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"A wry, relaxed, extremely entertaining footnote to recent Gallic literary gossip." – Screen Daily
In 2011, notorious French author Michel Houellebecq failed to turn up to a book-tour event, with media speculation about his possible abduction mounting as the days passed without contact. Suddenly, with little explanation, he reappeared.
What happened, exactly? With this Tribeca Film Festival Best Screenplay-winning film, writer/director Guillaume Nicloux presents an entirely fanciful account of Houellebecq's disappearance, in which the cantankerous writer – playing himself – becomes hostage to a trio of macho gangsters. A battle of wits ensues: will Houellebecq's captors stop panning his novels? Will they ever return his cigarette lighter? And is President François Hollande going to lift a finger to save him? One of the strangest and funniest films at this year's festival.
"An appropriately crooked portrait of the uncompromising and secretive writer." – Senses of Cinema