Award-Winning French Short Film ‘Two People Exchanging Saliva’ Set for a Feature-Length Adaptation

Filmmakers Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata are teaming up with Paris’ Misia Films to turn their award-winning short film, Two People Exchanging Saliva, into a full-length feature.

The project is an absurdist tragicomedy that portrays a dystopian society where kissing is banned and replaced by slapping as a form of communication. The film follows a compulsive shopper and a naïve salesgirl who develop a secret bond, which becomes dangerous when their relationship begins to draw attention.

The short film, selected by Barry Jenkins for its world premiere at Telluride, won the grand jury prize at AFI Fest. The jury praised the film for exploring desire in a capitalist world and making queerness feel natural.

Vicky Krieps narrates the story, while the lead roles are played by Zar Amir Ebrahimi (Holy Spider) and Luana Bajrami (Portrait of a Lady on Fire).

Singh and Musteata, who recently took home multiple awards at the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival, are excited to expand this world. The filmmakers, both with backgrounds in visual arts and art history, see endless potential in the characters and setting.

With the short running at just 36 minutes, they’re eager to dive deeper into the story, including exploring even the villain in more detail.

The success of the short also led to its acquisition by Canal+, which will air it on French TV. As part of this deal, Canal+ has pre-bought the filmmakers’ next short film project.

The duo is now working through the Groupe Ouest lab to develop their feature project, and actors Ebrahimi, Bajrami, and Krieps have expressed interest in returning to their roles.

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