A first-look clip featuring Monica Bellucci in ‘The Birthday Party’ has been unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival, ahead of the film closing the festival’s main competition programme on Friday.
Directed by Léa Mysius, the dark thriller is competing for the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The film is adapted from Laurent Mauvignier’s bestselling novel of the same name.
The story centres on Thomas, Nora and their teenage daughter Ida, who live in an isolated marshland with little contact with the outside world. Bellucci plays Cristina, an Italian painter who is the family’s only neighbour.
As the two households prepare a surprise birthday celebration for Nora, a series of strange disturbances begins to unsettle the quiet surroundings.
The cast also includes Hafsia Herzi, Bastien Bouillon, Benoît Magimel, Tawba El Gharchi and Paul Hamy.
The Birthday Party marks the third feature film from Mysius, who previously appeared at Cannes with Ava and The Five Devils. She also received an Oscar nomination alongside Jacques Audiard and Thomas Bidegain for the screenplay of Emilia Pérez.
The film has been produced by Paris-based F Comme Film and is being handled internationally by mk2 films.
