Sleek Neon-Drenched Detective Thriller Neo-Noir With Hints of Absurdist Deadpan Comedy
Written and Directed by Claude Schmitz
In Theaters from Next Friday, August 23
Fantastic Fest Presents at Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas In New York, Los Angeles & Austin
On VOD from Tuesday, August 27
Gabriel Laurens (Olivier Rabourdin) is a shaggy dog private investigator eking out an existence one seedy adultery case at a time. When his niece, Jade (Louise Leroy), shows up at his doorstep to notify him of his estranged twin brother François’ recent death, he decides to take a hiatus and drive her back to her father’s massive estate on the Franco-Spanish border.
Upon their arrival, they’re met with a cold reception from Jade’s calculating stepmother, Shelby (Kate Moran), and her gang of crusty back-country bikers intent on tracking the young girl’s every move. Short on cash, Gabriel vows to stick around just long enough to get things smoothed over with his bank. The more he sees, however, the more he realizes things aren’t as cut and dry as they seem.
To unearth the true cause of his brother’s death, Gabriel dons the identity of “the other Laurens” and is slowly drawn into François’ shady underworld. Along the way, he’ll cross paths with a bizarro cast of characters, including a pair of bumbling cops, an American mercenary, and a ruthless family of drug traffickers.
Steeped in vibrant neon imagery, THE OTHER LAURENS is a modern homage to the sun-drenched California noirs of the 1970s, injecting their laid-back, cynical vibe with a healthy dose of stylish European minimalism and droll humor. (Lori Donnelly)
Director: Claude Schmitz | Writers: Claude Schmitz, Kostia Testut | Producers: Jérémy Forni, Benoit Roland | Cast: Olivier Rabourdin, Louise Leroy, Kate Moran, Marc Barbé, Tibo Vandenborre, Edwin Gaffney
World premiere: Cannes Directors’ Fortnight 2023
North American Premiere: Fantastic Fest 2023
Awards:
Grand Prix – Brussels International Film Festival 2023
Best Actor Prize (Olivier Rabourdin) – Brussels International Film Festival 2023
