Acclaimed Belgian director Fabrice du Welz is set to direct “Adoration,” the third part of a trilogy that includes “The Ordeal,” which played at Cannes’ Critics’ Week, and “Alleluia,” which played at Directors’ Fortnight.
“Adoration” is being produced by Vincent Tavier at Brussels-based Panique! and Manuel Chiche at Paris-based The Jokers. Memento Films International has acquired international sales to the film. The Jokers will handle distribution in France.
Like “The Ordeal” and “Alleluia,” “Adoration” will explore the boundaries of a maddening, destructive love, this time between two children. It follows 12-year-old Paul, who falls in love with Gloria, a schizophrenic teenager in the mental institution where his mother works. Paul decides to help Gloria escape after she commits a crime, and together they embark on a trip that reveals the extent of Gloria’s dangerous madness and Paul’s devotion to her.
Tavier, who wrote the script with du Welz, said “Adoration” would have the atmosphere of Charles Laughton’s “The Night of the Hunter,” with a poetic, contemplative tone.
Gloria will be played by Fantine Harduin, the young actress who starred opposite Isabelle Huppert and Mathieu Kassovitz as a troubled 12-year-old girl in Michael Haneke’s “Happy End,” which competed at Cannes. The cast will be completed by Benoît Poelvoorde (“The Brand New Testament”), Peter Van Den Begin (“King of the Belgians”), Emmanuelle Béart (“Bye Bye Blondie”) and Béatrice Dalle (“Chacun sa vie”).
The project is being backed by Screen Brussels.
