26/05/2006

Romantically inclined French cinema is out in force at this year’s Directors’ Fortnight, with films by Emmanuel Mouret, Claire Simon and Jean-Claude Brisseau, and now a film by Christophe Honoré, which screened recently.

Following his debut feature Seventeen Times Cécile Cassard, in competition at Cannes in 2002, Honoré undertook the ambitious project of Ma mère [+see also:
trailer
film profile], the screen adaptation of Georges Bataille’s novel starring Isabelle Huppert. However, the film, which was supposed to be selected, was rejected by Cannes at the last minute, angering both the director and producer Paulo Branco.

Since then, Honoré has been busy writing plays, novels and children’s literature and this year marks the return of the gifted French writer/director to Cannes with Dans Paris [+see also:
trailer
film profile], a simple yet beautiful, light-hearted and tender film.

With fine performances by Romain Duris and Louis Garrel as brothers, Guy Marchand as their smothering and anxious father and Marie-France Pisier as their seductive mother, Dans Paris includes all the themes dear to Honoré: family, brotherhood, romantic passion and the suffering that accompanies it.

Shortly before Christmas, the family is reunited when Paul (Duris), depressed and suffering a broken heart, seeks refuge in the house his father and brother share, and soon refuses to leave his brother’s room. In an attempt to cheer up his brooding brother, Jonathan (Garrel) tries to get Paul out of the house and entertains him with tales of his naïve womanizing escapades. Gradually, Paul begins speaking again and ultimately realizes that "one must take care of one’s own sadness".

With Dans Paris, Honoré seems to bring an invigorating and light energy, thanks in large part to Garrel. The director entertains himself, trying out new ways of shooting and new visual ideas, such as the theatricality of an argument, a conversation sung between a couple on the telephone, and events happening in reverse.

He plays with words and voices and flirts with references while often capturing the depth of the bonds between the characters, and their solitude and despair, with great finesse. All this is marked by the tenderness that binds the two brothers, which constitutes the director’s view, this feeling of transmitting desire and bringing someone "back to life".

Produced by Branco through his respective French and Portuguese companies, Gémini Films and Clap Filmes, Dans Paris is being distributed in France and sold internationally by Gémini.

(Translated from French)