandon; short film 2011 Last Winter 2019 Pompei

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2020