22/04/2024 - The French-Swiss actress also leads the cast of her directorial debut, produced by Bande à part Films and Atelier de Production, and sold by mk2

A well-known actress (awarded the 2018 Acting Revelation Lumière and nominated for the Best New Hope César thanks to Montparnasse Bienvenüe [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Léonor Serraille
film profile]; also well-received in Simple Passion [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Danielle Arbid
film profile] and Gaspard At the Wedding [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Antony Cordier
film profile], to name but two), French-Swiss talent Laetitia Dosch has now made the leap to film direction with Dog on Trial, her feature-length directorial debut which is set to world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of the 77th Cannes Film Festival (running 14 - 25 May).

The neo-filmmaker also leads the cast of her first movie, shored up by Belgium’s François Damiens (nominated for the 2015 and 2016 Best Actor Césars via The Belier Family [+see also:
trailer
making of
film profile] and Cowboys [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], and recently seen in Headwind), Canadian Anne Dorval (who starred in last year’s Through the Night [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Delphine Girard
film profile]), Jean-Pascal Zadi (awarded the 2021 Best New Hope César for Tout simplement noir [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and also travelling to Cannes with Beating Hearts), Mathieu Demy (acclaimed on the Croisette last year in All to Play For [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Delphine Deloget
film profile] and Club Zero [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jessica Hausner
film profile]), Pierre Deladonchamps (nominated for the 2017 Best Actor César thanks to A Kid [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Philippe Lioret
film profile], and seen in last year’s Flo) and Portugal’s Anabela Moreira (Tommy Guns [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Carlos Conceição
film profile], Amelia's Children).

Written by Laetitia Dosch and Anne-Sophie Bailly, the story follows Avril, a lawyer dedicated to lost causes who has made a promise to herself: she’s going to win her next case! But when Dariuch, a client who’s as hopeless as her causes, asks her to defend his faithful companion Cosmos, Avril’s convictions win out. Thus begins a court case both unexpected and hectic: a dog on trial.

Dog on Trial is produced by Lionel Baier and Agnieszka Ramu on behalf of Swiss firm Bande à Part Films and by Thomas and Mathieu Verhaeghe for French outfit Atelier de Production, in co-production with France 2 Cinéma, RTS and SRG SSR. Pre-purchased by Canal+ and Ciné+, the feature film boasts Alexis Kavyrchine (awarded the 2021 César in his field for Bye Bye Morons [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and also nominated in 2019 and 2023 thanks to Memoir of War [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Emmanuel Finkiel
film profile] and Rise [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) at the helm of photography and David Sztanke in charge of music. International sales are steered by mk2 Films while distribution in France falls to The Jokers Films and distribution in Switzerland to Pathé Films.

(Translated from French)