In the Land of Arto
| In the Land of Arto | |
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| French | Le Pays D’arto |
| Directed by | Tamara Stepanyan |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Claire Mathon |
| Edited by | Olivier Ferrari |
| Music by | Marc Ribot |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 104 minutes |
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In the Land of Arto (French: Le Pays D’arto) is a 2025 French-Armenian drama film co-written and directed by Tamara Stepanyan in her fiction feature debut. The film starring Camille Cottin, and Zar Amir Ebrahimi follows Céline who arrives in Armenia to legalize the death of her husband Arto, but discovers he has been lying to her about his identity.[1][2]
The film had its world premiere as the opening film of the 78th Locarno Film Festival on 6 August 2025, in the Piazza Grande section.[3] It will be subsequently released in the French cinemas on 7 January 2026 by Pan Distribution.[4]
Cast
[edit]- Camille Cottin as Céline
- Zar Amir Ebrahimi as Arsine, local guide
- Shant Hovhannisyan
- Hovnatan Avédikian
- Aleksandr Khachatryan
- Babken Chobanyan
- Denis Lavant
Production
[edit]The film is set in Gyumri a urban municipal community and the second-largest city in Armenia. Principal photography began on 8 June 2024 with the seven-week shoot in Armenia, and one day in Paris.[5]
Release
[edit]In the Land of Arto opened the 78th Locarno Film Festival on 6 August 2025, and had its World premiere at Piazza Grande.[6]
On 8 July, it was reported that Brussels-based, 'Be For Films' has acquired international sales rights of the film.[3]
Reception
[edit]Mariana Hristova reviewing it for Cineuropa at Locarno Film Festival opined that the director Tamara Stepanyan explored Armenia through the perspective of a French outsider, presenting the country with authenticity rather than exoticism. She felt that setting of the film in Gyumri and working with local actors, is like inviting the viewers to discover the region alongside her. In her concluding para Mariana wrote that the film’s conclusion, featuring Denis Lavant as a disturbed war witness, conveys the lingering impact of conflict and memory.[7] Nataliia Serebriakova for Dirty Movies rated the film with 4 dirty gems out of 5 and opined, that the film is "an elegy disguised as a road movie". She wrote, that the film is "about women", as in the director Stepanyan’s cinematic perspective, womanhood is closely tied to resilience and remembrance. Serebriakova ended the review by stating, that the film is intimate and emotionally resonant, leaving a lasting impression akin to a "lingering ache".[8]
Accolades
[edit]| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Locarno Film Festival | August 16, 2025 | Prix du public | In the Land of Arto | Pending | [9] |
References
[edit]- ^ "In the Land of Arto". Locarno Film Festival. 8 July 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
- ^ Stepanyan, Tamara (14 July 2025). "In the Land of Arto". Cineuropa. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ a b Rebecca Leffler (8 July 2025). "Be For Films boards Locarno opener 'In The Land of Arto'". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
- ^ "Le Pays d'Arto" [The Land of Arto]. AlloCiné (in French). 23 May 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
- ^ Fabien Lemercier (4 June 2024). "EXCLUSIVE: Camille Cottin and Zar Amir Ebrahimi topline Sauver Les Morts". Cineuropa. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
- ^ Szalai, Georg (8 July 2025). "'Dracula' by Radu Jude, David Lynch-Exec Produced 'Happy Worker' Set for Locarno Lineup". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
- ^ Hristova, Mariana (7 August 2025). "Review: In the Land of Arto". Cineuropa. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
- ^ Serebriakova, Nataliia (6 August 2025). "In the Land of Arto". Dirty Movies. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
- ^ Del Don, Muriel (9 July 2025). "Locarno announces the films selected for its parallel sections". Cineuropa. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- In the Land of Arto at IMDb
- In the Land of Arto at AlloCiné (in French)
- In the Land of Arto at Locarno Film Festival
- In the Land of Arto at Be For Films
