France has always been a powerful force in world cinema – from Jean Renior to Jean-Luc Godard to Luc Besson, the French have consistently produced fantastic films. It continues to the present day – this year has seen some great Gaulic cinema make it over the channel. For instance, the romantic period epic The Princess of Montpensier, from acclaimed director Bertrand Tavernier, which comes to DVD and Blu-ray this month. Which gives a good excuse to look at the best French films to be released in the UK so far this year.
Potiche
Catherine Deneuve re-teamed with 8 Women director François Ozon for this delicious French farce. Deneuve plays the ‘potiche’, or trophy wife in English, of a factory owner, who takes his place in charge when he falls ill. Of course, she does better than anyone expected, and a battle of the sexes ensues…(imdb)
The Princess of Montpensier
The latest film from legendary Bertrand Tavernier is a vivid, compelling, romantic period epic with stunning battle sequences, the kind they don’t make any more. A brutal religious war is tearing through Sixteenth Century France. Marie DeMezieres, a young aristocratic heiress (played by the beautiful Mélanie Thierry) falls passionately in love with the dashing Henri DeGuise. Yet due to the political manipulations of her controlling father, she has been arranged to marry the arrogant Prince of Montpensier. Will true love prevail or will war and duty crush Marie’s chance at happiness? (imdb)
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Love Like Poison
Katell Quillévéré’s directorial debut came out of nowhere to be the breakout critical hit at last year’s Cannes festival. A fiercely original film, it centres on a young girl coming of age in a picturesque French village. While this may sound like a million other arthouse flicks, the film has a wonderfully dark, anarchic streak running through, as well as a fantastic soundtrack, including a stunning choral cover of Radiohead’s ‘Creep’. (imdb)
Tomboy
Following the international acclaim of her 2007 debut Water Lilies, Céline Sciamma returned with this tender, subtle film. When ten year old Laure moves to a new town, she decides to pass herself off a boy. This could easily be a heavy-handed ‘issue film’ about a serious subject, but instead it’s a light, intelligent, non-judgemental that’s ultimately more about the innocence of childhood than anything else.(imdb)
Little White Lies
After his first film, the cracking thriller Tell No One, wowed audiences around the world, there was a lot of eyes on Guillaume Canet’s sophomore feature. And didn’t disappoint. Canet’s other half, Marion Cotillard, took the lead in an ensemble cast that’s a virtual who’s who of modern French acting talent, in this brilliant tale of a group of friends who must face up to their hopes and fears on their annual summer excursion.(imdb)
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec
Action movie auteur Luc Besson returned to live-action filmmaking after 5 years away with this incredibly enjoyable adventure. Beautiful newcomer Louise Bourgoin shines at the titular Adele, a sort of swashbuckling female Indiana Jones, who travels from Egypt to Paris battling resurrected mummies, dinosaurs and an evil Mathieu Amalric. It’s a fantastically fun, action packed, period romp.(imdb)
The Big Picture
Romain Duris, from The Beat That My Heart Skipped and Heartbreaker, starred in this great adaptation of American author Douglas Kennedy’s novel. Duris starred as young lawyer who’d always dreamed of being a photographer – and when a bizarre twist of fate leaves him standing of the corpse of his wife’s secret lover, who also happens to be an acclaimed photographer, he decides to steal his identity… (imdb)
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Our Day Will Come
Romain Gavras is one of the most interesting music video directors working today – making stunning promos for the likes of Justice, MIA and The Last Shadow Puppets. His feature debut is equally impressive. A young disaffected youth with red hair goes on the run with his therapist-cum-counsellor (the great Vincent Cassel) in tow, aiming to get the ferry to Ireland, which they see as a haven for redheads! (imdb)
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