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Partners We Love: #4 – Umedia x Iliade et Films
Partners We Love: Umedia x Iliade et Films - Adieu monde cruel
Our collaboration with Iliade et Films on “Goodbye Cruel World”, closing film of the 65th edition of the Critics’ Week.
For this fourth episode of Partners We Love, we spoke with Manon Messiant, producer at Iliade et Films, and Julia Gabreau, co-producer at Umedia, on the occasion of the presentation of “Goodbye Cruel World” (Adieu monde cruel), Félix de Givry’s debut feature film, selected as the closing film of the 65th Critics’ Week.
This interview was conducted in French and has been translated to English.
🔸How did the collaboration between Iliade et Films and Umedia on “Goodbye Cruel World” come about?
Manon: I met with Julia Gabreau through Margaux Juvénal, a producer friend working for the Take Shelter company. We were preparing for the movie and looking for solutions to stay within budget while preserving the film’s visual ambition. Margaux suggested a co-production with Belgium to handle the photochemical processing side of the project.
🔸What made this collaboration particularly meaningful for you on this project?
Manon: What made this project special was, first of all, Umedia’s ability to provide concrete solutions for a film shot on celluloid, notably through De Jonghe, a renowned Belgian service provider.
Furthermore, meeting Julia felt completely natural; we are from the same generation, we share the same cinematic sensibilities and the same way of working. In fact, we have continued collaborating on other projects since then.
Julia: Everything happened in a smooth, simple, and joyful way. Even though we joined the project midway through, I immediately felt that we were a real team. Manon and Félix de Givry have a wonderful ability to bring people together, and it was both beautiful and inspiring to watch them evolve behind and in front of the camera during the shoot.
🔸How did this partnership contribute to the film's development, both creatively and strategically?
Manon: Umedia joined the project at a later stage, but at a key moment. This unexpected support made it possible for us to take creative risks with the film’s artistic direction. Shooting on film was fundamental for Félix and his cinematographer, Tara-Jay Bangalter.
Julia: As Manon said, shooting on film was one of the entry points for the co-production, but it wasn’t the only one: the lead actress, Jane Beever, is Belgian and “Goodbye Cruel World” is her first feature film. I am very proud that audiences will first discover her at Cannes and later in theaters.
🔸What does the film’s selection as the closing film of the Critics’ Week mean to you?
Manon: It’s incredibly moving! It’s Félix’s first ever feature film and my first fiction feature, so it feels like a wonderful reward.
Julia: It’s a beautiful recognition for the film and for the teams who took part in its creation. We know how important a festival run is for a first film, and we are pleased that the Critics’ Week is shining its spotlight on the film.
🔸In one word – or one short sentence, how would you describe your partnership with Umedia?
Manon: Efficiency, reliability: everything I love :)
Julia: Trust, agility, and the beginning of a beautiful story 😊
🔸Project Overview: “Goodbye Cruel World”
A drama directed by Félix de Givry, produced by Remembers Productions, Iliade et Films, and Arte France Cinéma in co-production with Umedia.
This feature film has been selected as the closing film of Critics’ Week at Cannes this year.