Venus in Fur (film)
| Venus in Fur | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Roman Polanski |
| Written by | David Ives Roman Polanski |
| Produced by | Robert Benmussa Alain Sarde |
| Starring | Emmanuelle Seigner Mathieu Amalric |
| Cinematography | Paweł Edelman |
| Edited by | Hervé de Luze Margot Meynier |
| Music by | Alexandre Desplat |
| Distributed by | Lionsgate (International)[1] |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 96 minutes |
| Countries | France Poland |
| Language | French |
Venus in Fur (French: La Vénus à la fourrure) is a 2013 French drama film directed by Roman Polanski. It is based on the play of the same name by American playwright David Ives, which itself was inspired by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's novel Venus in Furs.[2]
The film premiered in competition for the Palme d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival on 25 May.[3][4] In January 2014 the film received five nominations at the 39th César Awards,[5] winning for Best Director.[6]
Plot
Thomas is a writer-director of a new play, an adaptation of the 1870 novel Venus in Furs by Austrian author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. Alone in a Parisian theatre after a day of auditioning actresses for the lead character, Wanda von Dunayev, Thomas laments on the phone of the poor performances to come through. As he is preparing to leave the theatre, an actress named Vanda arrives disheveled. In a whirlwind of energy and unrestrained aggression, Vanda convinces the director to let her read for the part. To Thomas's amazement, Vanda shows great understanding of the character and knows every line by heart. As the audition progresses, the intensity is redoubled and the attraction of Thomas turns into obsession.
Cast
- Emmanuelle Seigner as Vanda Jourdain
- Mathieu Amalric as Thomas Novacheck
Production
In September 2012, it was announced that Roman Polanski would direct an adaptation of David Ives' 2010 play entitled Venus in Fur. At that time, Emmanuelle Seigner and Louis Garrel were attached in the lead roles.[7] While filming was scheduled to begin in November 2012, production was delayed until January 2013 and Garrel was replaced by Mathieu Amalric.[8]
Release
Sundance Selects/IFC Films acquired the U.S. rights to the film following its premiere at Cannes.[9]
Critical reception
A. O. Scott of The New York Times said, "Working from a French translation of the play (which was widely acclaimed when it ran on and off Broadway a few years ago), Mr. Polanski has marked the text with his own fingerprints. One of the two characters—the splendidly volatile Vanda, an actress—is played by Emmanuelle Seigner, his wife. Her foil—a writer and theater director named Thomas—is played by Mathieu Amalric in a performance that is very close to a Polanski impersonation."[10]
J.C. Maçek III of PopMatters wrote, "Venus in Fur is fascinating to the point that (subtitles or not), you simply cannot look away from the screen. There is always something to see, hear and feel."[11]
References
- ^ "Polanski's Venus among Lionsgate's successful sales in Cannes". Cineuropa. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
- ^ "Polański's Venus in Fur in the Competition for Palme d'Or". culture.pl. 18 April 2013.
- ^ "2013 Official Selection". Cannes Film Festival. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
- ^ 2013 Cannes Film Festival: Screenings of 25 May 2013 Archived 3 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Berenice Bejo, Lea Seydoux, Roman Polanski Among France's Cesar Awards Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
- ^ "France's Cesar Awards: 'Me, Myself and Mum' Wins Best Film". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
- ^ Fleming, Jr., Mike (20 September 2012). "Roman Polanski To Helm Screen Version Of Venus In Fur". Deadline.com. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- ^ Jagernauth, Kevin (17 January 2013). "Mathieu Amalric Replaces Louis Garrel In Roman Polanski's 'Venus In Fur'". IndieWire. Snagfilms. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- ^ "Roman Polanski's Venus in Fur Gets U.S. Distribution", Variety, Accessed online, 30 March 2014
- ^ Scott, A. O. (19 June 2014). "In 'Venus in Fur,' Polanski Adapts a Sexually Charged Play". The New York Times.
- ^ Maçek III, J.C. (1 December 2014). "'Venus in Fur' Blurs the Lines Between Character, Actor, and Director". PopMatters.
