The permanence of love, passion, and marital stability is often questioned in the directorial offerings and screenplays of French filmmaker Mia Hansen-Løve. Blending the familiar themes and the photography of "Things to Come" and "Goodbye First Love," is Hansen-Løve's "One Fine Morning" which is effused with the creator's motif of plain shots and featherweight dramatic touches that serves to enhance, not dilute nor cheapen, its emotional focuses in 35mm. This has worked in Hansen-Løve's craft because she lets the emotions unravel naturally as players process their fate and their drudgery.
In conjunction with Hansen-Løve's usual collaborators, the cinematographer Denis Lenoir and editor Marion Monnier, the aesthetic of "One Fine Morning" is just as un-fancied as the editing and the cinematography. But those have been assets to her work in favor of gleaning humanity and the brisk pace of life. Like in her previous works, director Hansen-Løve has a gentleness when...
In conjunction with Hansen-Løve's usual collaborators, the cinematographer Denis Lenoir and editor Marion Monnier, the aesthetic of "One Fine Morning" is just as un-fancied as the editing and the cinematography. But those have been assets to her work in favor of gleaning humanity and the brisk pace of life. Like in her previous works, director Hansen-Løve has a gentleness when...
- 10/21/2022
- by Caroline Cao
- Slash Film
“One Fine Morning” sounds an innocuous title for a grownup relationship drama — destined, perhaps, to be confused on streaming menus with the George Clooney-Michelle Pfeiffer romcom “One Fine Day” — and in a sense, the mellow, melancholic cinema of French writer-director Mia Hansen-Løve is its own kind of comfort viewing. But as with many facets of her filmmaking, there’s a smarter, sadder, more literary undertow to the title’s sunny simplicity. “Un beau matin” in French, it’s lifted from a haunting poem by poetic realist Jacques Prévert, which describes in plain imagery the conflict of facing absence in your life, all while pretending there’s literally nothing there.
Suffice it to say, then, that Hansen-Løve’s latest is not a romantic comedy, except in the interludes when it is. At no cost to its calm, loping pace, “One Fine Morning” is about many things at once, in the way...
Suffice it to say, then, that Hansen-Løve’s latest is not a romantic comedy, except in the interludes when it is. At no cost to its calm, loping pace, “One Fine Morning” is about many things at once, in the way...
- 5/20/2022
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
Mia Hansen-Løve’s portrait of the travails of a middle-aged philosophy teacher is a plum acting vehicle for Isabelle Huppert It steers clear of crazy, extraordinary events to instead offer insights into how real people live and cope. The professor must dip into her subject matter to make sense of her life, and comes up sane. Folks expecting a feel-good satire about ‘goofy’ women can make do with Sally Field in Hello, My Name is Doris. Mia and Isabelle do well here.
Things to Come (2016)
Blu-ray
Mpi Media Group
2016 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 102 min. / L’avenir / Street Date May 9, 2017 / 19.08
Starring: Isabelle Huppert, André Marcon, Roman Kolinka, Edith Scob, Sarah Le Picard, Solal Forte, Elise Lhomeau, Lionel Dray-Rabotnik.
Cinematography: Denis Lenoir
Film Editor: Marion Monnier
Produced by Charles Gillibert
Written and Directed by Mia Hansen-Løve
French actress Isabelle Huppert had a great year in 2016, what with her Oscar nomination for Elle, a...
Things to Come (2016)
Blu-ray
Mpi Media Group
2016 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 102 min. / L’avenir / Street Date May 9, 2017 / 19.08
Starring: Isabelle Huppert, André Marcon, Roman Kolinka, Edith Scob, Sarah Le Picard, Solal Forte, Elise Lhomeau, Lionel Dray-Rabotnik.
Cinematography: Denis Lenoir
Film Editor: Marion Monnier
Produced by Charles Gillibert
Written and Directed by Mia Hansen-Løve
French actress Isabelle Huppert had a great year in 2016, what with her Oscar nomination for Elle, a...
- 5/23/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
It's that time of the year when there will be one film awards ceremony and/or critical poll after another, and we've got the results of three to kick off this week. The European Film Awards took place in Estonia over the weekend, and Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer scored six awards, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor, the latter for Ewan McGregor. Meanwhile, at the British Independent Film Awards, The King's Speech took best picture, while Monsters director Gareth Edwards scored Best Director. And the Washington, DC Area Film Critics Association honored The Social Network, Inception and The Fighter. All the lists are after the break. We'll kick off with the DC critics, because it's the shortest list. It's also a very safe list, with very little consideration for films outside the expected list of studio and studio-indie awards choices. (Also nominated: 127 Hours, Black Swan, True Grit...
- 12/6/2010
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
The 23rd European Film Awards Photo credit: Efa/René Velli
Roman Polanski’s The Ghost Writer triumphed at this year’s European Film Academy’s 23rd European Film Awards. The film, which I have reviewed here, took the best screenwriter, composer, director and the overall film award, at a ceremony on Saturday (04/12/2010) in snowy Tallinn, Estonia – European Capital of Culture 2011. The best animated feature film award went to Sylvain Chomet’s Illusionist – watch this space for a review in the next few days.
Around 1,400 guests were welcomed by German comedy star Anke Engelke and Estonian actor Märt Avandi who were the show’s hosts and over 2,300 members of the European Film Academy are said to have voted at the awards. The individual awards were presented by a line-up of European actors and actresses, among them Efa Ambassador Maria de Medeiros (Portugal), Jean-Marc Barr (France), Hannelore Elsner (Germany), Nikolaj Lie Kaas...
Roman Polanski’s The Ghost Writer triumphed at this year’s European Film Academy’s 23rd European Film Awards. The film, which I have reviewed here, took the best screenwriter, composer, director and the overall film award, at a ceremony on Saturday (04/12/2010) in snowy Tallinn, Estonia – European Capital of Culture 2011. The best animated feature film award went to Sylvain Chomet’s Illusionist – watch this space for a review in the next few days.
Around 1,400 guests were welcomed by German comedy star Anke Engelke and Estonian actor Märt Avandi who were the show’s hosts and over 2,300 members of the European Film Academy are said to have voted at the awards. The individual awards were presented by a line-up of European actors and actresses, among them Efa Ambassador Maria de Medeiros (Portugal), Jean-Marc Barr (France), Hannelore Elsner (Germany), Nikolaj Lie Kaas...
- 12/6/2010
- by Alison Frank
- The Moving Arts Journal
The 2010 European Film Award winners were announced this weekend, and the results are quite surprising. Roman Polanski’s Ghost Writer swept the awards winning six in total, including best film, director, actor (Ewan McGregor), screenwriter (Polanski and Robert Harris), production designer (Albrecht Konrad), and composer (Alexandre Desplat).
Hit the jump for the full list.
European Film 2010
The Ghost Writer, France/Germany/UK
directed by Roman Polanski
written by Robert Harris & Roman Polanski
produced by Robert Benmussa, Alain Sarde & Roman Polanski
European Director 2010
Roman Polanski for The Ghost Writer
European Actress 2010
Sylvie Testud in Lourdes
European Actor 2010
Ewan McGregor in The Ghost Writer
European Screenwriter 2010
Robert Harris & Roman Polanski for The Ghost Writer
Carlo Di Palma European Cinematographer Award 2010
Giora Bejach for Lebanon
European Editor 2010
Luc Barnier & Marion Monnier for Carlos
European Production Designer 2010
Albrecht Konrad for The Ghost Writer
European Composer 2010
Alexandre Desplat for The Ghost Writer
European Discovery 2010- Prix Fipresci
Lebanon,...
Hit the jump for the full list.
European Film 2010
The Ghost Writer, France/Germany/UK
directed by Roman Polanski
written by Robert Harris & Roman Polanski
produced by Robert Benmussa, Alain Sarde & Roman Polanski
European Director 2010
Roman Polanski for The Ghost Writer
European Actress 2010
Sylvie Testud in Lourdes
European Actor 2010
Ewan McGregor in The Ghost Writer
European Screenwriter 2010
Robert Harris & Roman Polanski for The Ghost Writer
Carlo Di Palma European Cinematographer Award 2010
Giora Bejach for Lebanon
European Editor 2010
Luc Barnier & Marion Monnier for Carlos
European Production Designer 2010
Albrecht Konrad for The Ghost Writer
European Composer 2010
Alexandre Desplat for The Ghost Writer
European Discovery 2010- Prix Fipresci
Lebanon,...
- 12/6/2010
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Roman Polanski's "The Ghost Writer" dominated the 23rd European Film Awards winning six trophies including best film, best director for Polanski, best actor for Ewan McGregor, best screenwriter for Polanski and Robert Harris, best production designer for Albrecht Konrad, and best composer for Alexandre Desplat. ("The Ghost Writer" movie review)
Polanski accepted his awards live via Skype from his home in Paris since he can't travel outside France, Switzerland, or Poland because there's still a U.S. warrant out for his arrest on sex charges from the 1970s. ("The Ghost Writer" interviews with Pierce Brosnan and Olivia Williams)
Winners of the 23rd European Film Awards:
European Film
The Ghost Writer
European Director
Roman Polanski, TheGhostWriter
European Actress
Sylvie Testud, Lourdes
European Actor
Ewan McGregor, The Ghost Writer
European Screenwriter
Roman Polanski, Robert Harris, The Ghost Writer
People's Choice Award
Mr. Nobody
Carlo Di Palma European Cinematographer Award
Giora Bejach,...
Polanski accepted his awards live via Skype from his home in Paris since he can't travel outside France, Switzerland, or Poland because there's still a U.S. warrant out for his arrest on sex charges from the 1970s. ("The Ghost Writer" interviews with Pierce Brosnan and Olivia Williams)
Winners of the 23rd European Film Awards:
European Film
The Ghost Writer
European Director
Roman Polanski, TheGhostWriter
European Actress
Sylvie Testud, Lourdes
European Actor
Ewan McGregor, The Ghost Writer
European Screenwriter
Roman Polanski, Robert Harris, The Ghost Writer
People's Choice Award
Mr. Nobody
Carlo Di Palma European Cinematographer Award
Giora Bejach,...
- 12/6/2010
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Ghost Writer cleans up!!!! European Film 2010 The Ghost Writer, France/Germany/UK directed by Roman Polanski written by Robert Harris & Roman Polanski produced by Robert Benmussa, Alain Sarde & Roman Polanski European Director 2010 Roman Polanski for The Ghost Writer European Actress 2010 Sylvie Testud in Lourdes European Actor 2010 Ewan McGregor in The Ghost Writer European Screenwriter 2010 Robert Harris & Roman Polanski for The Ghost Writer Carlo Di Palma European Cinematographer Award 2010 Giora Bejach for Lebanon European Editor 2010 Luc Barnier & Marion Monnier for Carlos European Production Designer 2010 Albrecht Konrad for The Ghost Writer European Composer 2010 Alexandre Desplat for The Ghost Writer European Discovery 2010- Prix Fipresci Lebanon, Israel/Germany/France written & directed by Samuel Maoz ...
- 12/6/2010
- by vicbarry@gmail.com (Vic Barry)
- www.themoviebit.com
By GoldDerby News Desk
hollywoodnews.com: “The Ghost Writer” won six of its seven European Film Awards bids at the 23rd annual edition of the kudos which were held Saturday in Tallinn, Estonia. The political thriller won Best Picture, Director (Roman Polanski), Actor (Ewan McGregor), Screenwriter (Robert Harris & Polanski), Production Design (Albrecht Konrad) and Composer (Alexandre Desplat), losing just the editing race to “Carlos” cutters Luc Barnier and Marion Monnier.
To read more go to Goldderby.com
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News...
hollywoodnews.com: “The Ghost Writer” won six of its seven European Film Awards bids at the 23rd annual edition of the kudos which were held Saturday in Tallinn, Estonia. The political thriller won Best Picture, Director (Roman Polanski), Actor (Ewan McGregor), Screenwriter (Robert Harris & Polanski), Production Design (Albrecht Konrad) and Composer (Alexandre Desplat), losing just the editing race to “Carlos” cutters Luc Barnier and Marion Monnier.
To read more go to Goldderby.com
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News...
- 12/5/2010
- by Staff
- Hollywoodnews.com
The European Film Awards were presented this evening in Tallinn, Estonia, and it's turned out to be a good night for Roman Polanski and The Ghost Writer. The loot: European Film (in this case, meaning "best"), Director, Screenwriter (Polanski and Robert Harris), Actor (Ewan McGregor), Composer (Alexandre Desplat) and Production Design (Albrecht Konrad).
European Actress: Sylvie Testud (for her performance in Jessica Hausner's Lourdes). The European Discovery Prix Fipresci, presented to a director for his or her first feature, goes to Samuel Maoz for Lebanon. Maoz noted that he was pleasantly surprised to be discovered as he nears the age of 50. The film also picked up the Carlo Di Palma European Cinematographer Award for Giora Bejach.
The Documentary Prix Arte goes to Patricio Guzmán's Nostalgia for the Light; Jaco van Dormael's Mr Nobody has won the People's Choice Award. Animated Feature: Sylvain Chomet's The Illusionist. Editing:...
European Actress: Sylvie Testud (for her performance in Jessica Hausner's Lourdes). The European Discovery Prix Fipresci, presented to a director for his or her first feature, goes to Samuel Maoz for Lebanon. Maoz noted that he was pleasantly surprised to be discovered as he nears the age of 50. The film also picked up the Carlo Di Palma European Cinematographer Award for Giora Bejach.
The Documentary Prix Arte goes to Patricio Guzmán's Nostalgia for the Light; Jaco van Dormael's Mr Nobody has won the People's Choice Award. Animated Feature: Sylvain Chomet's The Illusionist. Editing:...
- 12/5/2010
- MUBI
The European Film Awards were held yesterday in Estonia's capital Tallin (next year the ceremony will be in Malta). Roman Polanski and Ewan McGregor both appeared via the wonders of the internet (you may have heard Polanski doesn't travel much) to accept for The Ghost Writer. The mystery thriller about a politician under fire and the two sorry writers who attempt to ghost his memoirs is filled with twists. It opened way back in March 2010 but it's apparently not done surprising us. Against the odds, it's been resurfacing in the awards conversation... and not just here. It took home a record-breaking 6 prizes, only losing "people's choice".
The previous Efa record holders, according to Screen Daily, were Spain's Talk to Her (2002) and Germany's Goodbye Lenin (2003) both of which, we foreign film Oscar obsessed must note, notoriously missed out on Oscar's Foreign Film category in their years (albeit for different reasons).
The...
The previous Efa record holders, according to Screen Daily, were Spain's Talk to Her (2002) and Germany's Goodbye Lenin (2003) both of which, we foreign film Oscar obsessed must note, notoriously missed out on Oscar's Foreign Film category in their years (albeit for different reasons).
The...
- 12/5/2010
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Ewan McGregor in Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer The European Film Academy announced the 2010 European Film Award winners at a ceremony held this evening in Tallinn, Estonia. Not too surprisingly, The Ghost Writer was chosen as the Best European Film of 2010. The mystery drama starring Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, and Kim Cattrall, also earned European Film Awards for director Roman Polanski, actor McGregor, composer Alexandre Desplat, production designer Albrecht Konrad, and Polanski and Robert Harris for the film's screenplay. Other winners included Best Actress Sylvie Testud for Lourdes, cinematographer Giora Bejach for the Israeli war drama Lebanon, Luc Barnier and Marion Monnier for the political drama Carlos, and Patricio Guzmán's political meditation Nostalgia for the Light as Best European Documentary. Lebanon also won the European Discovery Fipresci Prize. The Best Animated Feature was Sylvain Chomet's The Illusionist. Jaco Van Dormael's Mr. Nobody received the People's Choice Award.
- 12/5/2010
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
"The Ghost Writer" won six of its seven European Film Awards bids at the 23rd annual edition of the kudos which were held Saturday in Tallinn, Estonia. The political thriller won Best Picture, Director (Roman Polanski), Actor (Ewan McGregor), Screenwriter (Robert Harris & Polanski), Production Design (Albrecht Konrad) and Composer (Alexandre Desplat), losing just the editing race to "Carlos" cutters Luc Barnier and Marion Monnier. Based on Harris' bestseller, "The Ghost Writer" pits the struggling title character, played by McGregor, against a former British Pm (Pierce Brosnan) and his wife (Olivia Williams). The film unspooled stateside last winter, and earned generally good reviews, meriting 77 at Meta Critic and 80 with the top tier at Rotten Tomatoes. Among the most enthusiastic reviewers was Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times) who hailed the film as, "the work of a man who knows how to direct a thriller. Smooth, calm, confident, i...
- 12/5/2010
- Gold Derby
The Ghost Writer, directed by Roman Polanski, won six awards at the 2010 European Film Awards, held tonight in Tallinn, Estonia.
The film won awards for best film, best director, best screenplay, best actor, best production design, and best composer. I really enjoyed the film. Pierce Brosnan and Ewan McGregor were great in this film. I was surprised to find out that all of the shots that took place in the house were actually filmed on a sound stage.
See below for a complete listing of this year's winners.
European Film 2010
The Ghost Writer, France/Germany/Uk
Directed By Roman Polanski
Written By Robert Harris & Roman Polanski
Produced By Robert Benmussa, Alain Sarde & Roman Polanski
European Director 2010
Roman Polanski For The Ghost Writer
European Actress 2010
Sylvie Testud In Lourdes
European Actor 2010
Ewan McGregor In The Ghost Writer
European Screenwriter 2010
Robert Harris & Roman Polanski For The Ghost Writer
Carlo Di Palma...
The film won awards for best film, best director, best screenplay, best actor, best production design, and best composer. I really enjoyed the film. Pierce Brosnan and Ewan McGregor were great in this film. I was surprised to find out that all of the shots that took place in the house were actually filmed on a sound stage.
See below for a complete listing of this year's winners.
European Film 2010
The Ghost Writer, France/Germany/Uk
Directed By Roman Polanski
Written By Robert Harris & Roman Polanski
Produced By Robert Benmussa, Alain Sarde & Roman Polanski
European Director 2010
Roman Polanski For The Ghost Writer
European Actress 2010
Sylvie Testud In Lourdes
European Actor 2010
Ewan McGregor In The Ghost Writer
European Screenwriter 2010
Robert Harris & Roman Polanski For The Ghost Writer
Carlo Di Palma...
- 12/4/2010
- by Tiberius
- GeekTyrant
Award season is among us on both sides of the Atlantic. Today the European Film Academy handed out their annual awards in Tallinn, Estonia and the big winner of the evening was Roman Polanski's Ghost Writer, claiming six awards, including Best Picture. Lebanon Israeli's Golden Lion winner of 2009, collected a pair: the award for European discovery, handed out to first time directors ("it's an honor being discovered when you're close to 50", said 48 year old director Samuel Maoz upon receiving the award), and the award for Best Cinematography, handed to Giora Bejach, for his extraordinary work, shooting an (almost) entire film from the Pov of a tank. Lebanon has an enormous artistic appeal, as it demonstrates the claustrophobic feeling leading audiences to believe the film was shot within the confines a tank, when in reality, Maoz didn't have a tank at his disposal. Israeli audiences didn't seem to connect to the film,...
- 12/4/2010
- IONCINEMA.com
The Ghost Writer has won 6 European Film Academy awards, the European equivalent of the Oscars, this evening in Tallinn, Estonia. Polanski’s thriller won Best European Film, while Polanski picked up Best Director and shared the screenwriting award with co-author Robert Harris. Ewan McGregor won Best Actor, while production design and music were also honored. In an interview this weekend, Harris said the Swiss authorities were so understanding about Polanski’s need to finish editing The Ghost Writer, they moved editing equipment into the prison where he was being held while facing deportation back to the U.S last year. More than 2,300 academy members voted. European Film 2010 The Ghost Writer, France/Germany/UK directed by Roman Polanski written by Robert Harris & Roman Polanski produced by Robert Benmussa, Alain Sarde & Roman Polanski European Director 2010 Roman Polanski for The Ghost Writer European Actress 2010 Sylvie Testud in Lourdes European Actor 2010 Ewan McGregor...
- 12/4/2010
- by TIM ADLER in London
- Deadline London
The European Film Academy today gave 6 awards to Roman Polanski’s The Ghost Writer. (thanks Marshall) European Film The Ghost Writer directed by Roman Polanski written by Robert Harris & Roman Polanski...
- 12/4/2010
- by Ryan Adams
- AwardsDaily.com
The European Film Award nominations have been announced and what we have this year is an interesting mix of two separate years of Oscar's Foreign Film contest alongside one English language feature: Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer. Side note: I had thought that the film was simply called The Ghost in Europe (?) but perhaps I misremembered.
The Ghost sizes up his competition at the European Film Awards
As faithful readers know I reject the notion that any group should be judged in accordance with how they "influence" or "predict" the Oscars as I think the only true worth of any group is whether or not they have their own identity or any sanity when it comes to proclaiming what is "best."
But, that said, I do think all awards bodies offer us interesting nuggets of ideas about the way votes reveal collective consensus thoughts that might help us in...
The Ghost sizes up his competition at the European Film Awards
As faithful readers know I reject the notion that any group should be judged in accordance with how they "influence" or "predict" the Oscars as I think the only true worth of any group is whether or not they have their own identity or any sanity when it comes to proclaiming what is "best."
But, that said, I do think all awards bodies offer us interesting nuggets of ideas about the way votes reveal collective consensus thoughts that might help us in...
- 11/6/2010
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
San Francisco International Film Festival
SAN FRANCISCO --Writer/director Mia Hansen-Love's first feature, "All is Forgiven", a keenly observed study in intimacy that has the rhythm and feel of real life, announces the arrival of an intriguing sensibility. Technically accomplished and finely acted without artifice by a talented ensemble cast, it's an astutely written, mature work in its content, understated, naturalistic style and sensitive rendering of complex emotion.
A sudden, inconclusive ending that comes out of left field will leave some unsatisfied. Plus an ostensibly depressing subject, the disintegration of a family, could limit its Art House potential in the U.S. This slice of life picture, punctuated by poetry and cultural discourse, may fare better in European markets and on the festival circuit.
Playing Victor, a feckless aspiring poet coasting through life on little more than boyish good looks and charm, actor Paul Blain reveals the fault lines underneath his character's amiable, sometimes volatile demeanor. When Victor descends into the drug addiction, which inevitably destroys his relationship with his exasperated Austrian wife, Annette (Marie-Christine Friedrich), and his young daughter, Pamela (Victoire Rousseau), it seems like a natural progression. Unfolding with minimal exposition, the story, set in Vienna and Paris, picks up 11 years later with Pamela (Constance Rousseau, Victoire's older sister), now a young woman, warily reuniting with her father after a long estrangement. The reading aloud of letters between them, a conceit that could bring the film to a halt, is handled with finesse. Rousseau, a shimmering, delicate beauty, brings a combination of tentativeness and resolve to Pamela, a product of a fractious home embarking on her own life. Production designers Sophie Reynaud and Thierry Poulet get the telling accoutrements just right, from the rambling chaos of the bourgeois family residence to a struggling couple's suffocating apartment. Pascal Auffray's luminous cinematography, shot through with painterly light, brings to mind the pastoral idylls and muted urban landscapes of the Impressionists.
Wistful folk songs underscore the sorrow of missed connections, a condition that plagues Hansen-Love's intelligent, wounded characters.
Production Company: Les Films Pelleas. Cast: Paul Blain, Marie-Christine Friedrich, Victoire Rousseau, Constance Rousseau, Carole Franck, Olivia Ross. Director: Mia Hansen-Love. Screenwriters: Mia Hansen-Love. Executive Producers: not listed. Producer: David Thion. Director of Photography: Pascal Auffray. Production Designer: Sophie Reynaud, Thierry Poulet. Music: not listed. Costume Designer: Eleonore O'Byrne, Sophie Lifshitz. Editor: Marion Monnier. Sales Agent: Pyramide International. No rating, 100 minutes.
SAN FRANCISCO --Writer/director Mia Hansen-Love's first feature, "All is Forgiven", a keenly observed study in intimacy that has the rhythm and feel of real life, announces the arrival of an intriguing sensibility. Technically accomplished and finely acted without artifice by a talented ensemble cast, it's an astutely written, mature work in its content, understated, naturalistic style and sensitive rendering of complex emotion.
A sudden, inconclusive ending that comes out of left field will leave some unsatisfied. Plus an ostensibly depressing subject, the disintegration of a family, could limit its Art House potential in the U.S. This slice of life picture, punctuated by poetry and cultural discourse, may fare better in European markets and on the festival circuit.
Playing Victor, a feckless aspiring poet coasting through life on little more than boyish good looks and charm, actor Paul Blain reveals the fault lines underneath his character's amiable, sometimes volatile demeanor. When Victor descends into the drug addiction, which inevitably destroys his relationship with his exasperated Austrian wife, Annette (Marie-Christine Friedrich), and his young daughter, Pamela (Victoire Rousseau), it seems like a natural progression. Unfolding with minimal exposition, the story, set in Vienna and Paris, picks up 11 years later with Pamela (Constance Rousseau, Victoire's older sister), now a young woman, warily reuniting with her father after a long estrangement. The reading aloud of letters between them, a conceit that could bring the film to a halt, is handled with finesse. Rousseau, a shimmering, delicate beauty, brings a combination of tentativeness and resolve to Pamela, a product of a fractious home embarking on her own life. Production designers Sophie Reynaud and Thierry Poulet get the telling accoutrements just right, from the rambling chaos of the bourgeois family residence to a struggling couple's suffocating apartment. Pascal Auffray's luminous cinematography, shot through with painterly light, brings to mind the pastoral idylls and muted urban landscapes of the Impressionists.
Wistful folk songs underscore the sorrow of missed connections, a condition that plagues Hansen-Love's intelligent, wounded characters.
Production Company: Les Films Pelleas. Cast: Paul Blain, Marie-Christine Friedrich, Victoire Rousseau, Constance Rousseau, Carole Franck, Olivia Ross. Director: Mia Hansen-Love. Screenwriters: Mia Hansen-Love. Executive Producers: not listed. Producer: David Thion. Director of Photography: Pascal Auffray. Production Designer: Sophie Reynaud, Thierry Poulet. Music: not listed. Costume Designer: Eleonore O'Byrne, Sophie Lifshitz. Editor: Marion Monnier. Sales Agent: Pyramide International. No rating, 100 minutes.
- 6/17/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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