Berlin to open with Django Reinhardt biopic

The 67^th Berlin International Film Festival will open on Feburary 9 with the world premiere of Etienne Comar’s (Of Gods And Men) directorial debut Django.

The film, which will play in competition at the Berlinale, revolves around Django Reinhardt, the iconic guitarist and composer, and his flight from German-occupied Paris in 1943 where as Sinti his family was harassed and hounded by the Nazis.

Reda Kateb (Far From Men) stars in the title role alongside Cécile de France (The Kid with a Bike), as well as Alex Brendemühl and Ulrich Brandhoff.

Director Comar is best known as the screenwriter and producer of titles including Of Gods And Men, Haute Cuisine and My King, and as a co-producer of The Women on the 6^th Floor and Timbuktu.

The screenplay comes from Comar and Alexis Salatko. Django Reinhardt’s music was re-recorded for the film by the Dutch jazz band Rosenberg Trio.

The film is produced by Fidélité, Arches Films and Pathé. Pathé International will be handling international sales.

“Django Reinhardt was one of the most brilliant pioneers of European jazz and the father of Gypsy Swing. Django grippingly portrays one chapter in the musician’s eventful life and is a poignant tale of survival. Constant danger, flight and the atrocities committed against his family could not make him stop playing,” said Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick.