Continental Drift (South)

“Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel are planning to visit a refugee camp in Sicily...” What sounds like the beginning of a biting political joke sends the PR advisors of the two heads of state into a particularly heated frenzy in the summer of 2020. The undertaking becomes all the more challenging for EU representative Nathalie Adler (Isabelle Carré) when her estranged son (Théodore Pellerin) begins to get involved as an activist on the ground and criticizes her and the mission. The fact that the German government representative Ute Lerner (Ursina Lardi), who arrives ahead of time, is Nathalie's ex-lover doesn't make things any easier... Audience favorite Isabelle Carré (“À la Carte”) shines as the determined EU representative in this finely biting political satire, which earned director Lionel Baier (“The Safe House”) an invitation to the Cannes Film Festival—in the independent side section “Quinzaine des réalisateurs” (now “Directors' Fortnight”). With subtle irony, this bittersweet story navigates the contradictions of European politics and exposes its double standards. “This hybrid political satire erratically crosses family drama with political EU farce, but maintains an astonishing balance thanks to good research, a careful script, and brilliant actors. - Worth seeing” (Lexikon des Internationalen Films)