False Witness Johan Libereau, Michel Blanc and Emmanuelle Béart party down. In André Téchiné’s Les Témoins (The Witnesses), it’s 1984 and Manu (Johan Libereau) has just arrived in Paris. He soon meets a doctor, Adrien (Michel Blanc), in a cruising … Read More
Deadly Serious The splendid Nathalie Baya is great at playing a drunk. Last week I went to see two vastly different, yet similar, films. Both were well-written, well-directed, well-acted – and both were deadly dull. The first was Clint Eastwood’s … Read More
Split Personality Julia (Tilda Swinton): aging goodtime girl, serious alcoholic and marvellously self-destructive. March 12, 2008 Typical. You wait 10 years for a new Erick Zonca movie and then five come along at once. Unfortunately, the director of The Dreamlife … Read More
Keeping the Faith Ismaël (Roschdy Zem) and Clara (Cécile de France) confront the issues in Mauvaise Foi. Ismaël (Roschdy Zem) and Clara (Cécile de France) have been together for four years. They’re a happy couple, but when Clara discovers that … Read More
Paris Update Flash News iNEFFABLE STORIES “Wagner, Méphistophélès et l’Homonculus” (2013), by Gérard Garouste. Courtesy Galerie Daniel Templon. Photo: B.Huet/Tutti One painting in “Contes Ineffables,” French artist Gérard Garouste’s current exhibition of paintings and sculpture at the Galerie Daniel Templon … Read More
Paris Update Art News POIGNANT LIVES “Les Histoires d’Amour Finissent Mal…en Général” (2011), by Giulia Andreani. Even though the exhibition “Silent Faces” (through March 8) is being held in the minuscule Galerie 22,48 m2, (30 rue des Envierges, 75020 Paris; … Read More
On the Road Again Bouli Lanners stars in the film he wrote and directed. You would think that the road movie genre is well past its sell-by date, but again and again interesting variations on the theme turn up. Eldorado, … Read More
Biopics of troubled or struggling female artists seem a sure way of winning awards these days. Just think of Marion Cotillard’s star turn as Edith Piaf in La Môme (distributed as La Vie en Rose in the English- … Favorite
Comprehending a Cult France’s beloved bad-boy troubadour Serge Gainsbourg is an acquired taste for foreigners. His cynical, grizzled, Gitane-puffing, pastis-soaked image can seem posy and pretentious. After years of trying to understand this French obsession, I have finally been convinced … Read More
Paris Update Art Notes BONNARD FOR SALE “Pêches” (c. 1916), an oil painting by Pierre Bonnard. Estimate: €200,000-€300,000. For lovers of Pierre Bonnard and Postimpressionist art, this March offers a unique opportunity to really get to know the artist and … Read More
