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Swimming Pool

Homage 2019
© Jean-Claude Moireau / Studiocanal
Faced with writer’s block in London, mystery author Sarah Morton accepts her publisher’s offer to write her next book at his summer house in the south of France. But her peace and quiet is cut short when the publisher’s young adult daughter arrives and settles in to the house. Initially repulsed by Julie’s wild love life, Sarah becomes ever more fascinated, finding in it the inspiration for a new novel. And as a volume consumer of men, Julie delivers plenty of book-worthy material. Then one of the younger woman’s lovers shows a preference for Sarah … Wishful thinking or reality? In François Ozon’s steamy summer thriller, the line between fact and fabulation is blurred. Cast against type as an aging spinster, Charlotte Rampling plays her character’s transformation into an erotically aroused woman somewhat tongue in cheek. The metamorphosis is seen not only in her costumes – she starts in shades of khaki before donning strong reds. Her movements, too, become increasingly fluid, such that her claim to have been a part of the “swinging sixties” in London is entirely credible.
by François Ozon
with Charlotte Rampling, Ludivine Sagnier, Charles Dance, Marc Fayolle, Jean-Marie Lamour, Mireille Mossé, Michel Fau, Jean-Claude Lecas France / United Kingdom 2003 French, English 102’ Colour Rating R12

With

  • Charlotte Rampling
  • Ludivine Sagnier
  • Charles Dance
  • Marc Fayolle
  • Jean-Marie Lamour
  • Mireille Mossé
  • Michel Fau
  • Jean-Claude Lecas

Crew

Director François Ozon
Screenplay François Ozon, Emmanuèle Bernheim
Cinematography Yorick Le Saux
Editing Monica Coleman
Music Philippe Rombi
Sound Pascal Von Hatten
Art Director Wouter Zoon
Costumes Pascaline Chavanne
Producers Olivier Delbosc, Marc Missonnier

François Ozon

© Jean-Claude Moireau

Born in Paris, France in 1967, the director and screenwriter studied at La Fémis film school and is now one of the most renowned filmmakers in his country. Peter von Kant is his fifth film to screen in the Berlinale Competition following Water Drops on Burning Rocks, which won the 2000 Teddy Award, the 2002 comedy 8 Women, whose ensemble female cast won the Silver Bear, Angel in 2007, Ricky in 2009 and the 2019 film By the Grace of God, for which he won the Grand Jury Prize. In 2012, he was a member of the Competition jury himself.

Filmography (selection)

1998 Sitcom 1999 Les amants criminels (Criminal Lovers) 2000 Gouttes d’eau sur pierres brûlantes (Water Drops on Burning Rocks) · Sous le sable (Under the Sand) 2002 8 femmes (8 Women) 2003 Swimming Pool 2004 5 x 2 2005 Le temps qui reste (Time to Leave) 2007 Angel 2009 Ricky · La refuge (The Refuge) 2010 Potiche 2012 Dans la maison (In the House) 2013 Jeune et jolie (Young & Beautiful) 2014 Une nouvelle amie (The New Girlfriend) 2016 Frantz 2017 L’amant double 2019 Grâce à Dieu (By the Grace of God) 2020 Été 85 (Summer of 85) 2021 Tout s’est bien passé (Everything Went Fine) · Peter von Kant

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2022