Dardennes Soon Ready to ‘Set Me Free’

Jérémie Renier is joining the latest Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne project. No this isn’t a case of deja-vu folks, the brothers and Renier have a complicity that began back with 1996’s La promesse and has been constant through the years. The freshly titled Délivrez-moi (Set Me Free) would mark the fourth collaboration between team Dardenne and the co-countryman – they most recently worked with his on Lorna’s Silence and The Child was the big Palme d’or winner in 2005. Renier joins Cécile De France (who joined the project before Cannes) and shooting is getting started next month which means this will be ready for another Cannes premiere.

Renier’s role appears to be as a supporting player with perhaps less screen time than in his previous film. This is the story of an 11-year-old boy, abandoned by his father, who ends up with an unwitting young woman (Cecile de France) to care for him.

Renier has been on a roll of late, having a significant part in Olivier Assayas’ warm, perfectly pitched Summer Hours and François Ozon’s Potiche which should be released at the Venice film festival this September. Previously he ventured into English language film territory (Atonement and In Bruges) which is where de France most ventured in with Eastwood’s Hereafter.