Category Archives: France

A complicated woman: Early Brigitte Bardot

Brigitte Bardot has just turned 80 today (28th September), and as a birthday tribute to one of the iconic film personalities of the twentieth century, I want to briefly highlight some of her early filmography that’s relevant to this blog, … Continue reading

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A review: “Jours tranquilles à Clichy” [1990 France, Italy, Germany]

Too often in the history of cinema have we seen a legendary director bring an inspired piece of literature to film and completely miss, not only its central theme, but also the pulse. The culprit on this occasion of ‘artistic … Continue reading

Posted in Claude Chabrol, France | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A film review: “Le chant des mariées” [2008 France, Tunisia]

In her second film, “Le chant des mariées” [Eng. Title: The Wedding Song], writer-director Karin Albou elaborates on themes that she’d also explored earlier in her début feature (La petite Jérusalem) – about love, friendship, and the communal flux between … Continue reading

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Fighting tradition is never easy: “Mariage tardif” [2001 Israel, France]

Writer-director Dover Koshashvili’s impressive début feature, “Mariage tardif” [Orig. Title: Hatuna Meuheret, Eng. Title: Late Marriage] is a bitter-sweet satirical comedy that doesn’t flinch in laying bare the consequences of staunchly held traditional values colliding with modern aspirations within an … Continue reading

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Apogee of the French New Wave: “La maman et la putain” [1973 France]

Jean Eustache is not a name that’ll instantly pop up when you mention Nouvelle Vague Cinema, for he never got around to make enough of them, and also committed suicide aged forty two. Even the works he’d done – around … Continue reading

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