MAGNETIC BEATS
[LES MAGNÉTIQUES]
A pulsating, magnetic tale of pirate radio, New Wave music, young love, sibling rivalry, political unrest and analog technology, MAGNETIC BEATS tracks the fate of two very different brothers living in rural Brittany during the early 1980s. Charismatic bad boy Jérôme (skillfully played by Kristin Scott Thomas' son Joseph Olivennes, VERSAILLES) rules the waves of local pirate radio with the brothers' Radio Warsaw, living a rock star existence of excess and largely neglecting his dedicated girlfriend Marianne (Marie Colomb, SUNSHINE STATE OF MIND). Jérôme's timid and introverted brother Philippe (Thimotée Robart, BURNING GHOST), however, is the behind-the-scenes technical whiz of the station, with a natural-born talent in sound-mixing and a passion for all things auditory. But while he lives for music, Philippe also carries a secret torch for Marianne. When he is unexpectedly conscripted and sent to West Berlin, Philippe's life is turned upside down. Determined to keep broadcasting by any means necessary, he begins to move out his brother's shadow and into his own light. But can the siblings' volatile relationship survive Philippe's newfound confidence and the wider generational shift taking shape? Set to an early '80s soundtrack featuring Joy Division, Gang of Four and the Undertones — blended with Philippe's own inventive, analog remix creations — Breton-born director Vincent Maël Cardona's feature debut is a vividly drawn portrait of youth, with humor, romance and tragedy at its heart. Winner, SACD Prize – Directors' Fortnight, 2021 Cannes Film Festival. Official Selection, 2021 Busan International Film Festival. DIR/SCR Vincent Maël Cardona; SCR Romain Compingt, Chloé Larouchi, Maël Le Garrec, Catherine Paillé, Rose Philippon; PROD Toufik Ayadi, Christophe Barral, Marc-Benoît Créancier. France/Germany, 2021, color, 98 min. In English, French and German with English subtitles. NOT RATED
No AFI Member passes accepted.
Run Time: 98 Minutes
Opening Date: Saturday, December 18, 2021
Genre: Coming-of-age