EN GARDE
(TOUCHÉES)
Wednesday, October 12 – Truffaut Theatre – 4:00 pm
(Screening ends at 5:40 pm)
+ Short Film Presentation: STEAKHOUSE
FICTION / DRAMA
TV MOVIE
Presented in Association with:
Newen Connect
Titrafilm
Women in Film
North American Premiere | France | 2023 | Drama |90 min | In French with English subtitles
Directed by: Alexandra Lamy
Written by: Solen Roy-Pagenault, Quentin Zuttion, Alexandra Lamy
Based on a Book by: Quentin Zuttion
Produced by: Philippe Boëffard, Quitterie Gausserès, Christophe Rossignon, Pierre Guyard (Nord-Ouest Productions), TF1
Cinematography: Thomas Rames
Film Editing: Anne Saiac, Thierry Rouden
Original Score: Thomas Dappelo
Cast: Mélanie Doutey (Lucie), Claudia Tagbo (Nicole), Chloé Jouannet (Tamara), Andréa Bescond, Elsa Lepoivre, Geneviève Lezy
International Sales: Newen Connect
Original Broadcast: TF1, January 2023
The uplifting TV movie En Garde trumpets a band of valiant-yet-fragile sisters-in-arms. A group of eight women, all victims of domestic or sexual abuse, enroll in an ingenious form of group therapy — fencing — in an attempt to free themselves from the trauma they’ve experienced and heal some very deep wounds… because, as we all know, the body never forgets. We follow Tamara, a young woman with an inclination toward self-mutilation; the ever-obliging Nicole, who lives alone with her guard dog and doesn’t like to be touched; and especially Lucie. Lucie has recently packed up her 6-year-old son, fled her violent husband and moved to another town. But she still sleeps with a knife under her pillow and trembles at the sound of footsteps outside her door. Lost and afraid on their own, these women form a bond, release their silent rage, and support one another as, one by one, they each face their own demons.
Alexandra Lamy is a well-known actress in France, excelling in both comedic and dramatic roles. She studied at the Nimes Conservatory and launched her acting career in 1994, appearing in numerous theatrical productions, TV series and films, including Eric Lavaine’s You Choose! (COLCOA 2017), James Huth’s Lucky Luke (2009) and Franck Dubosc’s Rolling to You (2018). She has garnered Best Actress Awards at the La Rochelle TV Festival for Une chance de trop (2015), The Alpe d’Huez Comedy Film Festival for You Choose! (2016), and a Globes de Cristal Award for Tout le monde debout (2018). In 1999, Lamy earned her first writing credit, on the TV series Un gars, une fille (1999-2003), on which she co-starred opposite Oscar winner Jean Dujardin. She makes her directorial debut with En Garde, which was adapted from a graphic novel by Quentin Zuttion. The film will be broadcast on TF1 in 2023.
