Locarno Piazza Grande Debut For Post-Bataclan Attack Drama ‘You Will Not Have My Hate’ Fits Terrorism-Defying Message, Says Director

deadline.com:

German director Kilian Riedhof’s drama You Will Not Have My Hate is inspired by the experiences of French writer Antoine Leiris, whose wife was killed in the Bataclan nightclub during the November 13, 2015 Paris terror attacks, leaving him to raise their young son alone.Leiris became a symbol of quiet defiance in the face of the attackers following a Facebook post, in which he expressed his determination to build a new life with his son based on happiness and love, rather than hatred.The post went viral and Leiris found himself at the heart of a local and international media storm.Reidhof and co-writers Marc Blöbaum and Jan Braren adapted the film from Leirin’s autobiographical novel ‘You Will Not Have My Hate’ charting his emotional journey from the night of the attack; to struggling with his loss and then finding the courage to embark on a new life.The production is lead produced by Toni Erdmann outfit Komplizen Films, with co-producers Haut et Court, Frakas Productions, NCR, Tobis, MMC Movies Köln, Erfttal Film, RTBF, Proximus and Shelter Prod.Stranger By The Lake actor Pierre Deladonchamps plays Leiris with support from Camélia Jordana as Leiris’s wife, and child actress Zoé Iorio as the son.Haut et Court is due to be released in France in November as the country marks the seventh anniversary of the attacks.

Before that, the picture makes its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival on August 12 on its 8,000-capacity Piazza Grande.Riedhof talked to Deadline about the film ahead of the premiere.DEADLINE: Nearly seven years on from the attacks, the memories of November 13 2015 remain raw in France’s national psyche.

Do you French spectators will be ready to watch this film? KILIAN RIEDHOF: We were pretty aware of