Film to Open Theatrically February 2nd Alongside the Release of New Shorts From the Visionary French Filmmaker — Opening in Los Angeles, New York, & More!
“Barbarians, gore, glitter, time travel, humanoid hellhounds, toxic lesbians, and cannibalistic artists are some—but far from all—of the components in Bertrand Mandico’s avant-garde retelling of the Conan the Barbarian mythos… SHE IS CONANN thrives on its own bizarre extravagance”– Collider
Official SelectionCannes Directors’ Fortnight — World PremiereThessaloniki International Film FestivalLocarno Film Festival Fantastic Fest
“Turns barbarism into pure love”– The Film Stage
“An invitation to put decorum aside and savour a trippy filmmaker with an appetite for cult-classic cinema and transgressive art” – Screen Daily
“Bertrand Mandico’s lurid saga of gender-queer decadence and visceral violence is a ravishing sensory feast for viewers with strong stomachs”– The Film Verdict
A new theatrical trailer and poster has been released for Bertrand Mandico’s SHE IS CONANN ahead of Altered Innocence‘s upcoming North American theatrical release, which kicks off next month on February 2nd, 2024. SHE IS CONANN will be opening in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Denver, and more, with Mandico and star Elina Löwensohn in attendance for select opening weekend screenings at Anthology Film Archives in New York City. In addition to the opening of his latest feature, both Anthology Film Archives and select Alamo Drafthouses across the country will be presenting special short showcases of newly debuting work.
The third feature from the celebrated and visionary French filmmaker following THE WILD BOYS, which topped Cahiers du Cinéma’s 2018 list of Top 10 Films, and the multi-award-winning AFTER BLUE (DIRTY PARADISE) —both of which were released by Altered Innocence in North America— SHE IS CONANN is a barbaric fantasy sci-fi trip that boldly celebrates the influences of Fellini Satyricon, The Night Porter, The Hunger, and Fassbinder’s entire oeuvre to craft a moving portrait of a warrior trying to find her place while existing outside of space, time, and meaning.
Mandico’s most ambitious work yet, the film blurs realities and flips genders, loosely using the American cult classic Conan the Barbarian as groundwork for this intoxicatingly lush 35mm-shot hero’s journey. Starring Claire Duburcq (1917, AFTER BLUE), Christa Théret (RENOIR), Sandra Parfait (Netflix’s Lupin), Agata Buzek (AFTER BLUE, HIGH LIFE), Nathalie Richard (AFTER LOVE, IRMA VEP), and Françoise Brion (L’IMMORTELLE) as the many faces of Conann —from young woman to warrior queen, each overcoming the last— in addition to Julia Riedler (LUZ) and Mandico-constant Elina Löwensohn (AMATEUR, LET THE CORPSES TAN), who has appeared in every one of his films, in the role of Rainer, the Cerberus guardian of the underworld.
A visceral and impulsive queer artist with a prolific body of work in singular and form challenging cinema, Mandico is a co-founder and follower of the 12-rule Incoherence Manifesto, which includes the prompts ‘filming must be done on expired film stock,’ ‘special effects must be made in-camera,’ and ‘the film must be in an uncertain geography, timeless, ban any realistic effect’.
SCREENING DETAILShttps://www.alteredinnocence.net/sheisconann
Opening — 1/24 RAINER’S UNGODLY CAMERA: 3 Shorts by Bertrand Mandico
Alamo Drafthouses in Austin, TX, Boston, MA, Chicago, IL, Denver, CO, Los Angeles, CA, New York, NY, Raleigh, NC, San Francisco, CA, Springfield, MO, Yonkers, NY
One Night Only — 1/30 Special Advance SHE IS CONANN Preview Screenings
Alamo Drafthouses in Austin, TX, Boston, MA, Brooklyn, NY, Chicago, IL, Denver, CO, El Paso, TX, Houston, TX, Los Angeles, CA, Lubbock, TX, New York, NY, Raleigh, NC, San Francisco, CA, Springfield, MO, Winchester, VA, Yonkers, NY
Opening — 2/2SHE IS CONANN Theatrical Release *Weeklong Runs*
Anthology Film Archives – New York, NY*Bertand Mandico & Elina Löwensohn in attendance for select opening weekend shows*
Gateway Film Center – Columbus, OHAlamo Drafthouse Wrigleyville – Chicago, ILAlamo Drafthouse Cinema Raleigh – Raleigh, NCAlamo Drafthouse Cinema South Lamar – Austin, TXAlamo Drafthouse Cinema Sloans Lake – Denver, COAlamo Drafthouse Cinema Boston Seaport – Boston, MAAlamo Drafthouse Cinema New Mission – San Francisco, CAAlamo Drafthouse Cinema Downtown Los Angeles – Los Angeles, CA
Screening 2/3 & 2/4THE SHOW HAS ALREADY STARTED / L’ÉMISSION A DÉJÀ COMMENCÉ
U.S. debut of new short work at Anthology Film Archives
Opening 2/9SHE IS CONANN Theatrical Release Expansion *Weeklong Runs*
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Lower Manhattan – New York, NYGrand Illusion Cinema – Seattle, WA
** More to come! **
2023 / 105 Minutes / In French, English, and German w/English Subtitles / DCP
Written & Directed by: Bertrand MandicoProduced by: Avi Amar, Gilles Chanial, Emmanuel ChaumetCo-Produced by: Olivier Dubois, Antoine GarnierMusic by: Pierre DespratsCinematography by: Nicolas EveilleauEditing by: Laure Saint-MarcProduction Design by: Anna Le MouëlSet Decoration by: Thomas SalabertCostume Design by: Elise Cribier-Delande
