French

A murky, downbeat spy thriller written by José Giovanni and starring Lino Ventura. A French spy in Vienna is suspected of being a double agent, and a colleague of his is sent over to investigate. When the former man is kidnapped by the Russians, his complex network of contacts has to be unravelled in order to trace an important microfilm. The two final ironic twists sort of cancel each other out, but a British director and Michael Caine could have done wonders with this script. Deray’s dry, anonymous matter-of-factness would be more suited to the parable of Un papillon sur l’épaule that he made with Ventura about a decade later.Read More »

Antoine loves Clarisse and would like to marry her. Or how a simple story of a lost ring leads a young woman to say yes, finally!Read More »

Philippe advocates total sexual freedom and strongly encourages his partner Esther to do the same. But when the young woman decides to take him at his word, Philippe finds it intolerable. And that’s when all their problems begin…Read More »

YUL is the closest thing to a French New Wave title simply by virtue of the casting of lead actor Charles Denner, a regular Truffaut mascot (The Bride Wore Black, The Man Who Loved Women) as well as a familiar face in films by Claude Lelouch and Costa-Gavras. The title refers to a flight number of a French engineer who arrives in Montreal only to find that the man he’s supposed to meet isn’t in his office. After a bus ride through the city he wanders the streets to kill time, crossing paths with a young girl, striking up a potential romance, and diving into Montreal culture ranging from bowling alleys to a “ye ye” performance in Arab drag to a quirky shooting gallery and even a moment of unexpected tragedy.Read More »

Young woman who lives under the gaze of her overprotective stepmother falls for a young man she meets. He is infatuated by her beauty, but is also a sociopath. She wants to leave her stepmother’s hold and he is ready to kill.Read More »

Synopsis :
1961. Luxemburger Thomas Vlassenroot deserted the French Foreign Legion during the Algiers Putsch. His lieutenant, Fraser, initiated the desertion for the two of them, Fraser believing he could do more for the French working for an underground organization. However, Thomas readily admits that he no longer has any political motivations or affiliations, and thus is hiding out from the authorities in Algiers. Fraser offers him a proposition: help him kidnap Lyonais lawyer, Dominique Servet, who is in Algiers to defend two Algerian nationalists…Read More »

Quote:
Tango Negro: The African Roots of Tango by Angolan filmmaker Dom Pedro explores the expression of Tango’s Africanness and the contribution of African cultures in the creation of the tango. Tango was a reflection of the social life of the slaves that were taken to South America – including Argentina and Uruguay – mostly from central Africa, particularly from the former Kongo Kingdom. Director Dom Pedro reveals the depth of the footprints of the African music on the tango, through this rich movie combining musical performances and interviews from many tango fans and historians in Latin America and Europe, including the renowned Argentinean pianist Juan Carlos Caceres.Read More »

Quote:
Louise lives with Rémi in Marne-la-Vallée. He is an architect, she is an interior decorator. Their lives would be perfect if Rémi were less of a homebody, and if Louise were not such a night owl. Conscious of preserving her independence, Louise rents a pied-à-terre in Paris. Octave, her friend and confidant, is always ready to accompany her during her night prowls. One evening, beneath a full moon, and Octave’s jealous, loving gaze, she succumbs to the charms of a sensual dancer. As day breaks she realises, however, that she would much rather be with Rémi.Read More »

Patrick Bokanowski’s extraordinarily intimate portrait of Henri Dimier at work focuses as much attention on the personality of the materials as on the painter himself. Only fitting, as Dimier repeatedly insists that the artist’s vocation is to let the paper “be aware of itself” and takes obvious pleasure showing the proper way to sharpen a pencil. Dimier demonstrates several playful exercises to cultivate an all-important sense of spontaneity while he approaches teaching as another opportunity for improvisation. “If you lose your momentum you lose your freedom,” Dimier opines. And indeed Bokanowski’s portrait exemplifies the benefit of sustained attention. – Max GoldbergRead More »