Editor's note: If you missed Cannes Film Festival on the French Riviera this spring, you can still catch its best Francophone films with Weekend in Cannes festival to be held in Kyiv Dec. 1-4. Sadly, Brad Pitt could not make it to this year’s ceremony, but a couple of film directors are flying in to discuss their works with the audience right after the showings. All films will be shown in French with Ukrainian subtitles. Find the full schedule at www.institutfrancais-ukraine.com
LA LIGNE DROITE
Drama
France 2011, 98′
Dec. 2 at 7 p.m., Kyiv cinema
When former athlete Leila is released from prison, she jumps back into sports to erase the traumas of the past. On the track field, she meets young hothead Yannik, who continues to practice despite losing his sight in the accident.
Sports may seem as a cliche method of personal recovery in the world of cinema but Leila and Yannik’s honest acting smoothes all the rough corners.
Unaware of Leila’s sentence, Yannik accepts her services as a coach but it turns out that for a blind runner to compete professionally, he must have the guide run next to him, which means that this unusual pair will be getting closer and closer as they train.
Director Regis Wargnier will take questions from the audience about “The Straight Line” right after the showing.
LE HAVRE
Drama, comedy
France 2011, 93′
Dec. 3 at 7 p.m.
With the FIPRESCI international critics award at the Cannes Film Festival this year and a nomination for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars, this beautiful emigrant tale is sweeping hearts as it continues its march across film festivals.
With a bohemian life in Paris firmly in his memories and on his tongue, Marcel is barely scraping buy with his wife in the port city of Havre.
Their life is torn upside down when a young African immigrant boy from Gabon flees from the police and befriends Marcel’s family. A boy of infinite politeness, he bodes well with the shoeshiner’s family who seems prepared to break law in order to help the boy get to London and reunite with his mother.
Filmmaker Aki Kaurismaki pursued his signature deadpan humor to a tremendous effect reverting to old French cinema tricks sometimes that Ukrainians have a soft spot for.
17 FILLES
Drama, comedy
France 2011, 90′
Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.
High school is all about romance, textbooks and annoying teachers, but not for Camille and her friends. When this gorgeous teenager with a devilishly attractive personality finds out that she is pregnant, there is no way she will get depressed.
Convincing her 17 girlfriends that having a baby is much cooler that a thousand Facebook friends, she starts a pregnancy coup to the pain of their families and teachers.
Out of jealousy or simply peer pressure, her friends start growing bellies one by one and there is nothing their boyfriends can do to stop them. Liable to raise eyebrows, this bittersweet drama inspired by a real story of 18 American school girls, gives an alternative take on early parenthood.
LE PETIT LIEUTENANT
Criminal drama
France 2005, 110′
Dec. 2 at 4 p.m.
A young inexperienced detective from Havre is so keen to prove his worth in the police force, he leaves his wife, a school teacher, behind and heads for Paris. A blank page that he is, Antoine is obsessed to become a good cop and learn from his peers on the job. His fellow policemen – a plainclothes elite unit – however, turn out to be cynical heavy drinkers who have been doing this job for far too long.
Antoine looks up to the leader of their group, an older policewoman Caroline, also a former alcoholic, who develops maternal affection for the conscript. Together with this mishmash group of detectives, Antoine works on the murder of a Polish immigrant who was last seen with a couple of Russians.
For playing Caroline in “The Young Lieutenant” actress Nathalie Baye received Cesar, the highest award in French cinema, in 2005. Along with her crew, she will present the film in Kyiv.
5 FOIS NATHALIE BAYE
Collection of shorts
France 2011, 54′
Dec. 3 at 9 p.m.
“Five Portraits of Nathalie Baye” is a collection of biographical shorts commissioned by French TV CANAL+ and presented at 64th Cannes awards as part of the film critics’ week. One the legends of French cinema, Baye has four Cesars, 80-odd films to her name and the looks that would never betray a 63-year old woman. There is no other way but celebrate her.
In “Bye Bye,” it’s Christmas time and the mother gets indignant with her daughters for hiding their father’s love affairs. After a couple of sips (bottles?) of white wine, she’s back on track and ready to start a new life.
The actress takes public attention too close to her heart and it seems that she won’t be able to act again in “Je Voulais Vous Dire.” “Dormir Debout” opens up with Veronica lying on the floor in her trashed apartment – it turns out she’s been sleepwalking.
In “Le Premier Role,” Baye remembers the story of her debut as a director, which involves a young inexperienced actor who arrives for casting. Jealousy and destitution are thoroughly explored in “A’labri,” when a married couple is on the verge of a breakup.
KYIV
19 Velyka Vasylkivska St. (former Chervonoarmiyska), 234-7381
www.kievkino.com.ua
