Film Movement Make ‘Illegal’ Move: Grab Rare Cannes-Venice Olivier Masset-Depasse Drama

Film Movement have made their second Cannes pick-up. Jury Prize winning A Screaming Man (receiving a release next April) is joined by Olivier Masset-Depasse’s prize-winning Illegal – the only picture that has been selected for both premium European film festivals: Cannes (Director’s Fortnight) and Venice (Venice Days) section. I missed out on the film during my Cannes coverage, but Anne Coesens looks fierce in the clip below. Film Movement plans a limited theatrical run (probably 2011) and premiere day-and-date on Cable VOD. 

Tania and Ivan, her 14 year-old son, are illegal immigrants from Russia, who have been living in Belgium for 8 years. In a permanent state of alert, Tania lives in constant fear of having her identity checked by the police – until the day she is arrested. The mother and the son are separated. Tania is placed in a detention center. She does everything in her power to find her son again, in spite of the constant deportation threat hanging over her head.