Berlinale: Programme

Film File

Homage

Swimming Pool

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Faced with writer’s block in London, mystery author Sarah Morton accepts her publisher’s offer to write her next book at his summer house in the south of France. But her peace and quiet is cut short when the publisher’s young adult daughter arrives and settles in to the house. Initially repulsed by Julie’s wild love life, Sarah becomes ever more fascinated, finding in it the inspiration for a new novel. And as a volume consumer of men, Julie delivers plenty of book-worthy material. Then one of the younger woman’s lovers shows a preference for Sarah … Wishful thinking or reality? In François Ozon’s steamy summer thriller, the line between fact and fabulation is blurred. Cast against type as an aging spinster, Charlotte Rampling plays her character’s transformation into an erotically aroused woman somewhat tongue in cheek. The metamorphosis is seen not only in her costumes – she starts in shades of khaki before donning strong reds. Her movements, too, become increasingly fluid, such that her claim to have been a part of the “swinging sixties” in London is entirely credible.

by
François Ozon

France / United Kingdom 2003

French, English

102’ · Colour · 35 mm

Rating R12

With

Charlotte Rampling
Ludivine Sagnier
Charles Dance
Marc Fayolle
Jean-Marie Lamour
Mireille Mossé
Michel Fau
Jean-Claude Lecas

Crew

Director
François Ozon
Screenplay
François Ozon, Emmanuèle Bernheim
Cinematography
Yorick Le Saux
Editing
Monica Coleman
Music
Philippe Rombi
Sound
Pascal Von Hatten
Art Director
Wouter Zoon
Costumes
Pascaline Chavanne
Producers
Olivier Delbosc, Marc Missonnier

Biography

François Ozon

Born in Paris, France in 1967, this director and screenwriter studied at La Fémis film school and is now one of the most renowned filmmakers in his country. His work has already screened in the Berlinale Competition four times, with the ensemble cast of one of his most successful films, the comedy 8 femmes, winning the Silver Bear in 2002. In 2012 he was a member of the International Jury. He has made four films with Charlotte Rampling who this year is being presented with the Honorary Golden Bear for her lifetime achievement; Sous le Sable and Swimming Pool are both screening in the Homage.

Filmography (selection)

1998 Sitcom 1999 Les amants criminels (Ein kriminelles Paar) 2000 Gouttes d’eau sur pierres brûlantes (Tropfen auf heiße Steine) · Sous le sable (Unter dem Sand) 2002 8 femmes (8 Frauen) 2003 Swimming Pool 2004 5 x 2 (5 x 2 – Fünf mal zwei) 2005 Le temps qui reste (Die Zeit die bleibt) 2009 Ricky (Ricky – Wunder geschehen) · La refuge (Rückkehr ans Meer) 2010 Potiche (Das Schmuckstück) 2012 Dans la maison (In ihrem Haus) 2013 Jeune et Jolie (Jung & Schön) 2014 Une nouvelle amie (Eine neue Freundin) 2016 Frantz 2017 L'amant double (Der andere Liebhaber) 2019 Grâce à Dieu (Gelobt sei Gott)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2019

© Jean-Claude Moireau
© Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin

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