Top 150 Most Anticipated Foreign Films of 2020: #49. De son vivant – Emmanuelle Bercot

De son vivant

It seems director Emmanuelle Bercot remains nearly inextricable from Catherine Deneuve, as the director and icon are reuniting on Bercot’s sixth feature, De son vivant (In His Lifetime). Unfortunately, Deneuve suffered a minor stroke (ironically, while filming a scene set in a hospital), which is being produced by Les Films du Kiosque and France 2 Cinema. Scribe Marcia Romano (who also wrote Bercot’s 2015 title Standing Tall – read review) is on hand. Joining Bercot’s team is DP Yves Cape (Carax’s stunning Holy Motors; Bruno Dumont’s 2006 Flanders and 1999 Humanite), who recently filmed Bercot on the set of Cedric Kahn’s Happy Birthday (2019), which co-starred Deneuve, while Cecile de France and Benoit Magimel are also in the cast. Bercot’s 2001 debut Clement premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes, and her Emmanuelle Seigner headlined Backstage played out of competition in Venice in 2005. Bercot had a breakout year at Cannes in 2015—her fourth feature Standing Tall (starring Deneuve) opened Cannes (out of competition) and she won Best Actress for her role in Maiwenn’s My King. Her 2013 title On My Way (starring Deneuve) competed in Venice while her 2016 150 Milligrams, which starred Sidse Babett Knudsen, premiered in Toronto and competed in San Sebastian. Bercot was also amongst the cast of the Cannes competing Girls of the Sun from Eva Husson in 2018.

Gist: Bercot’s latest concerns three people over the course of a year, including a cancer patient (Magimel), his distressed mother (Deneuve) and his doctor (De France).

Release Date/Prediction: Bercot went into production in November 2019, with production continuing around the absence of Deneuve (who producers might replace should the absence be extended). Whatever the case, it would seem Bercot would look toward Venice drop or a TIFF Gala screening.