La Haine
France, 1995
Genre: Drama
Language: French
Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
Starring: Vincent Cassel, Benoit Magimel
What's it about?
Class and race clash violently in Mathieu Kassovitz's unforgettable account of hatred and revenge in suburban Paris. As powerful and relevant today as it was when it was released more than 20 years ago, this masterpiece was nominated for the Palme d'Or, and launched the career of Vincent Cassel.
[link title="La Haine review" url="node/69396"]
Le Week-End
M
United Kingdom, 2013
Genre: Biography
Language: [language]
Director: Roger Michell
Starring: Jeff Goldblum, Jim Broadbent, Olly Alexander
What's it about?
A long married British couple (Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan) return to Paris many years after their honeymoon there in an attempt to rejuvenate their marriage. Whilst on holiday they run in to an old friend (Jeff Goldblum), who changes the way the couple think about their love for one another.
[link title="Le Week-End Review" url="node/13829"]
Mood Indigo
MA15+
France, Belgium, 2000
Genre: Drama, Fantasy
Language: [language]
Director: Michel Gondry
Starring: Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, Gad Elmaleh, Omar Sy
What's it about?
Chloe (Audrey Tautou) suffers from an unusual illness caused by a flower growing in her lungs. But a kindhearted dreamer named Colin (Romain Duris) crosses paths with the pretty, quick-witted gal, and after much wooing, manages to win her over.
[link title="Mood Indigo Review" url="node/6318"]
In the House
France, 2012
Genre: Thriller
Language: French
Director: François Ozon
Starring: Kristin Scott Thomas, Fabrice Luchini, Emmanuelle Seigner
What's it about?
A 16-year-old teenager (Ernst Umhauer) sneaks into a classmate’s (Bastien Ughetto) house. He then writes about the event in stories for his French teacher (Fabrice Luchini). Inspired and confronted by the student, the teacher finds renewed joy in his job. Yet the teenager’s intrusion unleashes a series of uncontrollable events.
[link title="In the House Review" url="node/6242"]
Marguerite
France, 2015
Genre: Drama
Language: French
Director: Xavier Giannoli
Starring: Catherine Frot, Christa Theret
What's it about?
Paris in the 1920s. Marguerite Dumont is a wealthy woman with a passion for music and the opera. For years, she has performed regularly for a circle of guests. But Marguerite sings tragically out of tune and no one has ever told her. Her husband and her close friends have always encouraged her in her illusions. Things become very complicated the day she gets it into her head to perform in front of a genuine public, at the Opera.
[link title="Interview: Catherine Frot on her 'Marguerite' character's "marvellous obliviousness" " url="node/60601"]
Raw
MA 15+
France, Belgium, 2017
Genre: Drama, Horror
Language: French
Director: Julia Ducournau
Starring:
What's it about?
In Justine’s family everyone is a vet and a vegetarian. At 16, she’s a gifted teen ready to take on her first year in vet school, where her older sister also studies. There, she gets no time to settle: hazing starts right away. Justine is forced to eat raw meat for the first time in her life. Unexpected consequences emerge as her true self begins to form.
[link title="The cannibal thriller 'Raw' bites into a fresh horror metaphor" url="node/120130"]
[link title="Raw review: A sensitive and sophisticated cannibal coming-of-age tale" url="node/127808"]
Beautiful Lies
M
France, 2000
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Language: French
Director: Pierre Salvadori
Starring: Audrey Tautou, Nathalie Baye, Sami Bouajila
What's it about?
One fine spring morning, Emilie (Audrey Tautou) receives a love letter. It's beautiful, inspired, but it's also anonymous. She initially throws it into the trash can, before realising that it could be the way to rescue her mother (Nathalie Baye), who has become isolated and alone since the departure of her husband. Without thinking further, she immediately sends the letter on to her. But Emilie doesn't yet know that Jean (Sami Bouajila), her shy employee, is the letter's author.
[link title="Beautiful Lies Review" url="node/5539"]
What's in a Name?
France, 2012
Genre: Comedy
Language: French
Directors: Alexandre de La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte
Starring: Charles Berling
What's it about?
A polite dinner party erupts into chaos when two expectant parents disclose the name of their unborn son, with their closest friends and family. The name is highly provocative and sure enough, their choice provokes uproar amongst the group: shocking secrets are revealed; couscous is hurled; and someone is accused of adultery.
Stolen Kisses
France, 1968
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance
Language: French
Director: Francois Truffaut
Starring: Jean-Pierre Léaud
What's it about?
The third in a series of films featuring François Truffaut's alter-ego, Antoine Doinel, the story resumes with Antoine being discharged from military service. His sweetheart Christine's father lands Antoine a job as a security guard, which he promptly loses. Stumbling into a position assisting a private detective, Antoine falls for his employers' seductive wife, Fabienne, and finds that he must choose between the older woman and Christine.
