Pearl

59th TIFF: Greek Premiere

Léa Pearl is getting ready for the great finals of an international bodybuilding championship, when she has an unexpected visit from the past: her ex-lover shows up with their six-year-old son she hardly knows. She might have invested years in building her harmor, this impressive mass of textured muscles, but a couple of hours are enough for her to remember something that is hidden in her heart – besides, her last name alludes to this precious matter that is hidden in a hard shell. The first film in cinema history with a woman bodybuilder as the main character is a fascinating study of a heroine of our times, who defies any ready-made roles of maternity and femininity, of the fragile limits of our perishable flesh.

Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.

Direction: Elsa Amiel

Script: Elsa Amiel, Laurent Lariviere

Cinematography: Colin Lévêque

Editing: Sylvie Lager

Sound: Marc Von Sturler

Music: Fred Avril

Actors: Julia Föry, Peter Mullan, Arieh Worthalter, Vidal Arzoni, Agata Buzek

Production: Unité de Production, Bande à Part Films

Producers: Bruno Nahon, Caroline Nataf, Lionel Baier

Art Direction: Valérie Rozanes

Costumes: Yvett Rotscheid

Sets: Valérie Rozanes

Make Up: Ferouz Zaafour

Format: DCP

Color: Color

Production Country: France, Switzerland

Production Year: 2018

Duration: 80΄

Contact: mk2, itnlsales@mk2.com

Elsa Amiel

Elsa Amiel was born in 1979 in Paris, France. She has Swiss citizenship. She has worked as assistant for renown directors Raoul Ruiz, Mathieu Amalric, Noémie Lvovsky, among others, and as actress and director. Pearl is her feature debut.