<\/p>\n
\n\tPARIS \u2014 The Galeries Lafayette Group-produced \u201cTwo People Exchanging Saliva\u201d took home the Oscar for best live action short film Sunday night, marking a Hollywood victory for a project with Paris retail support.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe 36-minute black-and-white film was written and directed by Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe absurdist dystopian short was filmed overnight inside Galeries Lafayette Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es and in the La Suite apartment at the group\u2019s Boulevard Haussmann flagship.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s amazing news for us, for all the team,\u201d Galeries Lafayette Group image and innovation director Guillaume Houz\u00e9 told WWD. The film has received numerous awards on the festival circuit, but \u201cthe Oscar is really super, super special,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe film imagines a society where kissing is outlawed and everyday transactions are conducted through ritualized slaps to the face. The story follows Angine, played by Zar Amir, a discontented woman whose fascination with a playful salesgirl portrayed by Lu\u00e0na Bajrami draws suspicion from a jealous colleague.<\/p>\n
\n\tNarrated by Vicky Krieps, the short premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in September 2024 and went on to build momentum on the festival circuit with a series of awards.<\/p>\n
\n\tGaleries Lafayette was involved from the earliest stages of the project, produced by Paris-based Misia Films, said Houz\u00e9, adding that the absurdist premise was part of the appeal.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\tZar Amir and Lu\u00e0na Bajrami in \u201cTwo People Exchanging Saliva\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy Galeries Lafayette<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThey came with this amazing idea and this topic. It\u2019s an absurd premise, but what a poetic and beautiful way they managed to do the film \u2013 the lighting, the cinematography, and the actresses are stunning,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cBut beyond the results itself, what the film expresses is a real message of hope in a world that can sometimes feel completely absurd. So it\u2019s a hope that creation and cinema in particular allows us to carry and share those messages.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tMusteata and Singh were selected through the \u201cBy Night\u201d initiative, which provides artists with funding and location support. Under the program, the filmmakers were given unusual access to the empty department store after hours. For \u201cTwo People Exchanging Saliva,\u201d the production team filmed for six nights after closing.<\/p>\n
\n\tBefore its Oscar win, the short had already secured a strong presence on the international festival circuit, picking up numerous awards including the grand jury prize at AFI Fest in Los Angeles, best in block at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival and both the Canal+ national and national audience awards at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival.<\/p>\n
\n\tAs the film gained momentum, it drew the support of Isabelle Huppert and Julianne Moore, who joined as executive producers during the film\u2019s festival run.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThat was part of the journey, actually,\u201d Houz\u00e9 said. \u201cThey loved the film, and they wanted to be part of this adventure. And so, very quickly they jumped on board with us on the film.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\tThe film shot inside of Galeries Lafayette Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Galeries Lafayette<\/p>\n
\n\tFor Houz\u00e9, the project reflects a longer tradition of cultural patronage within the family-owned retail group, which has sought to position its flagship locations not only as shopping destinations but also as platforms for contemporary artistic experimentation.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe\u2019ve been supporting creation for 130 years,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a real commitment. It\u2019s not about communication. It\u2019s really part of our DNA.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe company has expanded that commitment in recent years through initiatives including the Fondation Lafayette Anticipations, a contemporary art institution in Paris designed by architect Rem Koolhaas, as well as partnerships with film festivals and emerging creators.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe idea is always to answer the question of how to be the more useful for the artists, but also for the customers,\u201d Houz\u00e9 said. \u201cWe want to give to our customers a taste of what artists are working on today.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tGaleries Lafayette joined the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival as a partner earlier this year, and will support the event for the next two years with programming and merch.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe\u2019ll continue to support films,\u201d Houz\u00e9 said. \u201cIt\u2019s really part of our strategy regarding our engagement with cinema and short films in particular.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tFollowing the win, the group is considering ways to bring the achievement back to its stores, potentially including displaying a replica of the Oscar \u2013 or he hopes, the real thing \u2013 in the Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es outpost.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI would love to put the Oscar inside,\u201d Houz\u00e9 said. \u201cThat would be amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAfter more than a year of campaigning and festival appearances, however, Houz\u00e9 suggested the filmmakers may first take a pause before celebrating further. The team will decide on its strategy in a few days, he said.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe campaign started like a year and a half ago,\u201d he said. \u201cSo I think they need to rest.\u201d<\/p>\n
#Galeries #LafayetteBacked #Short #Film #Wins #Oscar #Live #Action #Short<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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