Presidents (film)
{{Short description|2023 film}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Presidents
| image = Présidents 2021 film poster.png
| alt =
| caption =
| native_name = {{Infobox name module|fr|Présidents}}
| director = Anne Fontaine
| writer = Anne Fontaine
| producer = Philippe Carcassonne
| starring = {{plainlist|
}}
| cinematography = Yves Angelo
| editing = Fabrice Rouaud{{cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/film/405031/|title=Présidents|website=Cineuropa|access-date=5 June 2023}}
| studio = Ciné@
| distributor = Universal Pictures International France
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2021|6|30|France}}
| runtime = 100 minutes{{cite web|url=https://www.20minutes.fr/arts-stars/cinema/3091047-20210726-presidents-2021|title=Présidents: synopsis et bande-annonce|date=26 July 2021|website=24 minutes|language=fr|access-date=5 June 2023}}
| country = France
| language = French
| budget =
| gross = $3.6 million{{cite Box Office Mojo|id=13558724|title=Presidents (2021)|access-date=5 June 2023}}
}}
Presidents ({{langx|fr|Présidents}}) is a 2021 French political satire film written and directed by Anne Fontaine.{{cite news|date=29 December 2020|title=Anne Fontaine puts the finishing touches to Présidents|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/396097/|work=Cineuropa|access-date=5 June 2023}} Although it was promoted with the disclaimer that "any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental", the film stars Jean Dujardin and Grégory Gadebois in roles inspired by former French presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande, respectively.{{cite magazine|last=Laffon|first=Lucie|date=24 June 2021|title=Jean Dujardin fait un énorme carton dans C à vous avec une imitation magistrale de Nicolas Sarkozy en train de se plaindre|url=https://www.gqmagazine.fr/pop-culture/article/jean-dujardin-fait-un-enorme-carton-dans-c-a-vous-avec-une-imitation-magistrale-de-nicolas-sarkozy-en-train-de-se-plaindre|magazine=GQ|language=fr|location=France|access-date=5 June 2023}} It was theatrically released in France on 30 June 2021.
Cast
File:Christophe Lambert et Jean Dujardin (Cropped).jpg
- Jean Dujardin as Nicolas
- Grégory Gadebois as François
- Doria Tillier as Nathalie
- Pascale Arbillot as Isabelle
- Jean-Charles Clichet as Damien
- Pierre Lottin as Balthazar
- Roxane Bret as Natacha
- Jean-Michel Lahmi as Jean-Jacques
- Denis Podalydès as Le coach
- Jean-Chrétien Sibertin-Blanc as Le moine guide touristique
Production
File:Eglise abbatiale d'Aubazine-monastère.JPG, where some of the scenes of the film were shot.]]
In August 2020, director Anne Fontaine revealed that she developed the idea for the screenplay during the first COVID-19 lockdown in France:
{{blockquote|The lockdown stimulated me into the idea of a different time. It was quite exhilarating to take advantage of a time not planned for writing and to create something unexpected. It's not representative of this period but I wanted something like a comedy, whether it's light, whether it's funny, something whimsical.{{cite web|last=Palanchini|first=Corentin|title=Jean Dujardin : son personnage s'inspirera de Nicolas Sarkozy dans Présidents|url=http://www.allocine.fr/article/fichearticle_gen_carticle=18692790.html|website=Allociné|language=fr|date=9 September 2020|access-date=21 November 2020}}}}
The project was described as a comedy about "[the] power and the difficulty of no longer being in charge [...] it is the meeting of two political adversaries who will live an adventure of sorts".
Presidents was produced by Philippe Carcassonne at Ciné@. The film was shot over a seven-week period in Corrèze and Paris, with Yves Angelo as director of photography. Principal photography began on 5 October 2020,{{cite web|title=Présidents : première image de Jean Dujardin en Nicolas Sarkozy pour Anne Fontaine|url=https://www.premiere.fr/Cinema/News-Cinema/Presidents-premiere-image-de-Jean-Dujardin-en-Nicolas-Sarkozy-pour-Anne-Fontaine|date=8 October 2020|website=Première|language=fr|access-date=21 November 2020}} and concluded in mid-November 2020.{{cite web|title=Présidents : Jean Dujardin annonce la fin du tournage du film d'Anne Fontaine|url=https://www.cineserie.com/news/cinema/presidents-jean-dujardin-annonce-la-fin-du-tournage-du-film-danne-fontaine-3871161/|date=20 November 2020|website=CinéSéries|language=fr|access-date=21 November 2020}}
Release
The film was theatrically released by Universal Pictures International France on 30 June 2021.{{cite news|date=29 June 2021|title="Présidents", "La Fine fleur", "Pierre Lapin 2"... Les films en salles cette semaine|url=https://www.lejdd.fr/culture/presidents-la-fine-fleur-pierre-lapin-2-les-films-en-salles-cette-semaine-17024|newspaper=Le Journal du Dimanche|language=fr|access-date=5 June 2023|url-access=subscription}}
Reception
=Box office=
Presidents grossed $3.6 million in France, and $0 in other territories, for a worldwide total of $3.6 million.
In France, the film opened alongside Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, Le Sens de la famille, Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard, The Deep House, The Rose Maker, Teddy, and Charlatan. The film sold 41,241 admissions on its first day,{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficepro.fr/box-office-1er-jour-pierre-lapin-2-demarre-au-poil/|title=Box-office 1er jour : Pierre Lapin 2 démarre au poil|last=Colon|first=Tanguy|date=1 July 2021|website=Boxoffice Pro|language=fr|access-date=5 June 2023}} 4,623 of which were preview screenings.{{cite web|url=https://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=21081&view=2|title=Présidents (2021)|website=JP Box-Office|language=fr|access-date=5 June 2023}} It went on to sell 213,699 admissions in its opening weekend, finishing 5th at the box office, behind Cruella, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and Le Sens de la famille.{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficepro.fr/box-office-week-end-cruella-garde-la-main/|title=Box-office week-end : Cruella garde la main|last=Colon|first=Tanguy|date=5 July 2021|website=Boxoffice Pro|language=fr|access-date=5 June 2023}} At the end of its theatrical run, the film sold a total of 431,129 admissions.
=Critical response=
Presidents received an average rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars on the French website AlloCiné, based on 30 reviews.{{cite web |website=AlloCiné |title=Critiques Presse pour le film Présidents |url=https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm-286291/critiques/presse/ |access-date=5 June 2023 |language=fr}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title}}
{{Anne Fontaine}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Presidents}}
Category:2020s French-language films
Category:2020s political comedy films
Category:2020s satirical films
Category:Films directed by Anne Fontaine
Category:French political satire films
Category:Films produced by Philippe Carcassonne
Category:Films shot in Corrèze
Category:Universal Pictures films
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