This is clear when watching some French films. There are exceptions, of course. Straightforward comedies like The Valet and Tatie Danielle are readily accessible to almost anyone that appreciates a good laugh, and A Very Long Engagement fits nicely into the drama category.

Then you have a slew of films that blur the lines between so many genres that you’re forced to just watch the movie without any expectations at all (this is not necessarily a bad habit, by the way). One such film is A Comedy of Power (L’lvresse du Pouvior). Directed by Claude Chabrol and starring Isabelle Huppert as judge Jeanne Charmant-Killman and François Berléand as corporate director Michel Humeau, this movie is often listed as a comedy but is in fact more of a drama than anything else. That said, there is action, intrigue, suspense, and, however sedate, a few comedic moments throughout the film. Oh, and it’s loosely based on a true story. At least none of the characters burst into song during the second act (I’m looking at you, 8 Women).

Inspired by the Elf Aquitaine scandal that exposed the corruption in France’s state owned oil company, Power begins with Humeau on his way out the door, literally and figuratively. He’s arrested as he leaves his office in the sleek, modern business district of Paris and taken straight to jail in the ancient, ivied and cobble-stoned heart of the city. “This,” Chabrol seems to want us to know, “This is where the true power resides.” He soon meets with judge Charmant-Killman (nicknamed “The Piranha”) and it is there that it begins to dawn on him that his fate lies squarely in her petite hands. Huppert and Berléand are both talented actors, and we can almost feel the transfer of power as Huppert’s eyes twinkle and Berléand’s Humeau begins to deflate.

Charmant-Killman soon becomes a little intoxicated on the sense of power she gets by investigating the case, and smugly announces to anyone who’ll listen that she’s going to “bring them all down.” Her mild-mannered husband Philippe (Robin Renucci, not given a lot to do except act morose) continues to withdraw from his wife and the rest of the world.

A clumsy attempt is made on the judge’s life, so she brings in bodyguards. This excites her further and she becomes a woman consumed, never noticing her husband’s increasing depression as she devotes all of her waking moments to the case. Meanwhile the men with the real power remain untouchable, pulling the strings behind the scenes. Humeau realizes that he was just a puppet all along, and Charmant-Killman toils away, doing her best to overcome the obstacles placed in her path and show everyone that she wields the real power.

While this website’s main focus is on films from the last thirty years or so, I’ll occasionally a review something a little further back in French Cinema. Today, for instance, I watched  one of François Truffaut’s early masterpieces, and will eventually include my review here on ILoveFrenchMovies.com.

Are there any French films that you’d like to see reviewed on this site? Any recommendations of French movies that you’ve seen and enjoyed or hated? Leave your comments below.

Official 2010 poster with Juliet Binoche

This years Cannes Film Festival runs from May 12th through the 23rd. The official selections will be revealed in a few weeks, but for now enjoy this beautiful poster featuring the luminous Juliet Binoche.

The synopsis: Cannes, the French Riviera. Armand Teillard is happy with life; a busy store downtown, a delightful girlfriend, a magnificent record collection and lunch every day at Sofia and Martial’s family restaurant with a perfect sea view. So when Sofia tells Armand that Zapetti, a property developer with mafia connections, is putting the squeeze on her to sell up, he is horrified. Armand is an easy-going guy, but when he gets mad… actually, Armand never gets mad. He leaves that to his twin brother, Maurice, The Whistler. When Maurice rides into town in his Aston Martin and designer suit, Zapetti, his mob and the corrupt local politicians are in trouble. But what if, behind the dyed hair and tinted contact lenses, Maurice and Armand are one and the same guy? Is Cannes big enough for the both of them?

No word yet on the official U.S. release date for this film. François Berléand is a fine actor (he was the French cop in the Transporter movies) and this looks like a fun romp through the French Riviera. Even if the plot isn’t the most original in the world, the scenery can’t help but be stunning.

Best Actor in a Leading Role: Tahar Rahim

Most Promising Actor: Tahar Rahim

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Niels Arestrup

Best Director: Jacques Audiard

Best Cinematography: Stephane Fontaine

Best Editing: Juliette Welfling

Best Film: A Prophet- Jacques Audiard

Best Production Design: Michel Barthelemy

Best Writing, Original Screenplay: Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain, Abdel Raouf Dafri, Nicolas Peufaillit

Two of Hollywood’s most beloved actors/filmmakers took home awards as well:

Honorary César: Harrison Ford

Best Foreign Film: Gran Torino-Clint Eastwood

Most of Jeunet’s films have a distinct look to them, due in part to his frequent collaboration with cartoonist and filmmaker Marc Caro. Sometimes having a signature look can work against a director, but in Jeunet’s case it’s a definite plus. As a viewer you know that you will soon be transported into a fairy tale of sorts, albeit a sometimes dark one.

STV recently interviewed the filmmaker during the United Kingdom premiere of Micmacs. Perhaps it’s a measure of the lack of privacy that comes with stardom, but I tend to find interviews with directors more candid than those with actors. Jeunet gives us a small glimpse into his process; for an even deeper look check out this behind the scenes short about the making of a Chanel #5 commercial Jeunet filmed with Audrey Tautou.

I woke up early, still suffering from the Lufthansa Flu. Even at 5am there is life on the Boulevard du Montparnasse, although the pharmacies and patisseries are still closed. I walked for a few hours, watching the street sweepers remove a million cigarette butts from the sidewalk as the recycling trucks slowly prowled the boulevard to make room for another night of wine enhanced joie de vivre. I got back to the hotel at 7am and rested up while Jan showered in preparation for the day.

On our way to a neighborhood bistro the lens popped out of my glasses. There was an optician close to the bistro, so I stopped in to have it repaired. “Bonjour. J’ai casse mes lunettes. Povez-vous me les reparer, s’il vous plait?” The Berlitz French phrase book I picked up years ago before heading to Montreux has once again proved its worth. A few minutes later I could see again, Jan got an espresso and a smile at the bistro, and we were on our way to Rue Cler.

We had lunch at a small cafe on Rue Cler, where Jan tried out her phrase book French on the waiter. After a great meal I stopped at the pharmacy to get some cold remedies while Jan shopped, then it was off to the Eiffel Tower.

Our three days in Paris were filled with clear skies and sunshine, but it was still windy and cold. Jan wanted to get to the second level of the tower, because there is a post office there that will stamp your postcards with an official Eiffel Tower postmark. We waited in line for about an hour and were rewarded with magnificent views of Paris.

Later I bought a few posters from the vendors along the Seine as we made our way to Notre Dame. The lines to get in were long, so we were content to take a few photos before stopping at a small Bistro to get some hot soup. Warmed by the soup and tired after a long day, Jan was ready to head back to Notre Dame to hail a taxi. I suggested that we walk a little more, crossing another bridge to get to the other side of the Île de la Cité. We were rewarded by a rendition of “Ma Vie En Rose” from an accordionist and strolled a bit more, invigorated by the perfect song for the setting, before grabbing a taxi and heading back to the hotel. We had dinner at one of the bistros on Boulevard du Montparnasse, then walked even more, taking in as many of the sights as we could before reluctantly calling it a night in preparation for another day in Paris.

Sound familiar? Ever think that it’s possible that it is sometimes us and not them? Read on.

Whenever someone relates a similar story to me, this is the first question I ask them: “When you walked into a shop, or a restaurant, did you greet the people inside with a friendly ‘bonjour’ or ‘bonsoir’?”

Invariably the answer is a bewildered “no”. I then explain to them that in France, shops and restaurants are treated as private spaces, rather than public, and it is considered rude to walk into an establishment without greeting the people inside (this information, by the way, is mentioned in every guidebook on France). When leaving it is also customary to say goodbye with an “au revoir” or, when appropriate, “bonsoir” or “bonnuit”.

Then I ask if they made an attempt to speak the language. “Oh no, French is too hard, and I heard that if you don’t speak it perfectly, they get mad at you.” Well, French is pretty hard for most of us. While I’d like to one day be fluent, I currently speak what I refer to as guidebook French. I carry a small Berlitz pocket phrasebook with me whenever I’m traveling. It has phonic spelling next to the words and phrases, which helps a great deal with the pronunciation. The French love the attempt, and those that speak our language will usually switch to English once they realize we aren’t fluent. On those few occasions that I’ve had my French corrected by native speakers, it was because they are proud of their language and were trying to help me to speak it properly.

Other Tips to Make the French Love You:

Speak softly. As a general rule, Americans tend to talk louder than Europeans (I’m guilty of this myself) and our sometimes boisterous behavior is seen as being intrusive.

Remind yourself that you aren’t at home. It absolutely amazes me that so many Americans expect things to run the same way that they do back in the states. After all, you’re visiting a different country, with a different culture. Make the most of it.

Remind yourself that you aren’t at home part two. Yes, they have McDonald’s in France. No, you should not eat there. French food is famous for a reason.