EXCLUSIVE: Renowned French director Catherine Breillat, celebrated for her recent Cannes Competition entry Last Summer (2023), which garnered several César and Lumiere award nominations, is set to write and direct The German Cousin, a film adaptation of Georges Simenon’s novel The Krull House.
Breillat will collaborate again with her Last Summer producer, Saïd Ben Saïd of SBS Productions, known for his work on Elle and the Cannes 2026 Competition film The Man I Love.
Production is scheduled to begin in late 2027 for this film, which delves into the small-town mentality and collective prejudice in Europe during the 1930s. Simenon’s novel from 1939 is heralded as a prescient examination of racial animosity and widespread panic. Pyramide International is managing sales and is currently at Cannes to discuss the project with potential collaborators.
The plot summary describes: “Located at the outskirts of a city, where the industrial area meets the countryside, directly opposite a canal lock, stands a humble grocery café known as Chez Krull. This establishment has been owned for thirty years by a family of German immigrants who are now French nationals. Despite this, Cornelius Krull, the family patriarch, speaks only a German dialect and is extremely reticent. This enigmatic figure, who is revered within the family, appears to harbor profound secrets.
“With the looming threat of the Second World War, local residents prefer to shop in the city rather than patronize ‘the Krauts.’ The grocery remains operational thanks to transient bargemen and the local drifters who frequent the café. Maria, stern and devout, manages the establishment with a strict demeanor, striving to erase any trace of the family’s origins. Joseph, her eldest son, is deeply engrossed in his thesis on pneumothorax, aspiring to be a doctor. Liesbeth, the youngest daughter, dedicates herself to piano, dreaming of international concerts. Anna, the selfless one, maintains the household while enjoying tunes from Fréhel, Maurice Chevalier, or Berthe Sylva on the radio.
“The family’s delicate equilibrium is shattered by the arrival of Hans, a charismatic German cousin who claims to be in France to ‘improve his French.’ His elegant and carefree demeanor instantly charms Liesbeth and irritates the others. Yet, beneath his charming façade, Hans is a master of deception, observing and manipulating everyone around him.
“When a young woman is discovered murdered and assaulted in the canal lock, the Krulls find themselves engulfed in scandal. Having been suspected in past misfortunes, the family now faces public scrutiny. Joseph, awkward with women, quickly becomes the prime suspect. The community’s hostility escalates with insults, vandalism, and threats, culminating in a mob poised for violence.”
Breillat, a five-time Cannes Film Festival participant, shared her insights: “I see a unique modernity in Simenon’s novel, one that echoes today’s societal issues. Yet, to maintain its depth and universal appeal, I believe it’s crucial to present it as a parable rather than adapt it directly to contemporary settings.”
She elaborated on her filmmaking approach: “The story extends beyond a simple domestic drama, offering a broader tableau. Similar to Proust, who despite criticism for his meticulous attention to detail, proclaimed the importance of such details, I too am fascinated by the minute aspects that give scenes their power and meaning. Cinema, particularly through close-ups, thrives on these details. They enable a period film to achieve authenticity without an ostentatious display of resources. Managing the framing, extras, and visible elements helps maintain precision without seeming contrived. My filmmaking has always been resourceful, focusing on details rather than lavishness. I often handle props myself. Simenon’s narrative provides a rich tapestry of nuanced observations, making it an excellent source for a film rich in detail and subtlety.”
Furthermore, Breillat added: “Beneath the surface of a subdued family saga, the novel escalates into a terrifying commentary on mob mentality and the loss of individual identity within a crowd. This thematic element of a crowd acting as a single entity, and the horrifying acts that follow, have long both intrigued and horrified me. Such mob actions often masquerade as justice, paving the way for all forms of fascism. This story, though set in a different era, serves as a poignant critique of contemporary society’s rush to judgment and the undermining of individual complexity and doubt.”
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