The Wild Boys
Remote and mysterious, whether hostile or enticing, infernal microcosms or dreamed worlds, islands have long captivated the imaginations of filmmakers. By their very isolated nature, they often serve as metaphoric or literal settings of loss and introspection, inviting exploration and oblivion. Enclosed by water, they provide ideal backdrops for intimate dramas and intense adventures, their geography shaping the narrative. As many real-world islands face existential threats, we invite you to explore a few fictional isles where cinema has found its enchanting refuge along the shore.
Winner of the 2017 Louis Delluc Prize for Best First Film
After committing murder, five bad boys escape from prison by being sent by their parents on the sailboat of an irascible and violent captain. He takes them to an island of lush and aphrodisiac vegetation. Mesmerized by the surroundings, the boys soon see their bodies transformed... A free adaptation of William S. Burroughs' novel The Wild Boys: A Book of the Dead.
Bertrand Mandico
Bertrand Mandico is a French filmmaker, a graduate of the animation film school Les Gobelins in Paris. After creating a few animated films with organic and surreal atmospheres like The Blue Cavalier (1999), he transitioned to live-action filmmaking. Initially, he worked on commissioned films, developing unique universes, and later ventured into creating his own fiction short films with radical settings. He also focuses on writing feature films and continues to produce numerous multi-format films, including Boro in the Box (2011), Living Still Life (2012), and Prehistoric Cabaret (2013). The latter was ultimately combined with two other films to form the Hormona program, released in 2015. In 2017, he directed the feature film The Wild Boys, which won the Louis-Delluc Prize for Best First Film. The film was presented and awarded at the Venice Critics' Week, recognized at various festivals, and hailed as an emblematic work, earning the title of best film of 2018 by Les Cahiers du Cinéma. His second feature film, After Blue (Dirty Paradise), a blend of fantasy and feminine western, won the FIPRESCI Prize from international critics at the Locarno Film Festival in 2020. His third feature film, She is Connan, premiered at the Directors' Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival in 2023.
