Last Journey of Paul W.R.
A dystopian road movie through a scorched France.
Last Journey of Paul W.R. is a French science fiction drama film directed by Romain Quirot. It premiered at the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival in September 2020 and had its international premiere at the Sitges Film Festival. The feature-length film is a sequel to Quirot's short film The Last Journey of the Enigmatic Paul W.R.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Romain Quirot
- Screenplay
- Romain Quirot
- Antoine Jaunin
- Laurent Turner
- Producer
- Fannie Pailloux; David Danesi
- Starring
- Hugo Becker
- Jean Reno
- Paul Hamy
- Cinematography
- Jean-Paul Agostini
- Music
- Etienne Forget
- Studio
- Apaches; Digital District
- Distributor
- Tandem (France)
Facts from the source article.
Plot
In the near future, Earth's temperatures have become unbearable, most wildlife is extinct, and hundreds of millions are climate refugees as oil, coal, and gas reserves are depleted. A new planet appeared in the sky, and mankind mined its mineral Lumina, which revolutionized science and made all other energy sources obsolete. The planet is now on a collision course with Earth. His brother Elliot, who can read minds after an accident, searches for Paul. Paul crosses paths with teenager Elma, and together they travel through the desert that France has become. Elliot kills several people by controlling their minds. Paul seeks his lost memories while a spider drone reports his location to Elliot.
Production
The low-budget film was directed by Romain Quirot, who had used the premise and character in his short film Le Dernier Voyage de l'énigmatique Paul W.R., which premiered internationally at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2016 and won Best Science Fiction Short Film at the Berlin Short Film Festival. Quirot was assisted in rewriting the script by Laurent Turner and Antoine Jaunin. For the feature, Quirot added road movie elements and the character of Elma, whom he described as inspired by today's young people trying to find their place in a changing world. Filming took place in Paris, in Ouarzazate in southern Morocco, and in the desert there. Jean-Paul Agostini was cameraman, Olivier Seiler handled set design. Quirot deliberately used a Peugeot as the airworthy car to give the film a French look. Etienne Forget composed the soundtrack, reusing some original tracks; the album was released for download by Music Box Publishing in late July 2021.
Box office
The film debuted on September 1, 2020, at the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival, followed by a screening at the Sitges Film Festival in mid-October 2020. It hit French theaters on May 19, 2021, and was featured at the Marché du Film in Cannes that July. Distribution rights are held by Altitude in the UK, Eurovideo in Germany, and Kinology for North America. A German DVD and Blu-ray release occurred on September 30, 2021, with digital availability starting September 16, 2021.
Critical reception
Filmdienst described the film as a science fiction adventure mixing road movie and family drama elements in a dystopian plot, remaining somewhat confusing but visually and atmospherically appealing. Laurent Cambon of AVoir ALire wrote that Le Dernier Voyage shows traces of Luc Besson's films but gets lost in family sentimentality, while the relationship between the girl and the astronaut gives the film rhythm and meaning, and the story adds a political connotation. At the Sitges Film Festival 2020, the film was nominated for Best Film in the Official Fantàstic Competition and won the Méliès d'Argent for Best Feature Film.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in Last Journey of Paul W.R.?
Last Journey of Paul W.R. stars Hugo Becker, Jean Reno and Paul Hamy.
How long is Last Journey of Paul W.R.?
Last Journey of Paul W.R. has a running time of 87 minutes.
How much did Last Journey of Paul W.R. earn at the box office?
Last Journey of Paul W.R. grossed $868,168.
What was the budget of Last Journey of Paul W.R.?
Last Journey of Paul W.R. had a budget of $3.2 million.
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