NRW.filmclub: On the occasion of International Women’s Day in Brussels – Isabelle Huppert is “La Syndicaliste“

The International Women’s Day on 8 March is to be marked by a screening of the the Filmstiftung-backed thriller “The Sitting Duck” (original title: "La Syndicaliste") in the presence of the director Jean-Paul Salomé and the producer Bettina Brokemper (Heimatfilm) at what will now be the ninth NRW.filmclub@Brussels being organised by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW and the Representation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia to the European Union. The film will be released in Belgian cinemas on the same day. The German theatrical release is on 27 April.

The film tells the story of the trade unionist Maureen Kearney (Isabelle Huppert) who takes on the French nuclear industry. The German-French co-production by Cologne’s Heimatfilm and Paris-based Le Bureau Films had its world premiere at last year’s Venice Film Festival and opened the Film Festival Cologne in October.

"I am delighted that we can once again invite you to the NRW.filmclub in Brussels – on International Women’s Day for a drama about a strong, courageous woman, portrayed by Isabelle Huppert and based on true events. The subject couldn’t be more topical, and we are showing the production in the opening week of its theatrical release in Belgium and before it comes into German cinemas," says Petra Müller, CEO of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW. "Congratulations to the Cologne-based producer Bettina Brokemper, who saw the potential for the big screen of this controversial subject matter and came to NRW for part of the shoot. It will be really interesting to follow the discussion after the film’s screening!"

"The Sitting Duck"

The thriller by Jean-Paul Salomé is based on true events. It tells the story of the trade unionist Maureen Kearney, who becomes the victim of a robbery and a subsequent smear campaign when she wants to expose the machinations of the French nuclear industry. The film stars Isabelle Huppert in the lead role, with a cast including Yvan Attal, Marina Foïs, Alexandra Maria Lara, Grégory Gadebois, François-Xavier Demaison, Pierre Deladonchamps and Geno Lechner. Salomé based his screenplay, which was co-written with Fadette Drouard, on the book "La Syndicaliste" by Caroline Michel-Aguirre. The eponymous drama was produced by Cologne’s Heimatfilm together with France’s Le Bureau Films; the Filmstiftung NRW backed the project with 290,000 Euros. Weltkino is handling German distribution.

NRW.filmclub@Brussels

The Filmstiftung NRW and the Representation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia to the European Union have been presenting special film productions made with funding from NRW at the NRW.filmclub@Brussels since 2016. Directors, producers and actors attend the respective screenings for a discussion following the film. The Filmstiftung-backed films "The People Vs. Fritz Bauer", "Young Light", "Marija", "You’ll Never Walk Alone", "Happy", "Klitschko" and "All About Me" have been shown here in the past.