Disco Boy (film)

Disco Boy is a 2023 European co-production drama film directed by Giacomo Abbruzzese in his debut feature and starring Franz Rogowski as Aleksei. The film depicts the intertwined stories of Aleksei, a member of the French Foreign Legion; and of Jomo, a guerrilla fighter in a village in the Niger Delta.[2] It was selected to compete for the Golden Bear at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 19 February 2023.[3] Giacomo Abbruzzese, the first feature director was also nominated for GWFF Best First Feature Award in the festival.[4] It was released in French cinemas on 3 May 2023.[5]

Disco Boy
Promotional poster
Directed byGiacomo Abbruzzese
Screenplay byGiacomo Abbruzzese
Produced by
  • Lionel Massol
  • Pauline Seigland
Starring
CinematographyHélène Louvart
Edited by
  • Fabrizio Federico
  • Ariane Boukerche
  • Giacomo Abbruzzese
Music byVitalic
Production
companies
  • Films Grand Huit
  • Panache Productions
  • Dugong Films
  • Donten & Lacroix Films
  • La Compagnie Cinématographique
  • Stromboli Films
Distributed byKMBO
Release dates
  • 19 February 2023 (2023-02-19) (Berlinale)
  • 3 May 2023 (2023-05-03) (France)
Running time
91 minutes
Countries
  • France
  • Belgium
  • Poland
  • Italy
Languages
  • French
  • English
  • Igbo
  • Polish
Box office$293,105[1]

Cast

Production

Development

Disco Boy is the feature film debut of Italian-born director and screenwriter Giacomo Abbruzzese. He developed the film during the Cinéfondation artist-in-residence program initiated by the Cannes Film Festival.[6] Speaking to Cineuropa's Davide Abbatescianni, Abbruzzese revealed that Rogowski's character was born out of an encounter in a nightclub with a dancer who had been a soldier. "He explained this 'dichotomy' through his body: a dancer’s body is the same as a soldier’s body. Although seemingly opposed, they actually have many things in common: discipline, the choreography involved is almost pleasurable thanks to the extreme effort involved, you return home destroyed and exhausted," Abbruzzese added.[7]

Casting
Franz Rogowski, as Aleksey

Franz Rogowski was cast in the role of Aleksey, and Morr Ndiaye from Gambia as Jomo. He was discovered through his participation in the documentary film Tumaranké (2018). Laetitia Ky, the Ivorian women's activist, influencer and model was cast as Udoka alongside Croatian Leon Lučev, Italian Matteo Olivetti, Polish Robert Więckiewicz and Belgian Mutamba Kalonji.[8]

Filming

The film was shot from 13 September 2021 to 5 November 2021 in France (Paris and Reunion Island) and Polish Subcarpathia.[9][10]

Release

Disco Boy had its premiere on 19 February 2023 as part of the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival, in competition. It was released in French cinemas on 3 May 2023.[5]

Reception

On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes website, the film has an approval rating of 83% based on 18 reviews.[11] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 71 out of 100 based on 9 reviews, indicating "Generally Favorable Reviews".[12]

Ben Croll reviewing for IndieWire graded the film B and wrote, "Getting in, getting down, and getting out as a style-hopping sizzle reel, Disco Boy heralds a promising new talent who totally has the moves."[13] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian rated the film with 4 stars out of 5 and praised debut director writing, "Giacomo Abbruzzese makes a really stylish debut with Disco Boy, a visually thrilling, ambitious and distinctly freaky adventure into the heart of imperial darkness". Praising score and cinematography Bradshaw concluded, "The electronic score by Vitalic (AKA Pascal Arbez-Nicolas) throbs in its own incantatory trance and Hélène Louvart’s cinematography is a thing of beauty. It’s quite a trip."[14]

Accolades
Award Date Category Recipient Result Ref.
Berlin International Film Festival 25 February 2023 Golden Bear Disco Boy Nominated [15]
GWFF Best First Feature Award Giacomo Abbruzzese Nominated [4]
Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution: cinematography Hélène Louvart Won [16]

References
  1. "Disco Boy (2023)". Box Office Mojo.
  2. Lemercier, Fabien (15 September 2021). "Giacomo Abbruzzese is shooting Disco Boy". Cineuropa. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  3. Rosser, Michael (23 January 2023). "Berlin Film Festival reveals 2023 competition line-up". Screen Daily. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  4. "Films nominated for the GWFF Best First Feature Award". Berlinale. 1 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  5. "Disco Boy, a Feature film by Giacomo Abbruzzese". Unifrance. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  6. Blaney, Martin (18 January 2023). "70 European and Mena films to tempt festival directors in 2023 cast". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  7. Abbatescianni, Davide (26 February 2023). "Interview/Giacomo Abbruzzese, Director of Disco Boy". Cineuropa. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  8. Blaney, Martin (18 January 2023). "70 European and Mena films to tempt festival directors in 2023 cast". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  9. "Disco Boy 2021-2023)" [Disco Boy (2021-2023)]. Crew United (in German). 8 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  10. Blaney, Martin (18 January 2023). "70 European and Mena films to tempt festival directors in 2023 cast". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  11. "Disco Boys (Drama 2023)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  12. "Disco Boy". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  13. Croll, Ben (19 February 2023). "Disco Boy' Review: French Foreign Legion Drama Bluntly Portrays the Horrors of War". IndieWire. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  14. Bradshaw, Peter (20 February 2023). "Disco Boy review – freaky trip into the heart of imperial darkness". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  15. Ramachandran, Naman; Vivarelli, Nick (23 January 2023). "Berlin Film Festival Reveals Competition Lineup (Updating Live)". Variety. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  16. Scott Roxborough (25 February 2023). "Berlin: French Documentary 'On the Adamant' Wins Golden Bear for Best Film". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
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