For his follow-up to breakout international hit The Artist, director Michel Hazanavicius has chosen a project that could not be more different. Chechen war drama The Search does, however, once again star Berenice Bejo, with support this time from Annette Bening. Tying in with its debut at Cannes, the first trailer has just arrived.
The Search takes as a template the 1948 film of the same name, directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Montgomery Clift. That version was about a young Auschwitz survivor and his mother, separated in WWII Europe. Hazanavicius' update involves the orphaned Hadji (Abdul Kahlim Mamutsiev) during the Second Chechan War in the 1990s. He comes under the protective wing of EU delegation head Carole (Bejo) while his elder sister Raissa (Zukhra Duishvili) searches for him among the civilian exodus. Interwoven with their story is that of struggling Russian army recruit Kolia (Maksim Emelyanov).
Hazanavicius has been able to realise this passion project thanks to his increased Artist cachet, and will hope that The Search wins similar plaudits and attention. It's off to a good start at Cannes, where it premieres today in competition for the Palme d'Or. We'll give you our thoughts when we've seen it.
The Search is released in France on November 26, but there are no other international dates so far.