The Cannes Film Festival has added Jean-Bernard Marlin’s Marseille second feature Salem to its Un Certain Regard line-up devoted to new cinematic voices.
The Marseille gangland-set fantasy follows a former gang member who believes his daughter is the only one who can save his community from an apocalyptic curse uttered by a rival gang member in his dying breath.
Salem is Marlin’s second feature after the gritty romance Shéhérazade which debuted in Cannes Critics’ Week in 2018. Also set against the backdrop of Marseille, the film won best first film in France’s 2019 César awards as well as most promising Actress and Actor for its big screen debutants Kenza Fortas and Dylan Robert.
The film is co-produced by Bruno Nahon’s Unité and Vatos Locos Productions, Marlin’s company with Romain Daubeach and Marine Bergère, with international sales handled by Goodfellas.
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