Every year several New York cinemas team up to present the best in French cinema over the past year- Rendezvous with French Cinema. Some are destined for NY distribution but many you may never see here again even on the internet. Out of the 24 films showcased (many directors are in attendance for their screenings) surprisingly only one or two might cause your wallet to wobble in hindsight. And in a week when the Oscars’ magic dust cloud slowly settles it’s sobering to realize many of these French films have been nominated or lauded with France’s own Oscar: the César. But outside France who cares? A shame because certainly the acting talents are on par with any American and the same could be said in most instances for all other film production departments.
That being said does anything really astonish in the Rendezvous season? In the sense of La Haine or an early Luc Besson or indeed Godard? Alas, no there isn’t. Michel Gondry conjures his wacky, wonderful world in Mood Indigo that will either delight or irritate as with his star Audrey Tatou. Confession here of inhabiting the former camp. Serge Bozon’s (also an actor in Miss and the Doctors) Tip Top- wacky in another sense (and certainly to the relief of Isabelle Huppert offered something inventive to read) droley and sincerely tips an internal affairs police drama on its head in ways never dreamed of by the Police Academy comedies Stateside.
If moody amour fou crime capers are your thing Playing Dead (Je Fais Le Mort) with France’s younger ‘Jean Reno’ François Damiens (also in Tip Top), Love is the Perfect Crime (L'amour est un crime parfait) and Tonnerre won’t disappoint. More serious wackiness with great casting in If You Don’t I Will (Arrête ou je continue)- that again will either inspire or irritate. Sex and amour, of course, are all over this French season. Nothing comes close to a Catherine Breillat, but Jacques Doillon’s Love Battles (Mes séances de lute) is notable here- essentially a couple literally wrestling their compatibility like dancers for an entire film. Again, intriguing or infuriating. Suzanne tells its tale with aplomb and sincerity with its rising star Sara Forestier also seen as the nympho Annie seducing Mathieu Amalric in Love is the Perfect Crime. Ozon’s keenly awaited new film Young and Beautiful (Jeune & jolie) is in Breillat territory without trekking into her jungle of desire. Actress Marine Vacth in the lead impresses.
After all those films Agnès Jaoui’s Under the Rainbow (Au bout du conte) feels a little fey hinting at early Ozon without the follow through, though Agathe Bonitzer (whose mum wrote/directed for If You Don't, I Will) is a quirky talent to watch. The Gilded Cage (La cage dorée) and A Castle in Italy (Un Château en Italie) written, directed and starring the irrepressible Valeria Bruni Tedeschi are both films that will set you dreaming about villas afar- or maybe just confirm your prejudices against your jet setting penthouse neighbours and allow you to dream realistically. Eastern Boys has all elements firmly in place for its story of illegal youngsters that needs telling. Problem being, though, that the director in garnering our sympathy makes even the ‘baddies’ just a bit too nice. Reality just ain’t that forgiving.
So cut to the chase: most New Yorkers barely have time or the will to see more than one film a month let alone...So singling out the following four films as a must see has relevance only in the context of all 24 on view. Justine Triet‘s first feature The Age of Panic (La Bataille de Solferino) is very impressive with scenes filmed on location as election day unfolds Sunday May 6, 2012- Socialist François Hollande ousting Nicolas Sarkozy. Actor Vincent Macaigne is France’s new disheveled guy next door (also in Tonnerre and 2 Autums, 3 Winters) – though one of my colleagues found him habitually irritating.
There’s a personal fondness here for The Marchers (La marche) 1963 true story- a band of anti-discrimination that sets foot from the south of France to Paris where it’s become a symphony. A fondness because actor/director Nabil Ben Yadir’s (though the script wobbles) not only endears but allows you to remember each character along the way. It’s not as inventive, sharp and left field as say Tip Top but Nadir’s next passion project is keenly awaited.
The Festival’s opening night film On My Way (Elle s'en va) shows aging French icon Catherine Deneuve still on the up and up with her career choices. Question of course is would the film still work without Deneuve? As with Place Vendôme (1998) it is a resounding yes. Deneuve’s presence elevates these films one plateau higher simply because of who she is and her talent. Director Emmanuelle Bercot’s skill is allowing all of these ordinary people and their lives to engage the audience for 2 hours rather than bore them. Bercot’s son Nemo Schiffman as Charly the kid being a kid in this road movie almost steals the show.
Closing night film The French Minister is uproariously funny as it satirizes the mad doings of France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Director Bertrand Tavernier is a deft old hand at getting to a character’s core and this film excels at delineating the balance between comedy and levity such is the collaboration between him and the original Quai d'Orsay graphic novelist Abel Lanzac (pseudonym for Antonin Baudry) who worked there for real.
