Catherine Breillat Announces Her Next Film Featuring The German Cousin

      The talented Catherine Breillat made her highly anticipated comeback with Last Summer a few years ago, and fortunately, we won’t have to wait as long for her next film. She is set to direct The German Cousin, an adaptation of Georges Simenon’s novel The Krull House, originally published in 1939 and focused on a rural French town’s community on the brink of World War II, as reported by Deadline. Supported by Saïd Ben Saïd’s SBS Productions with Pyramide International overseeing sales, production is expected to kick off later next year, so a premiere won’t likely occur until Cannes 2028 at the earliest.

      Here’s the lengthy synopsis: “At the very outskirts of the city, where the industrial area meets the countryside, directly opposite a lock—the central element of the story—sits a humble grocery café: Chez Krull. For thirty years, it has been owned by a family of German immigrants who became French citizens. Yet Cornelius Krull, the family patriarch, only speaks a German dialect and seldom utters more than two words. This elderly man, who speaks little, serves as the family's guardian and appears to harbor significant secrets. As World War II approaches, the few residents nearby prefer to shop in town instead of ‘feeding the Krauts.’ The grocery manages to survive thanks to passing bargemen and drifters from the outskirts who visit the café. Maria, stern and deeply religious, runs the establishment with a firm hand, obsessed with burying the family's origins.”

      It continues, “Joseph, her eldest son, is working on a thesis about pneumothorax and is preparing to become a doctor. Liesbeth, the youngest daughter, practices piano incessantly and dreams of performing abroad. Anna, the selfless one, maintains the household while listening to Fréhel, Maurice Chevalier, or Berthe Sylva on the radio. The family's delicate balance is disrupted by the unexpected arrival of Hans, an extravagant German cousin who has come to ‘perfect his French.’ Charming, carefree, and provocative, he quickly captivates Liesbeth while deeply annoying the rest of the family. However, beneath his charming facade, Hans is a fraud: everything about him is meticulously planned. A masterful liar and social acrobat, he observes and manipulates those around him. When a young woman’s body is discovered, strangled and raped, the Krulls’ fortunes take a turn. Previously suspected in other tragedies, the family becomes the target of gossip. Joseph, who struggles with women, is quickly pointed out as the prime suspect. Signs of hostility escalate: insults, vandalism, and threats arise. Soon, a crowd gathers, and more tragedy looms in the air.”

      You can watch a couple of discussions with Breillat below while we wait for more updates: