Annual Top Films Lists

Top 100 Most Anticipated Foreign Films of 2021: #69. Laurent Larivière’s Joan Verra

Published on January 4, 2021

Joan Verra

Director Laurent Larivière assembles a stellar cast for sophomore feature Joan Verra, headlined by Isabelle Huppert in the title role. A French-German-Irish co-production (with Marc-Antoine Robert and Xavier Rigault on hand from Paris based 2.4.7. Films), Huppert is joined by Lars Eidinger, Swann Arlaud, Freya Mavor, Florence Loiret-Caille and Dimitri Dore. Lariviere re-teams with scribe Francois Decodts and the project is lensed by Celine Bozon (sister of Serge, who has lensed her brother’s films La France, Mrs. Hyde, Tip Top as well as many other features, including Valerie Donzelli’s Marguerite & Julien, 2015). Larivière’s debut feature I Am a Soldier, which starred Louise Bourgoin and Jean-Hugues Anglade, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in Un Certain Regard.

Gist: Joan Verra finds herself overwhelmed when a figure from her past suddenly turns up, forcing her to retreat to the countryside where she experiences fragmented recollection of her romantic encounters. She’s joined on this journey by her son Nathan, who has just arrived from Montreal.

Release Date/Prediction: A four week shoot in France finished its final leg in Ireland in October of 2020. We expect Lariviere’s cast will ensure another invite to Cannes in 2021, likely in Un Certain Regard or Director’s Fortnight.

Nicholas Bell

Los Angeles based Nicholas Bell is IONCINEMA.com's Chief Film Critic and covers film festivals such as Sundance, Berlin, Cannes and TIFF. He is part of the critic groups on Rotten Tomatoes, The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) and GALECA. His top 3 for 2021: France (Bruno Dumont), Passing (Rebecca Hall) and Nightmare Alley (Guillermo Del Toro). He was a jury member at the 2019 Cleveland International Film Festival.