During the cold season, until the spring thaw, international films will compete for a place on the big screen. In fact, we expect a lot, especially from France. There will be everything, for everyone, although we notice a clear trend, even when the tone is ” feel good to social commentary.
Several titles allow us to draw this conclusion. For example, in neneh superstarof Ramzi Ben Sliman, a black teenager, gifted aspiring ballerina (Oumy Bruni Garrel), comes up against the institutional racism of a prestigious Parisian academy (April 21). In the romantico-social comedy The women of the squareof Julian Rambaldiwe follow an Ivorian immigrant (Eye Haïdara) who finds herself a nanny in a wealthy household, against the backdrop of the exploitation suffered by these women who have nothing in the hands of those who have everything (in March).
In The new toyof James Huthsecond remake, after the American, of the comedy The toy by Francis Veber, Jamel Debbouze is literally “bought” by a tycoon (Daniel Auteuil) for his capricious son, with a more pronounced speech on classes than before (February 24). Another comedy, another promising subject: ecology. Thus, in The little bandof Pierre Salvadoria group of children who, after unsuccessfully trying to blow up a polluting factory, kidnap its vile director (March 3).
Change of register in the drama Annie Angerof Blandine Lenoirwhere Laure Calamy (also on view in the comedy between friends The Cyclades March 3) plays a factory worker who, in 1974, begins to campaign for the right to abortion after obtaining one thanks to a group of women (February 10). A plot reminiscent of Call Jane (We are Jane), a more in-depth treatment close to that of The event.
Thrillers and heroines
The suspense will also be there with As bestasof Rodrigo Sorogoyan, in which Denis Ménochet and Marina Foïs have trouble with their neighbors until the tragedy in a village in Galicia (March 10). After the campaign, make way for the flashy glamor of the Riviera in Masqueradewhere Isabelle Adjani, Pierre Niney and Marine Vacth manipulate each other (April 21).
The prolific Francois Ozon returns to the theatrical detective comedy at the 8 women with my crimetaken from a play from the 1930s. A penniless starlet is accused of the murder of a big shot, notably with Isabelle Huppert and Fabrice Luchini (March 31).
There are also three films carried by heroines who experience an important inner journey. This is’A nice morningof Mia Hansen – Love, which stars Léa Seydoux. She is Sandra, a young woman, a young single mother, who has to deal with the accelerated decline of her father, suffering from a degenerative disease. Then returns to the landscape Clément, a former lover with whom she reconnects without really knowing if it will be for good, or for a time (February 10).
In Return to Seoulof Davy Chou, said journey is not only interior, it is also physical. Indeed, Freddie (Park Ji-min), the protagonist, decides without warning to travel from Paris to Seoul in order to discover the country of her origins (March 3).
From England this time, Emilyof Frances O’Connor, is a splendid, feverish and poetic biography of Emily Brontë. Emma Mackey is terrific as the author of the classic The Wuthering Heights (February 24).
Friendship, love and unclassability
We will also point out two beautiful LGBTQ+ titles: Closeby the Belgian director Lukas Dhontin which the fusional friendship between two boys is undermined by what will be said, and Of an Ageby the Macedonian-born filmmaker Goran Stolevskyabout the intense affair, in Australia, between a Serbian immigrant and the brother of his dance partner (February 3 and February 10, respectively).
Finally, in the category of unclassifiable, two last titles that we do not want to miss: Smoking makes you coughthe unspeakable Quentin Dupieux (Rubber, mandibles), an eighth degree parody of superhero films starring Gilles Lellouche, Anaïs Demoustier, Jean-Pascal Zadi and Vincent Lacoste, and Enys Menof Mark Jenkinsa horror film with folk horror sauce (“ folk horror ”) camped in Cornwall in 1973 (March 31 and Winter 2023, respectively).
While waiting for the summer cinematic vintage, good cinema!