Experiencing Interruptions?

The Claw

Edith, a young waitress in a seaside seafood restaurant, suddenly feels a surge of empathy for the lobsters in the aquarium who begin to speak to her. She decides to plan their escape, with the help of Abel, a young kitchen assistant and the owner’s son, who has a crush on her.

  • Josef Bentayou
    Director
  • Noémie Garbarg
    Writer
  • Claire Denzler
    Producer
  • Leo Bastard
    Key Cast
    "Abel"
  • Pénélope Martin
    Key Cast
    "Edith"
  • Ludovic Locoche
    Key Cast
    "Fred"
  • Gaëlle Jeantet
    Key Cast
    "Arlette"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    La Pince
  • Project Type:
    Feature, Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 7, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    6,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    France
  • Country of Filming:
    France
  • Language:
    French
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - ESEC
Director Biography - Josef Bentayou

Josef Bentayou, 25, grew up in Verfeil, a small village between Tarn and Haute-Garonne, France. Passionate about theater, he spent part of his teenage years in a local classical theater troupe. After earning a high school diploma in performing arts in Toulouse, he moved to Vancouver to learn English and pursue boxing, his second great passion.

Back in France, he began studying psychology before switching to a business school, which took him to Cardiff for a year and then to Barcelona for another year. During his time in Wales, he biked across the country with a camera and a tent, capturing landscapes and encounters.

His passion for cinema emerged during an internship on Vincent Perez’s film Une affaire d’honneur. He then decided to return to school, enrolling at ESEC Paris to study directing, while also pursuing a double curriculum in theater at the Cours Simon in the evenings.

Now based in Toulouse, he has founded an audiovisual production company to develop his creative projects.

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Director Statement

While reading this script, I was captivated by its quirky humor and its whimsical universe, reminiscent of films by Quentin Dupieux and Yorgos Lanthimos. The original idea immediately reminded me of the work of directors like Taika Waititi in Jojo Rabbit, who manage to tackle complex themes with disarming lightness and surprising candor. The character of Édith reminds me of iconic figures such as Amélie Poulain, Juliette Webb in Perdrix, or Bella Baxter in Poor Things. For me, these characters are models of freedom and action for my generation and the ones to come, encouraging us to fully flourish and take bold initiatives to make a difference.

As a child, I grew up immersed in stories from different cultures—Native American, African, and Asian tales—but it was Norwegian folktales, in particular, that left a lasting impression on me with their mysterious and enchanting worlds. I vividly remember my grandmother, who transformed meals into true works of art, creating dishes with expressive faces made from ingredients that looked as though they had come straight out of Willy Wonka’s factory. It is this magical and enchanting spirit that I wanted to see reflected in this film.

I wanted to create a fantastical universe, with vibrant characters, a small picturesque restaurant by the sea, reminiscent of the cliffside lake house in Brad Silberling’s Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. In this world, lobsters dream of freedom from their aquarium, and the story concludes with a strong moral, blending humor and poetry. This is a film that highlights the value of individuality, the importance of fighting for what matters most to us, and reminds us that even the smallest victories can lead to great transformations.

En lisant ce scénario, j’ai été séduit par son humour décalé et son univers délirant, qui rappellent les films de Quentin Dupieux et Yorgos Lanthimos. L’idée originale m’a immédiatement évoqué le travail de réalisateurs comme Taika Waititi avec Jojo Rabbit, capables d’aborder des thèmes complexes avec une légèreté désarmante. Le personnage d’Édith m’évoque des figures emblématiques comme Amélie Poulain, Juliette Webb dans Perdrix ou Bella Baxter dans Pauvres Créatures. Ces personnages incarnent, pour moi, des modèles de liberté et d’action pour ma génération et celles à venir, nous encourageant à nous épanouir pleinement et à oser prendre des initiatives pour changer les choses.

Enfant, j’ai grandi bercé par des récits issus de différentes cultures — contes amérindiens, africains, asiatiques — mais les contes norvégiens, en particulier, m’ont marqué par leurs univers mystérieux et envoûtants. Je me souviens de ma grand-mère, qui transformait les repas en véritables œuvres d’art, créant des plats aux visages expressifs avec des ingrédients qui semblaient tout droit sortis de l’usine de Willy Wonka. C’est cet esprit magique et enchanteur que je souhaitais voir transparaître dans ce film.

J’avais envie de construire un univers fantastique, avec des personnages hauts en couleur, un petit restaurant pittoresque, perdu en bord de mer, dans un style rappelant la maison en bord de falaise du lac dans Les désastreuses aventures des orphelins Baudelaire de Brad Silberling. Dans cet univers, les homards, rêvent d’indépendance dans leur aquarium, et l’histoire se conclut par une morale forte, tout en mêlant humour et poésie. C’est un film qui met en lumière la valeur de notre individualité, l’importance de nous battre pour ce qui compte à nos yeux, et nous rappelle que même les petites victoires peuvent mener à de grandes transformations.