LIE WITH ME

98 min | 2022 | France | French | Narrative Feature Indian Premiere

Upon agreeing to be the brand ambassador for a famous cognac celebrating their bicentennial, novelist Stéphane Belcourt returns to his hometown for the first time in many years. Once there, he meets his first love’s son, Lucas. Memories come rushing back to him: irrepressible attraction, bodies becoming one in the heat of desire, a passion that can never be revealed… His first love’s name was Thomas. They were 17. The film is a captivating adaptation of Philippe Besson's critically acclaimed, autobiographical novel, Arrête Avec Tes Mensonges, originally published in France by Editions Julliard in 2017.

Festivals & Honors:

• Angoulême Francophone Film Festival, France 2022

• The American French Film Festival, USA 2022

• ImageOut: Rochester LGBT Film Festival, USA 2022

• BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival 2023

• The Alliance Française French Film Festival, Australia 2023

• Istanbul Film Festival, Turkey 2023

• Lovers Film Festival, Turin, Italy 2023

Olivier Peyon is a French screenwriter and film director, who started translated English-language films for French distribution. He started out with the short film Promis, juré (1996), followed by Jingle Bells (1997), selected for the 54th Venice Film Festival, Claquage après étirements (2000), and À tes amours (2001), awarded at New York City, Gardanne, Luchon and La Ciotat. His first feature film Stolen Holidays (Les Petites Vacances), was released in 2007, and his second feature film How I Came to Hate Math (Comment j'ai détesté les maths) was released in French theaters in November 2013. It was nominated for best documentary at the CESAR 2014 (the French equivalent of the Oscars).

Pallavi Patel is the quintessential, middle aged, devoted housewife who is equally famous for her dance as she is for her cooking. The family bonds are tested when a rumour about her, threatens to disrupt her middle-class family’s ethos, on the eve of her son Tejas’ engagement with a rich, NRI girl.

*Cast & Crew in Attendance. Film program will be followed by Q&A.

Anand Tiwari is an actor, writer and director. With vast experience in the world of films, advertising and theatre, Anand Tiwari has created a niche for himself in the entertainment industry and has shown his acting prowess in path-breaking movies like Detective Byomkesh Bakshi, Go Goa Gone, Dishikiyoon, Aisha, Udaan and Nail Polish. Anand’s directorial debut feature film Love Per Square Foot, which was also written by him is India’s first Hindi feature film release on Netflix. A musical series for Amazon originals titled Bandish Bandits, for which Anand also took the helm of directing the show went on to become one of the most talked about musical shows on the streaming service.