Chloë Sevigny, Aliocha Schneider, Bonjour Tristesse, Françoise Sagan

Chloë Sevigny: which French project will feature the actress?

Cinema 27 February 2024

The film adaptation of Françoise Sagan’s novel Bonjour Tristesse (French for “Hello Sadness”) is progressively showing its true colors. Last week, the first image of this exciting project was unveiled, picturing the great actress Chloë Sevigny at the wheel of a car. Here is what you need to know about this highly anticipated feature by Montreal director Durga Chew-Bose.

by Erwann Chevalier .

The new film adaptation of Bonjour Tristesse

70 years after its publication, Bonjour Tristesse is still deserving of its place among the great classics of French literature. Published in 1954, the excellent first book secretly written by Françoise Sagan, who was 18 years old at the time, is once again the topic of a film adaptation - a first adaptation of the novel starring Jean Seberg was released in 1958.

With this major project, Montreal-born Indian author Durga Chew-Bose makes her debut in the world of the seventh art as both film director and screenwriter. Produced in collaboration with Françoise Sagan’s son Denis Westhoff as the executive producer, Bonjour Tristesse has no release date yet, but a first image has been unveiled. It shows three characters in a convertible car bathed in Mediterranean sunshine.

According to Variety, the film should follow the same narrative arc as the one developed in the cult book written by the infamous author who won the prestigious French literary award “Prix des Critiques” in 1954. The story focuses on the character of Cécile, who, after failing her high school diploma, goes to the Côte d’Azur with her father Raymond and her young companion Elsa for the summer holidays. While the three are enjoying the sun and gentle pace of life in the South of France, Anne, an old family friend, enters their lives. Her strict, sanctimonious behavior turns their everyday lives upside down, so much so that Cécile works up a plan to get her away that will eventually have tragic consequences.

Chloë Sevigny, Aliocha Schneider, Claes Bang... A five-star cast

Durga Chew-Bose and Denis Westhoff have gathered a five-star cast to enact Françoise Sagan’s sensitive and fascinating story. Currently starring in Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, Chloë Sevigny takes on the role of Anne, while Danish actor Claes Bang (The Northman) plays Raymond.

French actress Nailia Harzoune (Patients) embodies Elsa and American actress Lily McInerny (Palm Trees and Power Lines) stars as the young Cécile. Although his role has not been confirmed yet, French-Canadian actor and singer Aliocha Schneider will also be part of this new production, which we can’t wait to discover.

Bonjour Tristesse (2024) by Durga Chew-Bose, starring Chloë Sevigny and Aliocha Schneider, has no release date yet.

Traduction Emma Naroumbo Armaing