‘La Gradiva’ Debuts Trailer: Cannes’ Critics Winner Is a Poignant French Coming-of-Age Tale

One of the highlights of this year’s festival circuit, “La Gradiva” has debuted its trailer ahead of its Dec. 18 release in the U.S. which will be handled by 1.2 Special. It was one of the five films shortlisted by the French Oscar committee to represent the country in the international feature race.

“The Gradiva,” which marks the directorial debut of acclaimed cinematographer Marine Atlan, world premiered at Cannes’ Critics Week where it won the top honor and garnered stellar reviews. Variety’s Jessica Kiang described the film as a “lithe, perceptive, piercingly compassionate debut” that “makes the coming-of-age genre feel reborn.”

The film follows a group of high school students on a class trip to Naples who are overtaken by surges of desire, anger and despair while exploring the ancient city’s ruins from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. It stars Antonia Buresi alongside newcomers Colas Quignard, Suzanne Gerin and Mitia Capellier-Audat.

Atlan co-wrote “La Gradiva” with Anne Brouillet with whom she previously collaborated on “Green Romances” and “Daniel.” She also served as cinematographer alongside Pierre Mazoyer. “La Gradiva” was produced by Inès Daïen Dasi of Les Films du Poisson, with Angelo Barbagallo as co-producer and Yaël Fogiel and Laetitia Gonzalez as associate producers. MK2 Films represented the film internationally and has sold it to all major territories.

Besides the Critics Week award, the movie also won won the audience award at the New Horizons International Film Festival and the Prix d’Ornano-Valenti at the Deauville American Film Festival. It made its North American debut at Toronto and will next play at the New York Film Festival.