Damien Bonnard and Céline Sallette Face Off in Wild Shakespearean Drama in ‘Malditos’

In the latest Max series “Malditos,” the head of a Gypsy community named Sara (Céline Sallette), situated in southern France, faces impending eviction due to rising floodwaters. To preserve her enterprise and ensure a promising future for her sons, Sara must swiftly establish new partnerships, and Juan (Damien Bonnard) could be her most advantageous choice.

Looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship, right? Wrong. 

Sallette remarks at Canneseries that things will only become more difficult, as they are adversaries,” says Sallette at Canneseries, while Bonnard humorously adds, “And allies, much like the Capulets and Montagues. In a sense, they’re identical in their differences.”

“Sallette warns at Canneseries that the situation will only deteriorate since they are foes,” says Sallette at Canneseries, while Bonnard quips, “And allies, like the Capulets and Montagues. In a roundabout way, they’re identical in their differences.

According to Sallette, their intricate connection is likely to become even more volatile, despite the mutual respect they share. However, Bonnard questions this viewpoint, stating, “I’m not convinced you truly feel that way. You seem to be setting up obstacles for me.

“This is what they told us about Season 2,” she adds.  

The series “Malditos” was developed by White Lion Films, a subsidiary of Mediawan. Jean-Charles Hue, known for “The Soiled Doves of Tijuana” and “Eat Your Bones”, co-writes with Olivier Prieur, Maya Haffar, and Dorothée Lachaud, and directs alongside Cécilia Verheyden. Warner Bros. Discovery is handling distribution.

Pablo Cobo, Darren Muselet, Raïka Hazanavicius, Jérôme Niel and Valérie Karsenti also star. 

As a passionate cinephile, I find myself immersed in a gripping tale where I, Sara and Juan, are thrust into a survival situation that demands every ounce of our courage. Not only must we battle for our lives, but the added complexity arises from having to navigate through our respective families’ dynamics. To make matters even more intriguing, a long-forgotten secret lurks beneath the surface, poised to resurface and shake the foundations of our world.

Stepping into this era feels fascinating, yet it’s a world filled with cracks that ultimately lead to self-destruction, despite its emphasis on family preservation. This series powerfully portrays how cycles of violence only breed more chaos. Unless one manages to escape it, the vicious cycle threatens to shatter you,” I remark as a captivated viewer.

Bonnard deadpans: “The characters we play here, we’re like mushrooms: we grow on dead things.”

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve always admired the French acting talent that graced films like “House of Tolerance” (Sallette) and more recently, “Asteroid City” and “Poor Things”. However, the unique challenge presented by the set of “Malditos”, where both amateur and professional actors were involved, demanded a remarkable level of adaptability from its lead performers.

Sallette reminisces that it was indeed a demanding experience. The weather was severe and we spent most of our time in tents. There were numerous people around us at all times, and the wind was relentless. It was an unusual situation that proved to be exhausting yet profoundly moving.

Yesterday, I experienced the show for the first time, and it left quite an impact on me. It’s… unique. The characters in it are constantly battling for survival; it’s a constant struggle between life and death. This group of individuals, they’re always on the move, which makes their existence precarious. They’re only tied to one another – they don’t have strong connections to the land.

The hardline reciprocal approach of “Yellowstone”, similar to a famous land-focused family like the Duttons, didn’t resonate specifically with our group.

Bonnard openly acknowledges that he has not watched “Game of Thrones” at all. However, the concept of a Western was clearly on the mind of its creator, Jean-Charles Hue.

According to Sallette, he frequently referenced John Ford’s work. He often discussed Ford’s techniques for framing shots, and it seems that those vast landscapes and endless horizons greatly influenced him.

Bonnard promises: “We have the boots.”

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2025-04-29 21:49