Disco Boy (film)
Disco Boy | |
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Directed by | Giacomo Abbruzzese |
Screenplay by | Giacomo Abbruzzese |
Produced by |
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Starring |
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Cinematography | Hélène Louvart |
Edited by |
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Music by | Vitalic |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | |
Release dates |
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Running time | 91 minutes |
Countries |
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Box office | $327,793[4] |
Disco Boy is a 2023 European co-production drama film directed by Giacomo Abbruzzese in his debut feature and starring Franz Rogowski as Aleksei. The film depicts the intertwined stories of Aleksei, a member of the French Foreign Legion; and of Jomo, a guerrilla fighter in a village in the Niger Delta.[5] It was selected to compete for the Golden Bear at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 19 February 2023.[6] Giacomo Abbruzzese, the first feature director was also nominated for GWFF Best First Feature Award in the festival.[7] It was released in French cinemas on 3 May 2023.[8]
Cast
- Franz Rogowski as Aleksei
- Morr Ndiaye as Jomo
- Laetitia Ky as Udoka
- Leon Lučev as Paul
- Matteo Olivetti as Francesco
- Robert Więckiewicz as Gavril
- Michał Balicki as Mikhail
Production
Development
Disco Boy is the feature film debut of Italian-born director and screenwriter Giacomo Abbruzzese. He developed the film during the Cinéfondation artist-in-residence program initiated by the Cannes Film Festival.[9] Speaking to Cineuropa's Davide Abbatescianni, Abbruzzese revealed that Rogowski's character was born out of an encounter in a nightclub with a dancer who had been a soldier. "He explained this 'dichotomy' through his body: a dancer’s body is the same as a soldier’s body. Although seemingly opposed, they actually have many things in common: discipline, the choreography involved is almost pleasurable thanks to the extreme effort involved, you return home destroyed and exhausted," Abbruzzese added.[10]
Casting
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/MJK_15770_Franz_Rogowski_%28In_den_G%C3%A4ngen%29_crop.jpg/150px-MJK_15770_Franz_Rogowski_%28In_den_G%C3%A4ngen%29_crop.jpg)
Franz Rogowski was cast in the role of Aleksey, and Morr Ndiaye from Gambia as Jomo. He was discovered through his participation in the documentary film Tumaranké (2018). Laetitia Ky, the Ivorian women's activist, influencer and model was cast as Udoka alongside Croatian Leon Lučev, Italian Matteo Olivetti, Polish Robert Więckiewicz and Belgian Mutamba Kalonji.[11]
Filming
The film was shot from 13 September 2021 to 5 November 2021 in France (Paris and Reunion Island) and Polish Subcarpathia.[12][13]
Release
Disco Boy had its premiere on 19 February 2023 as part of the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival, in competition. It was released in French cinemas on 3 May 2023.[8]
The film was screened at the Glasgow Film Festival held 28 February-10 March 2024.[14]
Reception
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes website, the film has an approval rating of 86% based on 44 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10.[15] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 72 out of 100 based on 13 reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[16]
Ben Croll reviewing for IndieWire graded the film B and wrote, "Getting in, getting down, and getting out as a style-hopping sizzle reel, Disco Boy heralds a promising new talent who totally has the moves."[17] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian rated the film with 4 stars out of 5 and praised debut director writing, "Giacomo Abbruzzese makes a really stylish debut with Disco Boy, a visually thrilling, ambitious and distinctly freaky adventure into the heart of imperial darkness". Praising score and cinematography Bradshaw concluded, "The electronic score by Vitalic (AKA Pascal Arbez-Nicolas) throbs in its own incantatory trance and Hélène Louvart’s cinematography is a thing of beauty. It’s quite a trip."[18]
Accolades
Award | Date | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
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Berlin International Film Festival | 25 February 2023 | Golden Bear | Disco Boy | Nominated | [19] |
GWFF Best First Feature Award | Giacomo Abbruzzese | Nominated | [7] | ||
Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution: cinematography | Hélène Louvart | Won | [20] | ||
César Awards | 23 February 2024 | Best Original Music | Vitalic | Nominated | [21] |
International Cinephile Society | 11 February 2024 | Best Score | Nominated | [22] | |
Lumières Award | 22 January 2024 | Best Actor | Franz Rogowski | Nominated | [23] |
Best First Film | Disco Boy | Nominated | |||
Best Cinematography | Hélène Louvart | Nominated | |||
Best Music | Vitalic | Won | [24] | ||
David di Donatello Awards | May 3, 2024 | Best Producer | Giulia Achilli, Marco Alessi, Lionel Massol, Pauline Seigland, André Logie | Nominated | [25] |
Best New Director | Linda Caridi | Nominated |
References
- ^ "DISCO BOY - al cinema".
- ^ https://www.kijkwijzer.be/nl-NL/movie/414926/disco-boy[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Disco Boy | Odkrycia | mBank Nowe Horyzonty".
- ^ "Disco Boy (2023)". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ Lemercier, Fabien (15 September 2021). "Giacomo Abbruzzese is shooting Disco Boy". Cineuropa. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- ^ Rosser, Michael (23 January 2023). "Berlin Film Festival reveals 2023 competition line-up". Screen Daily. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- ^ a b "Films nominated for the GWFF Best First Feature Award". Berlinale. 1 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- ^ a b "Disco Boy, a Feature film by Giacomo Abbruzzese". Unifrance. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ^ Blaney, Martin (18 January 2023). "70 European and Mena films to tempt festival directors in 2023 cast". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- ^ Abbatescianni, Davide (26 February 2023). "Interview/Giacomo Abbruzzese, Director of Disco Boy". Cineuropa. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
- ^ Blaney, Martin (18 January 2023). "70 European and Mena films to tempt festival directors in 2023 cast". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- ^ "Disco Boy 2021-2023)" [Disco Boy (2021-2023)]. Crew United (in German). 8 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- ^ Blaney, Martin (18 January 2023). "70 European and Mena films to tempt festival directors in 2023 cast". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- ^ Boyce, Laurence (28 February 2024). "Glasgow Film Festival begins its 20th edition". Cineuropa. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ "Disco Boys (Drama 2023)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ "Disco Boy". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ Croll, Ben (19 February 2023). "Disco Boy' Review: French Foreign Legion Drama Bluntly Portrays the Horrors of War". IndieWire. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
- ^ Bradshaw, Peter (20 February 2023). "Disco Boy review – freaky trip into the heart of imperial darkness". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman; Vivarelli, Nick (23 January 2023). "Berlin Film Festival Reveals Competition Lineup (Updating Live)". Variety. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- ^ Scott Roxborough (25 February 2023). "Berlin: French Documentary 'On the Adamant' Wins Golden Bear for Best Film". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (24 January 2024). "'The Animal Kingdom' Leads Nominations For France's 2024 César Awards, Followed By 'Anatomy Of A Fall' – Full List". Deadline. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ Stevens, Beth (11 February 2024). "2024 ICS Award Winners". International Cinephile Society. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ Lemercier, Fabien (14 December 2023). "Anatomie d'une chute domine les nominations pour les Lumières". Cineuropa (in French). Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ Keslassy, Elsa (22 January 2024). "'Anatomy of a Fall' Wins Best Film, Actress, Screenplay at France's Lumiere Awards". Variety. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
- ^ Roxborough, Scott (3 April 2024). "Paola Cortellesi's 'There's Still Tomorrow' Leads Italy's Donatello Awards Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
External links
- Official website
- Disco Boy at IMDb
- Disco Boy at Berlinale
- Disco Boy at Crew United
- Disco Boy at Rotten Tomatoes