The 79th Cannes Film Festival will open with Pierre Salvadori’s 1920s-set La Vénus électrique.
The French director’s movie will formally kick off proceedings with a premiere at Cannes’ Grand Théâtre Lumière on May 12, following the opening ceremony hosted by actress Eye Haïdara.
La Vénus électrique is set in Paris, 1928. “A young painter in vogue, Antoine Balestro, has been unable to paint since his wife died, much to the despair of his gallery owner, Armand,” reads a plot synopsis. “One drunken evening, Antoine tries to contact his wife through a psychic. Unbeknownst to him, he is actually speaking with Suzanne, a humble carnival worker who has sneaked into the trailer to steal food. Suzanne proves to be a gifted fraudster, and, soon aided by Armand, she stages one fake séance after another.
“Little by little, Antoine regains his inspiration, but the situation gets complicated for Suzanne as she finds herself falling in love with the man she is manipulating.”
The fest describes Salvadori’s 11th feature film as a “delightfully burlesque romantic comedy.” It is the filmmaker’s “imaginings of the Roaring Twenties, marked by artistic effervescence, popular entertainment, and spiritualism,” which permeate the film.
Pio Marmaï leads, marking his fourth collaboration with Salvadori, alongside Anaïs Demoustier (The Count of Monte Cristo) and Gilles Lellouche (Beating Hearts). Vimala Pons and Gustave Kervern will also star.
La Vénus électrique is produced by Philippe Martin of Les Films Pelléas (Anatomy of a Fall) and repped internationally by Goodfellas.
“Cannes celebrates everything I love about cinema,” said Salvadori, whose best-known work includes Priceless (2006) and The Trouble with You (2018). “Direction, boldness, freedom, and filmmakers. Cannes discovers them, supports them, and celebrates them. In its own way, my film embodies all the faith and love I have for my craft. I am so proud and happy that it’s kicking off the Festival!”
His latest project, which will simultaneously screen across theaters in France as it opens Cannes, follows Leave One Day, Amélie Bonnin’s first feature film, which opened the 78th edition.
The 79th annual Cannes Film Festival will run May 13-26.
