Rendez-Vous with French Cinema

[Chris Knipp]

SINK OR SWIM/LE GRAND BAIN (Gilles Lellouche 2018)

A broad comedy with a brace of famous French movie actors, mostly male, playing an oddball group who get involved (Full Monty style)in a team of masculine synchronized swimmers. All, all guys (and gals, the two coaches) are people whose lives are a mess, and the film avoids being too uplifting by spending a lot of time on the messes. This movie got ten César nominations. Silly, lightweight, but serous too and entertaining.

Rendez-Vous showtimes:
Saturday, March 2, 8:45pm
Monday, March 4, 9:00pm

[Chris Knipp]

COINCOIN AND THE EXTRA-HUMANS/COINCOIN ET LES Z'INHUMAINS (Bruno Dumont 2018)

A second four-part miniseries from Dumont set in his special part of northeastern France near Calais. Many of the same personalities are back from the first series, "L'il Quinquin." Now, gunk is falling from the sky, an invasion of extraterrestrials, and flashes of light are making people pregnant with their own clones, while an extreme right party meets out of town, people ride around illegally and wildly, the Gendarmerie is inept, the clerics are stupid and perhaps sex offenders, and African refugees wander around. Life as usual. Very much for a special taste, but these goofy, surreal, madcap episodes are highly accomplished especially in their use of non-actors, as before, and tech aspects are ace as well.

Rendez-Vous showtime:
Sunday, March 3, 1:00pm
U.S. Premiere

[Chris Knipp]

IN SAFE HANDS/PUPILLE (Jeanne Herry 2018)

The French have their own special humane and safe system for offering newborns anonymously for adoption. This film traces a specific baby ("Théo") along his path to a delighted adoptive mother, Alice (Élodie Bouchez) through the help of a warm foster parent, Jean (Gilles Lellouche) and the urging of a quirky, passionate social worker, Karine (Sandrine Kiberlain). Somewhere else perhaps this would be just a TV special with a documentary flavor. Here its an intensely appealing film that got seven César nominations - because the French care passionately about their social services, particularly this one.

At the 2019 FSLC-UniFrance Rendez-Vous with French Cinema at Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater.

Monday, March 4, 6:15pm (Q&A with Élodie Bouchez)

[Chris Knipp]

THE TIME OF THE PIRATES/SEUL LES PIRATES (Gaël Lepingle 2018)

A community theater director in the Loire Valley refuses to accept relocation. This episodic film has interesting characters and atmosphere but does not come together very well.

Rendez-Vous showtimes:
Tuesday, March 5, 6:15pm
Wednesday, March 6, 2:00pm

[Chris Knipp]

Now or soon to be available: reviews of SOPHIA ANTIPODES, METEORITES, and MAYA.

For all 2019 Rendez-Vous with French Cinema reviews, go to the Filmleaf FESTIVAL COVERAGE THREAD.

Still to come:
INVISIBLES
PAUL SANCHEZ IS BACK!
SCHOOLS OUT

[Chris Knipp]

METEORITES (Romain Laguna 2018)

A sexual coming of age summer story with a strong lead and female point of view. A familiar genre, but fine filmmaking, revealing true talent. Striking visuals and assured editing.

[Chris Knipp]

SOPHIA ANTIPOLIS (Vergil Vernier 2018)

Though in the Rendez-Vous schedule this is a Film Comment Selects film. Not in the same vein, but in French.
Vernier makes edgy studies of urban anomie using non-actors and unrelated material to convey a sense of danger. His earlier film, MERCURIALES (ND/NF 2015) didn't quite cohere; it exhibited a prurient interest in nubile young women. This one is more substantial, but still at the end did not add up for me. Beautiful nude young women are in the first frames, by the way.