Frontier(s)’ Xavier Gens is teaming up with Netflix to bring us some underwater terror, as Variety have exclusively revealed today that the streaming giant has set the director’s untitled Paris-set genre film as its next French film original.
Oscar-nominated and César award-winning Bérénice Bejo (The Artist) will star in what is a rare genre role for the actress, as well as Nassim Lyes (Overdose) and Léa Léviant (Mortel). The shark-attack story is being described as (brace yourselves) an ‘ambitious elevated genre film’ and the plot synopsis reads as follows:
Set in the Summer of 2024, the film unfolds in Paris which is hosting the World Triathlon Championships on the Seine for the first time. Sophia, a brilliant scientist, learns from Mika, a young environmental activist, that a large shark is swimming deep in the river. To avoid a bloodbath at the heart of the city, they have no choice but to join forces with Adil, the Seine river police commander.
Variety notes that ‘although Netflix has not disclosed the budget, Gens’ movie appears to boast topnotch production values and a glossy cinematography which will set it apart from most French genre films with niche appeal.’
While we can’t necessarily say we agree with that statement entirely (did Variety not see Titane?!), we definitely agree that the ‘glossy cinematography’ is showing through even in just two exclusive stills released today:
Gens, who is perhaps best known to horror fans for his New French Extremity classic Frontier(s), has dabbled in aquatic creature features before with 2017’s sci-fi horror Cold Skin.
Whether or not Gens will return to his NFE roots with some hyper-violent toothy attack scenes is to be determined. We won’t be finding out just exactly how horror this ‘elevated genre’ project will lean until 2024 when it hits Netflix, but once we know more we’ll be sure to update you, so watch this space!
