George Benlian on movies, books and few other things

Israelis and Arabs do make great films together

During the last decade, viewers of quality cinema have witnessed the emergence of interesting and powerful movies made by Israeli (and in few cases by Palestinian) directors telling simple and heart-warming stories. It is always surprising to see the lack of violence in those movies. In contrary the collaboration between israelis and palestinians can be seen as a message of hope and tolerance.

Lately i was impressed by "Lemon tree", a movie i discovered late last year and wrote about it in my blog. "The band's visit" made by a young Israeli director is another cinematic gem. A charming and gentle movie about the Egyptian Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra arriving to a small Israeli town to give a performance in honor of the opening of an Arab Cultural Centre. Stranded and lost they will soon find out they are expected in another town and therefore have no other choice but to spend the night with few locals including the female owner of a cafe with two-man clientele.

Do not expect heart beating scenes. You might even sometime ask to yourself if there is an actual story. A movie without a developed story may be a risky enterprise however in rare occasions, it can defies this principle and provide a well entertaining and profound cinematic experience which "The band's visit" can be considered as a great example. Good actors are always another valid reason for a film success. We have hardly heard about Ronit El Kabetz who plays Dina, the blunt owner of a cafe that will welcome the band and will even spend a candid evening with Tawfic, their head singer. She is spontaneous and brings a hint of mystery to her character. The show stealer remains however the actor who plays Tawfic. His name is Sasson Gabai. He has an intensive film actor career and has even played in several Hollywood blockbusters. Tawfic is a man of strict principles. He can be severe to his musicians but is always an extremely polite gentleman with strangers. When he goes for an unexpected date with Dina, he is utterly shy. What counts nevertheless is the true Human Being he is with his weak points and poignant past.

In one survey it was estimated 98% of critics liked "The band's visit". It is no surprise the movie won various prestigious awards all over the World 

A well written biography of French actor Bernard Blier twenty years after his death

If you watch French movies, chances are you have seen Bernard Blier in many of them. As for a cinema enthusiast of my caliber, Blier remains an important figure of French cinema covering a period of fifty years; from the late thirties to the late eighties.

One hundred and eighty roles on the big screen, over thirty roles in the theatre; Blier was the quintessential character actor whose popularity remained intact during all his career. At a young age, he had the great Louis Jouvet as his tutor and made a remarkable debut by playing in a number of pre-war great French classics such as "Entree des artistes", "Hotel du Nord" and "Le jour se leve".

Jean-Philippe Guerand is a journalist having written books about Woody Allen and Jacques Tati. He met Blier four years before his passing away. Twenty years later, a voluminous biography of the french actor is published by Robert Laffont with Guerand as the author of this meticulous work. The target audience is obviously readers interested about French movies. I am definitely one of them as i do enjoy reading from time to time biographies of people who have worked or still work in the  French cinema industryry. 

When an actor has played in one hundred and eighty movies, inevitably some of them are rather average however in our memories we always remember those titles who have made an impact on us. Blier in "Quai des orfevres" made in 1947 by Henri-Georges Clouzot is a good example. He was thirty when he played the jealous husband who is a prime suspect of the death of his spouse. I will be watching this movie again very soon and will very likely write about it in this blog.

Another unforgettable performance of Blier is in his son; Bertrand Blier's sixth movie "Buffet froid" released in 1979. This is a pure joy to watch especially if you like unorthodox stories.

However Blier will always be remembered as Raoul Volfoni from "Les tontons flingueurs". This popular farce thriller has become over the decades the most revered french comedy with regular repeat on french television.

His son, Bertrand is a well respected film director. Father and son did three movies together however only "Buffet froid" is worth talking about. The other two were big failures in Bertrand's career.

Blier was also a passionate book collector. His collection was sold after his death and many purchasers of numerous titles were among his friends and colleagues.  

The Page Turner by Denis Dercourt

A movie that causes an impact is an essential viewing. I didn't know what to expect at the beginning although i was aware about the international success of "The page turner". It turned out to be an intelligent and tantalizing story capable to take the viewer by surprise. 

Denis Dercourt comes from a musical background having served as an alto soloist in the French Symphonic Orchestra. Apart his directorial career he also teaches chamber music at the Strasbourg Conservatory. His influence from Claude Chabrol is well noticeable specially in his observation of the French Provincial bourgeoisie in a mesmerizing suspense drama with a twist.

The enigmatic smile of the sweet and pretty young blonde will discourage us to believe for an eventual mean action from her. The unpredictable treatment of the young woman character is i guess the strength of the movie. We may even consider the famous pianist played by Catherine Frot as the villain because of her attitude at the early part of the story. Dercourt plays with the state of emotions of the nervous virtuoso making her a gradual victim of a well perpetrated vengeance. Deborah Francois excels as the icy yet polite Deborah who has a precise plan that will transformAriane's comfortable lifestyleinto a misery. Catherine Frot and Pascal Greggory are both prefect as the loving couple facing an uncertain future.

"Tulpan" - A nice heartwarming discovery

"Tulpan" is not your mainstream movie. In contrary, shot in a documentary style, this moving simple tale has deeper meanings about life in a treeless, remote area in Southern Kazakhstan. We are very far from the Civilization despite Boney M being present in this desolated region through one of their song. "Tulpan" might have difficult and tense scenes however it remains a well made comedy full of witty humor specific to situations only possible in those forgotten areas where life is a continuous survival against harsh conditions of the nature.

Life could have been better to our young hero, an ex-marine with "both hands and legs" if only the parents of Tulpan; the only single woman in the region would have agreed to give her as a bride. Our young hero has no proper job and to make the matter worse, he has two big ears. This is cynicism at it's best with a heartwarming evolution but no Americanize victory and happy end.

Sergei Dvortsevoy succeeds giving us the bleak beauty of the steppe’s windswept landscape: the endless sky, the camel stampedes, and one of the most remarkable animal birth scenes. A definite crowd- pleas er able to touch us in its extreme conditions of life. After all, this is a movie with universal tendencies.

For more information about this movie, check www.tulpan.com.au

Summer hours by Olivier Assayas

 

The French director Olivier Assayas is known for his rigorous and intelligent style of filmmaking. He may not be everyone's cup of tea and i have disliked some of his movies specially his earlier ones.

"Summer hours" - in french "L'heure d'ete" is his latest production released in France one year ago. An intimate family portrait if treated with sensitivity  and in-depth can produce an enriching cinematic experience. Yasujiro Ozu mastered this theme and it is not surprising to note Assayas being the most Asian influenced of French directors. He is subtle in his treatment of a story and can sometimes be too ambiguous.

Fortunately "Summer hours" is more viewer-friendly than some of his earlier works. A film about the passing of times may not attract much attention and i know some viewers expressed disappointment as to the lack of expected action present in majority of movies. This is a different kind of cinema; a delicate way of telling the story of three siblings facing the death of their mother and the sensitive decisions they have to make with the question of inheritence. Several scenes about valuable objects and paintings are filmed as a documentary to provide a realistic approach. I checked the internet and didn't find any famous french painter named Paul Berthier. 

Juliette Binoche, Charles Berling and Jeremie Renier are playing the siblings. Living abroad has become a life choice for two of the three siblings. This typical middle class french family will soon have heir in America and China. This film could have been called "Changing times". I liked the idea of starting and ending the movie with the young generation of teenagers and childrens. It is a distinctive allusion of the continuation of life despite certain alterations that come naturally.     

Yasujiro Ozu the Matchmaker

       

"Tokyo Stories" by Yasujiro Ozu made me a loyal follower of this director works. My collection of his movies is getting larger and additional information through DVD bonuses is always welcomed. Lately i have been watching a cycle of his movies having as common theme family portraits. Ozu was obsessed with the consequences of relationship between a father and his daughter ("Late Spring" and "An Autumn Afternoon"), and a mother and her daughter  ("Late autumn") after a marriage.

If i have called Ozu the Matchmaker, it is because the idea of marrying the twenty four years old daughter is in the centre of the above named movies. Middle aged male friends are all too keen to find a suitable husband for the young woman. It makes me smile when the age of the daughter who must get married is always twenty four. Similarities in the theme reinforces Ozu's obsession with the family portraits. In "Early Summer' made before "Tokyo stories", the whole family is behind the target of marrying Noriko to a suitable man except our young lady has her final word to say. This is an interesting situation as considering the context of the period - early fifties - independence in choice remains powerful. "The end of summer" made before his last movie in the early sixties has a considerable variation in the family portraits theme as this time, it is the father who has few surprises to reveal. I really liked the scene where the three sisters are at their father's deathbed finding out about his other life with another woman from whom he has a daughter.

Life and death are indissociable. Ozu has strong attachement to the cycle of life. All the movies i noted above are honest observation of life changes. Death may be the end however life continues on with the next generation. Funny and poignant scenes bring happiness and a touch of sadness. It is a balanced outcome that is so meaningful in our normal lives.

 

If the stories have similarities, what makes the whole experience more memorable is the use of the same faces. Setsuko Hara is the girl to marry who in the early sixties becomes suddenly a mother with a daughter to marry. Chisu Ryu is always around playing the father who will face a lonely life. Other familiar faces are all part of the extended cinematic family of Yasujiro Ozu, a man who was never married and never had children of his own.

Next time, i will be writing on other themes explored by Ozu specialy in the early part of his career in the thirties and the forties.

So what did i watch during the French Film Festival?

It's not always easy to choose from a selection of 35 titles. Some of them will have theatrical release in the coming weeks so i will watch them later on. Others are only good for the small screen so time should not be waisted. There is also a handful of titles that we know in advance will be definitely worth having a look. 

 

 Emmanuel Mouret is a 38 years old director who also plays in his own movies. Eric Rohmer influence on his work is visible from the first scene of any of his movies. Since year 2000, he has directed four. His fifth one has just been completed and is due to be released later this year.

 

       

"Shall we kiss?" aka "Un baiser s'il vous plait" is his latest opus.Like in his previous movies,  love and relationship remains key elements in his exploration of thirty something lives of well behaved, well educated middle class men and women. The abundance of the dialogue may give the impression of a play however when it is well written, the whole experience is worthy of our time. Rohmer, Sacha Guitry, Marcel Pagnol all made movies with abundant dialogues, a tradition well kept in the French cinema. Mouret's observation of human relations is shown with the utmost simplicity and panache. He has good taste when it comes to romance. Marie Gilain, Fanny Valette and now Virginie Ledoyen have all felt in love with our romantic and idealist hero. The use of classical music (Schubert in "Shall we kiss?")adds the perfect touch of a harmonious comedy full of wit and intelligence. I am a huge fan of Emmanuel Mouret films. It takes some effort to accept a different type of filmmaking but once you are under the spell the rest is pure joy!

    

I have seen many kissing scenes over the years yet i never felt so engaged by the kiss scene at the end of this enchanting cinematic experience.

 

Jacques Mesrine was France's public enemy number one from the sixties until his assassination in the middle of the French capital in 1979. A two part movie directed by Jean-Francois Richet got released in 2008 obtaining a huge success by the press and the public alike. Four hours of packed action will impress anyone who likes thrillers. If part one may look repetitive, part two is truly and simply spectacular. It takes time to get used to the idea of almost liking a criminal whose ideas and charisma made him the most popular gangster of modern France.

 

Vincent Cassel is staggering in the leading role. He is without doubt the most gifted french actor of his generation. He can play anything and be reliable and convincing. Mesrine didn't know the meaning of the verb "surrender". A master of disguise and an assertive manipulator of high caliber, thirty years after his atroce end, he continues to fascinate.

Both movies are perfect examples to stop giving credits only to the Americans when it comes to fast heart beating action movies. For sure the American cinema is full of great thrillers but we should not underestimate  productions of this genre from other countries including of course France. Few years back, i discovered another superb french thriller called "36 Quai des orfevres" starring Daniel Auteuil and Gerard Depardieu.

Speaking of Daniel Auteuil, i was very disappointed to see his talent totally wasted in a weak comedy known in english as "Me two". A stupid idea makes a stupid movie and even Daniel Auteuil can't save it!

However, thumbs up for the new comedy written and directed by Francis Veber. Born in 1937, Veber became in the seventies a well respected screenplay writer specializing in comedies. He wrote "L'emmerdeur" know in english as "A pain in the ass" in the early seventies for Edouard Molinaro, a popular french movie director. The movie was a big hit in those days allowing Jacques Brel to show his acting abilities specially in a comedy. Thirty five years later, Veber made a remake from his own screenplay and the result is even better than the original. We are guaranteed as always to spend a joyful time in company of his duo. This is i guess the biggest recipe of great comedies. Having two very opposite characters being together can definitely provide hilarious moments as well as well structured conflict.   

    

Both Patrick Timsit and Richard Berry played "L'emmerdeur" at the theatre couple years ago. I always found Berry a fine performer who like Vincent Cassel can play any character and keep the whole thing authentic. Timsit however is your typical french comic actor who is obviously taking great pleasure of making his surrounding lives miserable. For a good laugh, "L'emmerdeur" is highly recommended.

 

 Jean Becker is the son of legendary film maker, Jacques Becker. Born in the thirties, he made couple average comedies in the sixties before disappearing for two decades. In 1983, he directed Isabelle Adjani in "L'ete meurtrier" before disappearing again for another decade. Since 1995, he is back and is making interesting movies on regular basis. His latest "Deux jours a tuer" is a curious piece that keeps the viewer puzzled. We know from his previous movies, Becker likes to promote the simple life. He has a zen approach and little things have great importance for him. In this movie, he keeps a deep secret right to the end. A great way to show how we can be sensitive without risking a stereotype outlook. Again, when watching a new movie by Jean Becker, we know he will take us to a beautiful and sometime sad journey.

  

"Mes amis mes amours" is a french romantic comedy having London as the centre of the action. An average movie that has some funny scenes but the lack of surprises can play a overall negative role.

The biggest highlight of the festival was "Paris 36". I didn't watch it for the simple reason it will be released in May. However, i did miss out an opopportunity to meet it's leading actor, Gerard Jugnot who was a guest at the festival. It is a pity as i have always considered Jugnot as a talented artist who can be funny and touching and definitely a pleasure to see him performing.

The mysterious Yasujiro Ozu

Back in October last year, i discovered "Tokyo stories" a Japanese cinematic masterpiece directed by Yasujiro Ozu. I wrote about it in my blog and promised myself to watch more movies from this master of Japanese cinema. Five months later, i have seen half a dozen of his works and i will be writing further in the near future.

Today, my intention is to write about the mysterious simplicity of Ozu. First his name is simple yet mysterious; just a "Z" and two vowels; "O" and "U". He was born December 12 1903 and died on December 12 1963. He was a bachelor who lived with his mother for sixty years and died just three months after she passed away. He made fifty four films, all but three for the same producer. He didn't make his first talking picture until 1936, six years after everyone else. His first color film was made in 1958 later than all his colleagues. So it's a sort of refusal to budge, a stability and equilibrium. That's the first thing that strikes us about Ozu. There is also his style. After 1940, he always refused to move his camera keeping it stationary and just a few centimetres off the ground where daily Japanese life takes place.

His films titles all seem alike. They can be easily confused; "Early Spring", "Early Summer", "Late Autumn", "An Autumn Afternoon". It's as if he kept making the same film always about the Japanese family, marital relationships, the old and the young, work and family. It's all very intriguing and also utterly simple. It's not difficult to enter in Ozu's world. Maybe at first it may appear a bit slow and the lack of camera movements may cause a certain passivity however relationships can be universal and familiar to all of us. Ozu's reflection on Zen philosophy about the non-existence of the future because it's unreal and untouchable nor the past because it's over brings the present as the crucial moment of intensity and fullness. 

A difficult task of revealing 100 of my favourite movies

It is a difficult task to name one hundred movies from a list of four thousand that i have seen over the last twenty years. It is difficult for the simple reason that some of these movies were discovered many years ago. I became a movie buff at the age of eleven and twenty years later, it is logic that my taste and sensitivity have been developed. Saying this, i still want to fulfil the task of naming one hundred movies that i have highly enjoyed watching sometime during the last two decades. It is a subjective list of course and honestly i wouldn't know if some of these movies will again make part of the top 100 if i will see them again. The important part is to share some titles without any order of preference and i guess it will reveal a lot about what i look for in a movie. Please note the presence of a large number of French titles is due to the simple fact that almost half of the four thousand movies seen by yours truly is actually made in France. I think it is not recent news about my passion for the French Cinema. To simplify things i have separated the titles by countries of production. Enjoy

American Movies

         

                                                                       

French movies

                                                                           

         

Other countries

                     

2009 French Film Festival in Australia

Every year in March, the French Film Festival organised by the Alliance Francaise is the perfect opportunity to bring a great number of French movies to our Australian cinemas. It all began twenty years ago with a modest program of i think 5 to 6 movies. I've been a regular follower since 1993 and in those days we were happy with 8 to 10 movies. In recent years, the popularity of the festival has grown immensely and naturally the number of movies selected increased as well. In 2009, we could see 35 movies. I mean if we don't have anything else to do of course. In my case, i will try to see about ten keeping in mind that some of the selected movies will be released during the year.

Looking at the program, i can see the choice of the programer, Jean-Jacques Garnier- the man responsible of bringing back Bertrand Tavenier late last year to Australia, is a fair one. If comedies are well represented, he has also chosen a number of more intimate movies. Without doubt, the festival centrepiece will be the two part movie of France's most recognisable criminal, Jacques Mesrine played by Vincent Cassel. For me both movies are a must to see and if possible it makes sense to watch part one before part two.

The opening night movie is directed by Christophe Barathier who made the extremely popular "Les Choristes" few years back. In "Paris 36", he recreates the French Capital of the Leon Blum era - 1936 where a group of unemployed enthusiasts will save a theatre in a lush reconstituted production with lots of music and dance. A true French experience that might sound rather exotic for aussie viewers.

As mentioned above, a number of comedies are being shown part of this year festival. The remake of "L'emmerdeur" - a french classic dated from 1973 is this time directed by Francis Veber who was the author of the original screenplay. In this new version  the hero and the anti hero are played by  Richard Berry and Patrick Timsit. With Francis Veber, we are always guaranteed to spend a good time. Daniel Auteuil is present in two movies; "Daddy cool" about a father/daughter relationship in a form of comedy and "Me two" with Alain Chabat and a subject that has a surreal touch. The other great comedy is the third Asterix movie which as always will entertain the audience.

 

I have great admiration to the director/actor Emmanuel Mouret. "Shall we kiss?" is selected and i am very keen to enjoy it. I am also keen to see the new movie by Jean Becker called "Love me no more".

For lovers of intellectual french cinema, my recommendation will be " A christmas tale" by Arnaud Desplechin. He makes very long movies but are worth a look. "Summer hours" by Olivier Assayas is also another choice but i will wait its commercial release in April. I have to admit i missed with enormous regret the premier screening of this movie that will take place in one week time followed by Q&A with Juliette Binoche and David Stratton. All tickets were sold super fast!

For more information about all 35 selected movies with schedule of screening times, you can check the festival website: www.frenchfilmfestival.org