Vincent Maël Cardona
Writer-director
France
Vincent Maël Cardona was born in Brittany in 1980. He joined the Directing department of La Fémis in 2006 and won Second Prize from The Cinéfondation at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival with his graduation film, CLOUD-CUCKOO-LAND. LES MAGNÉTIQUES, released in November 2021 is his first feature film (SACD Prize at the 2021 Director’s Fortnight, Ornano-Valenti Prize of the 2021 Deauville Film Festival, 2022 César for Best First Film).
Project
The Dancing Plague
Growing up in the small town of Le Gouray, Brittany, MICHEL dreamt of being a magician. Instead, he became a small-time hustler, convinced that his time would come. He has
a son, ANTHONY (17), who worships him even though (or because) he hardly ever sees him. One summer, after a long streak of bad luck, Michel has to return to his hometown, where his sister FRANÇOISE still lives. As he sets foot in this place he hates, Michel is unaware that his worst nightmare is about to come true: because of a mysterious pandemic, he is forced to stay in Le Gouray as the city is placed under lockdown. Indeed, an unknown virus is spreading at great speed and people who catch it start dancing, uncontrollably, until they die from exhaustion or heart failure.
Against all odds, Michel sees the situation as an opportunity to do business and to become the great man he’s always wanted to be. Even if it means losing his son Anthony, who will see his true colours for the first time.
