Apart from Mike Leigh’s newest picture (Happy-Go-Lucky) being picked up by Miramax, the Berlin film festival (easily a top tier/top 7 film festival on the circuit) didn’t see too many domestic buys for the U.S. Screen Daily reports that Sony Pictures Classics have added some French drama-value to their 2008 slate with the well-reviewed, directorial debut from Philippe Claudel.
Il y a longtemps que je t’aime is based on an
original screenplay by Claudel, whose title is a reference to the nursery rhyme
A la claire fontaine (“ll y a longtemps que je t’aime/Jamais je ne
t’oublierai”), the film recounts the story of Juliette (Scott-Thomas), who after
15 years in prison returns to her hometown of Nancy. When she is reunited with
her younger sister Léa (Zylberstein), with whom she stays, Juliette finds
herself imprisoned by another pain and secret. Meanwhile, Léa seems to
lead a happy, calm and “normal” life with her husband Luc (Hazanavicius), two
young daughters, many friends and an exciting job. Complete strangers to each
other, will the two sisters end up getting to know each other again? And if one
of them wants to, will the other one really share? Will Juliette learn to live
again? Do we really know those close to us? And how can we become close again to
those we love who have become distanced?
