Exactly ten years after Calvaire, director Fabrice Du Welz (who in 2008 directed Vynian), once again involves film star Laurent Lucas in his new project titled Hallelujah. This is a drama with horror overtones reconnected with the unhealthy and rotten love story between the two main characters, Michel and Gloria.
The above-mentioned feminine name of Hallelujah immediately brings to mind Calvaire, when the mad innkeeper Bartel called his guest (and later his prisoner) Marc Stevens "Gloria." Hallelujah thus presents cross-references to Calvaire not only because of the presence of actor Laurent Lucas and the name Gloria given to the female lead, but also because of the atmosphere steeped in madness that leaks from the trailer and is reminiscent of the 2004 film.
Gloria is a divorced woman with a dependent daughter who cleans up dead bodies at the mortuary. One day she meets Michel through an online lonely hearts ad. The woman falls in love with him, but to the man, at least initially, she is one of many lonely women he needs to earn money. Upon discovering the truth, Gloria accepts anything to stay by his side. The woman leaves her daughter with a friend and follows her partner on a dangerous journey. Although she says she accepts him, Gloria, however, will not tolerate Michel's sexual indulgence to other women....
In addition to directing, Fabrice Du Welz also co-wrote the screenplay with Romain Protat.
The cast includes Laurent Lucas (Calvaire) is joined by Lola Dueñas, Stéphane Bissot, Édith Le Merdy, Héléna Noguerra and David Murgia.
Alelluia is inspired by the story of Americans Martha Beck and Raymond Fernandez, the pair of serial killers known as "The Lonely Hearts Killers" precisely because they lured victims through ads for lonely hearts. Three other films are inspired by them: The Honeymoon Killers (1969), Deep Crimson (1996) and Lonely Hearts (2006).
Emerging from this year's Cannes Film Festival, Hallelujah (Belgium, France - 2014) will be presented at other festivals including the Fantastic Fest next September. The film will be distributed by StudioCanal UK probably between the end of this year and the beginning of next year.
Below is the French-language promo reel with English subtitles used in Cannes to promote the film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhNCXfJctEA
