LA VIE D’ARTISTE North American Premiere Comedy France, 2007 In French with English subtitles 35mm/Scope, 2.35:1/Color/Dolby SRD/107 min Awards: Winner of MPA’s Michel D'Ornano prize for promising first film Official Selection: Deauville International Film Festival (2007) Written and directed by: Marc Fitoussi Cinematography: Pénélope Pourriat Editor: Serge Turquier Music: Tim Gane, Sean O’Hagan Produced by: Caroline Benjo, Carole Scotta, Barbara Letellier, Simon Arnal-Szlovak Production Company: Haut & Court Co-production: France 2 Cinema With: Sandrine Kiberlain (Alice), Émilie Dequenne (Cora), Denis Podalydès (Bertrand), Valérie Benguigui (Solange), Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet (Frédéric), Aure Atika (the steakhouse manager), Jean-Pierre Kalfon (Joseph Costals), Maria Schneider (Joseph Costals’ wife) La Vie d’artiste is a comedy chronicling the experience of three characters, a singer, a writer and an actress, determined to succeed in their art but struggling to have their talent recognized. Writer/director Marc Fitoussi has assembled a cast of French indie darlings in this meditation on art and success: Sandrine Kiberlain (Alias Betty (COLCOA 2002), For Sale, Seventh Heaven), Émilie Dequenne (The brotherhood of the Wolf, The Housekeeper, The Light (COLCOA 2005) and Denis Podalydès (Nothing about Robert, Comedy of Innocence, Diary of a Seducer). MARC FITOUSSI Young writer/director Marc Fitoussi studied English and Art History then attended the Conservatoire Européen d’Ecriture Audiovisuelle as well as the University of Los Angeles. After a first short film in 1999, Ma Vie active, he wrote fiction for television before returning to cinema with the short films Les Fleurs de l’Algérien (2000) and Bonbon au poivre, which was nominated for Best Short Film at the 2007 César Awards. After a documentary in 2006, L’education anglaise, La Vie d’Artiste is his first feature as writer/director. PRESS "The fortunes and misfortunes of a handful of striving artists intent on making a mark in Paris are presented with a wry, appealingly melancholy touch… Pic boasts a breezy script full of satisfying little twists, all brought to life by well-cast thesps possessed of good comic timing." (Variety) “Served by a cast of impeccable actors, La Vie d’Artiste deals with the search for celebrity with a familiar and bittersweet tone. This familiar tone echoes old forgotten wishes in each of us. When you come out of the screening, it is not unlikely that you will take singing or acting lessons again or go back to that old manuscript you gave up on years ago.” (Première)