The English-language romantic drama “Promises” is the story of unfulfilled love, impeded by choices.
Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz (TRK) is pleased to present Promises, a film by Amanda Sthers and starring Kelly Reilly, Jean Reno, Pierfrancesco Favino, and including debut role by Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles’ very own Leon Hesby.
Based on Sthers’ international bestseller by the same title, “Promises” turns on an unfulfilled love affair between Alexander, played by Pierfrancesco Favino — who won best actor at Venice in 2020 for his role in Italian drama “Padrenostro” — and Laura, played by Kelly Reilly (“True Detective,” “Britannia”). Alexander’s Grandfather is played by veteran French actor Jean Reno (“Leon”, “Le Grand Bleu”) .
The “Promises” tale spans several decades and is set in on the Italian coast, Rome and London, as we witness Alexander’s life in different stages. The film flows between unfulfilled desires, lost opportunities and promises never kept, in a present that is confused with the past, or a past that is reinvented by memory. The director described the story as “the whole life of a man in a glimpse” and “this great unfulfilled love story that you could have experienced if only you’d turned left instead of right.” Of her protagonists, Sthers comments: “together, Favino and Reilly look like a quintessential cinematic couple bringing a sense of timelessness to our story.”
Sthers’ past film work includes 2017 comedy drama “Holy Lands,” based on her novel published in the U.S. by Bloomsbury and starring Jonathan Rhys Myers, James Caan and Rosanna Arquette; and “Madame,” starring Toni Colette and Harvey Keitel.
The screening is followed by a Q&A with Amanda Sthers, film director, Léon Hesby and Marie Moute, actors.
Proceeds from this screening generously benefit Theatre Raymond Kabbaz and Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles.
Synopsis
True love barges into life like a stream roller. After putting behind his difficult childhood, Alexander has finally found balance thanks to his wife and daughter. Laura is an art dealer who is about to get married. They meet at a party, and it doesn’t take more than an instant to know there’s no way out of this. Unfortunately, life has different plans for them. A mocking fate and choices that are too hard to make will forever mark their existence, tormented by a devouring sentiment. After all, a love that is never lived can never die.
About Amanda Sthers
Amanda Sthers was born in Paris and now lives in LA. She has written ten novels, which have been translated into more than fifteen languages. To highlight just of few of these works, her 2005 novel Chicken Street was named by the Italian press as the best book of the year; her 2007 novel Madeleine has sold over 200,000 copies worldwide. She wrote the only authorized biography of French superstar Johnny Hallyday, that was also a best seller (more than 700,000 copies) and her 2015 novel Promises (Les Promesses) was named by Elle magazine as one of its picks for Top Ten Novels of the year and selected in all the prestigious French literary prizes. As a playwright, Sthers has received critical acclaim for her staged works; her 2006 Old Blonde Jew (Le Vieux Juif Blonde) has become a mainstay of the curriculum at Harvard University’s theatre courses. ‘Le Lien’ was a big success at the prestigious Avignon Festival. She was honored in 2012 by being given the title ‘Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres’. She has written a total of seven plays. ‘Madame’ her last feature as a writer/director’, starred Rossy de Palma, Toni Collette & Harvey Keitel and was released in the US, and throughout Europe, Asia, Russia and in South America (sold in more than 60 countries). She adapted her novel Les Terres Saintes /Holy Lands into an English language film, which is set for worldwide release January 2019, staring Rosanna Arquette, James Caan, Tom Hollander and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The novel Promises was published in March 2023.