Athens International Film Festival
aiff

Zombi Child

Haiti, 1962. A man returns from the dead only to become a slave on a sugarcane plantation. Half a century later, in a reputable Parisian school, his granddaughter confides in her new friends about an old family secret oblivious to the unfathomable events which are about to follow. One of the top French directors ingeniously combines Voodoo culture, Rihana and criticism of colonialism in a consuming mystagogy that gets under your skin. In collaboration with the Athens International Children’s Film Festival.


FRANCE | 2019 | COLOR | DCP | 103' | FRENCH, HAITIAN

‘Liberalism seeks the enforcement of freedom’ is a phrase heard early in the film setting the twofold theoretical background of the coming terror. A man comes back from the dead only to be a slave at a sugar cane plantation. Half a century later, attending a high-profile school in Paris, his granddaughter tells an old family secret to her friends without thinking about the unimaginable things that are about to follow.

The build-up in the action and the imminent threat, the great soundtrack reminiscent of Carpenter and the stylish image and soundscape make up a thriller that uses the time fraction of action to its advantage nodding to the classical ‘I Walked With a Zombie’ of the terribly overlooked Jacques Tournier. I.D.

DIRECTOR: Bertrand Bonello
SCREENWRITER: Bertrand Bonello
DoP: Yves Cape
MUSIC: Bertrand Bonello
EDITOR: Anita Roth
PRINCIPAL CAST: Louise Labeque, Wislanda Louimat, Mackenson Bijou, Katiana Milfort, Adilé David, Ninon François, Mathilde Riu, Patrick Boucheron, Nehémy Pierre-Dahomey, Ginite Popote

BERTRAND BONELLO
French director, screenwriter and composer born in Nice in 1968. He shares his time between Paris and Montreal. ‘The Pornographer’ (2001) won the FIPRESCI at Cannes. Established in the informal movement of New Extreme French Cinema ranging between Fantasy and art house.

FILMOGRAPHY
2019 Zombi Child
2016 Nocturama
2014 Saint Laurent
2011 House of Tolerance
2008 On War
2003 Tiresia
2001 The Pornographer
1998 Something Organic



        : Festival Darlings

        TWILIGHT'S KISS / SUK SUK

        TWILIGHT'S KISS / SUK SUK

        24/9/2020, 19:30, ANESIS

        MARTIN EDEN

        MARTIN EDEN

        24/9/2020, 21:00, STELLA

        NOMADLAND (Opening Film)

        NOMADLAND (Opening Film)

        24/9/2020, 22:15, AEGLI ZAPPIOU

        SAVE YOURSELVES!

        SAVE YOURSELVES!

        24/9/2020, 22:15, RIVIERA
        28/9/2020, 23:00, TRIANON
        4/10/2020, 19:45, GREEK FILM ARCHIVE

        CICADA

        CICADA

        26/9/2020, 22:30, GREEK FILM ARCHIVE
        3/10/2020, 19:45, TRIANON

         THERE IS NO EVIL / SHEYTAN VOJUD NADARAD

        THERE IS NO EVIL / SHEYTAN VOJUD NADARAD

        26/9/2020, 22:30, ANESIS

        BLACK BEAR

        BLACK BEAR

        26/9/2020, 22:30, TRIANON
        4/10/2020, 22:45, ANESIS

        ARE WE LOST FOREVER

        ARE WE LOST FOREVER

        26/9/2020, 22:30, ATHINAIA

         SHIRLEY

        SHIRLEY

        26/9/2020, 22:45, AEGLI ZAPPIOU
        30/9/2020, 20:00, STELLA
        4/10/2020, 22:45, RIVIERA

        THE EVENING HOUR

        THE EVENING HOUR

        27/9/2020, 22:30, GREEK FILM ARCHIVE
        2/10/2020, 22:30, TRIANON

        ONLY THE ANIMALS / SEULES LES BÊTES

        ONLY THE ANIMALS / SEULES LES BÊTES

        28/9/2020, 19:30, RIVIERA

        ONE OF THESE DAYS

        ONE OF THESE DAYS

        28/9/2020, 21:00, STELLA
        4/10/2020, 23:00, TRIANON

        INSTINCT

        INSTINCT

        29/9/2020, 22:30, AEGLI ZAPPIOU
        1/10/2020, 19:30, GREEK FILM ARCHIVE

        FAREWELL AMOR

        FAREWELL AMOR

        30/9/2020, 19:30, AEGLI ZAPPIOU
        3/10/2020, 19:45, STELLA

        DINNER IN AMERICA

        DINNER IN AMERICA

        2/10/2020, 22:15, ATHINAIA
        4/10/2020, 19:45, RIVIERA

        MINAMATA

        MINAMATA

        3/10/2020, 19:30, ATHINAIA

        UNDINE (Closing Film)

        UNDINE (Closing Film)

        3/10/2020, 20:30, AEGLI ZAPPIOU
        3/10/2020, 22:30, RIVIERA

        HOPE / HÅP

        HOPE / HÅP

        3/10/2020, 22:15, ANESIS

        AMMONITE

        AMMONITE

        4/10/2020, 19:30, AEGLI ZAPPIOU