At Work (film)
| At Work | |
|---|---|
| French | À pied d'œuvre |
| Directed by | Valérie Donzelli |
| Written by |
|
| Based on | À pied d'œuvre by Franck Courtès |
| Produced by | Alain Goldman |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Irina Lubtchansky |
| Edited by | Pauline Gaillard |
| Music by | Jean-Michel Bernard |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Diaphana Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 92 minutes |
| Country | France |
| Box office | $2 million |
At Work (French: À pied d'œuvre) is a 2025 French drama film and directed by Valérie Donzelli, co-written with Gilles Marchand, based on the novel of the same name by Franck Courtès. It stars Bastien Bouillon as Paul Marquet, a photographer who abandons his successful career to pursue writing, but falls into poverty.
The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on 29 August 2025, where it won the Best Screenplay award. It was released theatrically in France by Diaphana Films on 4 February 2026.
Plot
Paul Marquet, a highly successful photographer abandons everything to pursue writing, only to fall into poverty. Although his novels are well reviewed, sales remain low, as does his income. He survives through temporary jobs, and as an uber driver in his father's car.
Paul eventually signs up for an online platform that offers fierce competition among applicants, driving wages down, thus discovering the precarious world of platform economy workers. While writing his next novels by morning, he accepts all sorts of jobs during the afternoon and night, often physically demanding, each time with the constant anxiety of the rating his client will give him, which is publicly displayed on the app.
He meets a diverse range of people, which fuels his curiosity as a writer, but his family doesn't understand why he accepts this lifestyle. Separated from his children, who have moved to Montreal with their mother, his limited financial resources prevent him to visit them. His first successful novel addresses his own personal life and the precarious world of platform economy workers.
Cast
- Bastien Bouillon as Paul Marquet[1]
- Virginie Ledoyen as Alice
- André Marcon as Paul's father
- Marie Rivière as Christine
- Valérie Donzelli as Paul's ex-wife
- Adrien Barazzone as Pierre Lautrec
- Marion Lécrivain as Paul's sister
- Oscar Tillette as Paul's son
- Ève Oron as Paul's daughter
Production
On 18 March 2024, it was announced that Valérie Donzelli was adapting the novel À pied d'œuvre by photographer Franck Courtès into a film.[2] The film received an avance sur recettes grant from France's Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC) in January 2025.[3] Bastien Bouillon, Virginie Ledoyen, and Marie Rivière were announced as cast members on 11 February 2025.[4]
Principal photography began on 17 February 2025. The film was shot over six weeks in and around Paris.[5]
Release
Kinology acquired the international sales rights to the film in July 2025.[6] The film premiered in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival.[7][8] It was released by Diaphana Films in France on 4 February 2026.[9] Teodora handled distribution in Italy.[6]
Reception
Box office
It grossed $2 million during its theatrical release in France and Italy.[10]
Accolades
| Award | Year | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venice Film Festival | 2025 | Golden Lion | Valérie Donzelli | Nominated | [8][11] |
| Best Screenplay | Valérie Donzelli and Gilles Marchand | Won |
References
- ↑ David Katz (29 August 2025). "Critique : À pied d'œuvre". Cineuropa. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
- ↑ Vignoli, Lisa (18 March 2024). "Le nouveau projet de Valérie Donzelli se dévoile". Vanity Fair France (in French). Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- ↑ Lemercier, Fabien (8 January 2025). "Élie Wajeman's Le joueur earns a CNC advance on receipts". Cineuropa. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- ↑ Adjinsoff, Mathi (11 February 2025). "Bastien Bouillon à l'affiche du prochain film de Valérie Donzelli". Les Inrockuptibles (in French). Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- ↑ Lemercier, Fabien (11 March 2025). "Valérie Donzelli shooting À pied d'œuvre". Cineuropa. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- 1 2 Keslassy, Elsa (24 July 2025). "Valerie Donzelli's Venice Competition Film 'At Work' Boarded by Kinology (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- ↑ Ntim, Zac (22 July 2025). "Venice: Kathryn Bigelow, Guillermo del Toro, Noah Baumbach & Benny Safdie In Competition – Full Lineup". Deadline. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- 1 2 Vivarelli, Nick; Shafer, Ellise (22 July 2025). "Venice Film Festival Lineup: Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein,' Yorgos Lanthimos' 'Bugonia' With Emma Stone, Benny Safdie's 'Smashing Machine,' Luca Guadagnino's 'After the Hunt' and More". Variety. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- ↑ "Les distributeurs ajustent leurs line-ups". boxofficepro.fr. 23 September 2025. Retrieved 23 September 2025..
- ↑ "At Work". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
- ↑ Tartaglione, Nancy (6 September 2025). "Venice Film Festival – Jim Jarmusch's 'Father Mother Sister Brother' Is Golden Lion Winner; 'Voice Of Hind Rajab' Takes Grand Jury Prize; Benny Safdie Best Director For 'The Smashing Machine'". Deadline. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
External links
- At Work at IMDb
- At Work at Rotten Tomatoes