Where’s The Weinstein Company’s “Suite Francaise,” a movie many assumed would be an Oscar player? Well, it will make its world premiere at the American Film Market, among 90 other premieres, in November. And AFM is for buyers and distributors, so it’s the opposite of the splashy premiere that you might expect from TWC. In fact, if you’re being cynical or conspiracy theory-like, you might think they’re trying to unload the picture since they already own it. But that’s nothing but speculation for now.
Regardless, the picture stars Michelle Williams and Matthias Schoenaerts as two diametrically opposed people who embark on a forbidden affair. Set during World War II, during the early years of Germany’s occupation of France, Williams plays a French villager who falls for a Nazi soldier (Schoenaerts) stationed to look over her township.
Co-starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Sam Riley, the film is an adaptation of Irene Nemirovsky‘s novel. Here’s the official synopsis:
Set in 1940s France and based on the international best-selling work of Irène Némirovsky, SUITE FRANÇAISE follows beautiful Lucile Angellier who awaits news from her husband, a prisoner of war whilst leading a stifled existence with her domineering mother-in-law. When Parisian refugees pour into their small town, soon followed by a regiment of German soldiers who take up residence in the villagers’ homes, Lucile’s life is turned upside down. In the Angellier home, Lucile initially tries to ignore Bruno, the handsome and refined German officer who has been posted to live with them. But soon, a powerful love draws them together and traps them in the tragedy of war.
Written and directed by Saul Dibb ("The Duchess"), the solid supporting cast also features Ruth Wilson ("The Lone Ranger," "Anna Karenina"), Margot Robbie ("The Wolf of Wall Street"), Alexandra Maria Lara ("Rush," "Youth Without Youth"), Tom Schilling, Eileen Atkins, and Lambert Wilson. In addition, Alexandre Desplat composed the score. The movie was on our 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2014 and on our list of 15 Films That Failed To Hit The Fall Film Festival Circuit. It is admittedly eyebrow raising that an apparent prestige-worthy picture like this would skip the fall film festival circuit entirely for a bow at AFM. But beyond that, we’ll let others speculate about its quality. Instead ,the final trailer has arrived and you can judge it yourself below. “Suite Francaise” opens in the U.K. on January 23, 2015 via eOne films.