Imagine a handful of ultra-rich whimsical, even downright neurotic, pampered from evening to morning by a zealous staff whose maniacality lends itself to smiles. This is not the Palme d'Or won by Sweden's Ruben Östlund in 2022: the neurotic ultra-rich were on a cruise ship, not in a hotel. It is also not an episode of The White Lotus, although the HBO series also features the ultra-rich and their staff in a luxury hotel on a paradise island. This is the plot of Roman Polanski's new film, as we can discover it, in Italian including a trailer. In Italian only, as the film will be presented at the Venice Film Festival in September. And, a priori, nowhere else.
In this short excerpt, we discover the joyful occupants of a luxury hotel a few days before the transition to the year 2000. While the staff in suits are busy, an occupant - who is reminiscent of Donald Trump - comes to put down his suitcases. Later, Fanny Ardant, curly red hair and poodle under her arm, worries about the animal, which has been afraid of snow since it was young. The party promises to be grandiose, balloons and lights presage an unforgettable evening. The passengers of this strange ship fear the famous bug of the year 2000.
" READ ALSO "If rape is an art, give him all the Caesars!": feminists call to vote against Polanski
No release date in France
If the film is expected on September 28 in Italy, it does not yet have a release date in France, or elsewhere abroad. Entirely produced by Italians, a first for the filmmaker, the film did not find funding from other countries. The controversies surrounding Roman Polanski, which culminated in the awarding of the César for best director to the filmmaker for his entire career despite accusations of rape and assault, did not help.
See alsoRoman Polanski accused of rape of a minor for the fourth time
The film has little chance of being distributed in the United States, where the director is still under an international arrest warrant for the rape of Samantha Geimer, 13 years old at the time of the facts. Four other women have since accused the French-Polish director of rape and sexual assault.
In France, Walk in Krakow, a documentary in which the filmmaker recounts his experience in the ghetto, released on July 5, was shown in only two theaters. And it is no longer on the bill.