Ariel Kleiman, known mostly for his short films Young Love and Deeper than Yesterday, has his first feature-length film arriving fairly soon. Partisan, a coming-of-age story, follows a cult led by a man named Gregori (played by Vincent Cassel), who takes in abandoned women and their children. In this unconventional family, Gregori teaches and raises the children how to view the world through his lenses, and also trains them to be assassins. Life in paradise goes awry when the eldest of the children, Alexander (played by Jeremy Chabriel), starts to think for himself and questions the lessons and teachings of Gregori.
We’ve now got a new trailer, which does a perfect job of giving just enough information to reel the audience in yet not revealing a great deal. Not only does the movie look oddly fun (no doubt thanks to the music used in the trailer), but it is an interesting twist on the coming-of-age story that can often be overdone and dull. We said in our review following its Sundance premiere, “Beautifully shot by Germain McMicking and featuring electronic-infused original score by Daniel Lopatin (aka Oneohtrix Point Never), who also provided music for The Bling Ring, the accomplished technical elements work wonders to sell this world and add tension to the small-scale story. By stripping away the surrounding factors — the only way of income for the group is briefly displayed in a quick exchange — Kleiman keeps us trapped in the community to a chilling effect. Exploring the ramifications one’s singular influence can have, Partisan is an often riveting drama that proves Cassel can give fascinating depth to a contemptible individual.”
Also starring Nigel Barber, Florence Mezzara, and Alex Balaganskiy, check out the trailer below.
Alexander is like any other kid: playful, curious and naive. He is also a trained assassin. Raised in a hidden paradise on the outskirts of town, Alexander has grown up seeing the world through the eyes of his father, Gregori. As Alexander begins to think for himself, creeping fears take shape and Gregori’s idyllic world unravels.
Partisan will be released later this year.