An almost black and white afternoon

We spent the afternoon watching a grey/white/brown horror film and a black/white/golden biography.

Esther or in English, Orphan was a classical story about a child who is not as nice as she seems.
This Dark Castle production was nice but much too long.
Very much resembling similar stories about 'evil' children or maybe totally normal children(?).
This might be the result of the experiences different directors has concerning children, making them creating movies about children with a certain manipulative gift, excercising their dark sides.
Not at all to different from children in this age.
Come to think of it, quite a truthful description of children, although their abilitiy to work out vicious plans like this might differ from child to child.
There are no such thing as 'innocent', angelic children, although some of us would like to think so. (Gunnar)

Coco & Igor was a very beautiful film but we didn't manage to get the point or understood the end of the (love) story.
Neither did we understand what the film wanted to tell us, apart from the fact that sex can be great ?
Coco and Igor was made into two very superficial figures and maybe this correspond to the 'real' persons but I wonder? (Gunnar)

Avatar again

As a short notice in connection to this film:

Avatar is now the 'greatest' film ever, if we look at the money it has earned its production team and not least James Cameron:
1 billion 800 million US$ (27/1 2010)!
Number two: 'Titanic'!
As I wrote elsewhere: It's a sad day for the Seventh Art!

(Photo poster copied from: http://www.lemag-vip.com/images/avatar.jpg)

(Photo James Cameron copied from: http://www.realbollywood.com/news/up_images/11112286.jpg)

Avatar

A sunny and rather warm day (to be in the middle of the winter), we decided to see Avatar at Cinéma Lux in La Châtre.

This is a film very talked about and we didn't expect any surprises concerning content or technical skill.
We were neither surprised nor taken aback but not disappointed either.
The most interesting aspects of this film is of course the timing.
When climate talks in Copenhagen has failed, Global Warming and climate change is on everyones lips, this is another contribution to this debate.
Mixing different parts of human history as the genocide of Indians/natives by the immigrants from Europe in North America during the 18th and 19th centuries, the story of the conquistadors raping, murdering and plundering the South American continent combined with the century long devastation of the rain forests in Borneo and other similar events in the tragic human curriculum vitae, the film urges us to consider and reconsider aspects of our way of life we sometimes try to forget.
This ambition is combined with the more or less justified fear of scientists creating hybrids in the form of the popular conception of Avatars, as far as I know only existing in cyber space - yet.
The artificially made Avatars in the film becomes a symbol for the human ambition to create some form of humanoids, artificially made, replacing or eradicating the defects of human beings, as in the case of the main character - Jake.
As an Avatar he is able to walk and run, using his body and mind (not least his mind) in quite a different way compared to his 'real life'(?), where he is 'suffering' from paralysis - both physically and - in our opinion - mentally.
The idea of a super human is of course obvious but on the same time the Na'vi's are not as technically advanced as humans. In this case not at all negative - as seldom in real life either.
It's also a symbol for the colonialist ambition to learn from natives, blending with them and trying to make them believe that this is a genuine interest, not - as most often - a way to rule over them and finally destroying their way of life and replacing it with 'progress'.
History displays all to many examples.
Interwoven into the story is of course a critic towards what president Dwight D. Eisenhower called, the Military-Industrial Complex.
The idea of the sunken Atlantis or Eden or whatever we want to call the Schlaraffenland man always have sought, is of course also obvious.
Another even more obvious ingredient is the naming of this planet: Pandora.
The story about Pandora opening the box she shouldn't open and letting all diseases and disasters lose, before she finally manage to keep the hope locked into the box, is in this film (as in many others) symbolizing the technical development and its negative consequences.
This extremely clear reference is directed towards American viewers (I'm sorry if I sound prejudice), as American directors seem to assume that an American audience otherwise wouldn't understand the symbolism in the film. Maybe they are right.
As I wrote initially: This was what we had expected from the story, no more no less.
The film was technically better than the trailer gave us the impression it would be.
We didn't see it in 3D but it was quite a joy for the eyes anyway.

The film didn't leave any traces even though Didier Godet - responsible for the cinema - told us that there where those who had seen this film several times, as they had found the images very beautiful and multifaceted, filled with details they had missed at the first screening.
May it be so.

Sunshine and shadows in La Châtre 17th of January 2010

Nicolas Forissier et une galette des rois

Earlier last week Aurore - together with her husband, that is to say , me - received an invitation to 'Salle des fêtes de La Châtre' where the Mayor (Le Maire) - Nicolas Forissier - wished to celebrate the New Year with some of the citizens and at the same time talk about the city, the region, its investments and so on.
Not everyone was invited (that would make more than 5000 people), only those who, at one time or another, had been in contact with him concerning some issue of importance for them.

Monsieur Forissier has also worked within the government a couple of years ago, the Department of Agriculture, where he, among other things, had to negotiate with the agriculturalists in France.
I can't say I envie him concerning this specific task.

On the whole his speech circuit around the economic crisis and how this had affected the region and notably La Châtre.
He meant that the economy in the city and the region, in spite of the crisis, could be regarded as being quite solid.
Investments in roads and other infrastructure had been undertaken and more where to come during 2010.
Quite some enterprises had established themselves in the region but on the same time we know that quite a few have closed.
He also talked about 'le patrimoine' - the cultural heritage - and how important this had been and still is and how rich this region concerning this specific aspect of societal life.

Monsieur Forissier also, to some degree, touched questions like 'L'Identité Nationale' - the National Identity - a recurring debate the last two years. It became a very potent discussion from the point when president Sarkozy had a specific department within the government looking in to this issue and its different implications on the society.
In a town like La Châtre this discussion and the more specific discussions around the female clothings like the burqa/niqab etc. is not as relevant as in major towns in France as we see no burqas and few veils in this town because of it's relative ethnic homogenity.

After the speech we ate a French speciality, namely 'galettes des rois' and drank cider.
We recognized some faces and met with some people we know.

(Photo Nicolas Forissier copied from: http://www.nicolasforissier.com/sessions/data/img/Nicolas%20Forissier%20biographie.JPG)

(Photo galette des rois copied from: http://lesjeunessarkozystesdu27.jeunessarkozystes.fr/files/2010/01/galette_rois-9d55f.jpg)

La visite d'un suédois

When we both worked with the planning and implementation of the French Film Festival in Stockholm 2008, we met Jens Riis.
As a cinephile and studying journalism (among other things), he participated as volunteer and as being responsible for the volunteers, I had the chance to talk to him several times.
He is almost fluent in French after having studied the language at the university for a couple of years, and also frequently having visited France.
After the French Film Festival 2008, I wanted to gather the volunteers in order to get together under more relaxed circumstances.
Unfortunately this meeting never came about as the volunteers went back to studies and work, sometimes in another country than Sweden.
I stayed in contact with some of them and notably Jens.
I knew that he was going to live and study in Lyon for a couple of months and therefore I thought it a good idea to finally meet, either in La Châtre or in Paris.
Unfortunately he didn't have the opportunity to stay more than 19 hours, arriving Thursday evening and going back to Paris and later on Denmark Friday afternoon.
When arriving at Châteauroux, we (me, Aurore and my mother-in-law) met him at the station in the rather spacious car of my mother-in-law. This said as he had warned us that he had a lot of luggage. He arrived with to big and heavy cases filled with, not least, books.
Later that evening Aurore and I invited him to the restaurang L'Escargot in La Châtre where we earlier this year celebrated my birthday. A nice evening ending at about one PM.
Next day Aurore went to work (07.15) as usual and Jens later ate breakfast with croissants, with the local newspaper - L'Echo du Berry - by his side, as you can see.

After breakfast I toke him on a guided tour around the city, displaying all the different shops, bakeries, butchers, clothes stores, a chocolat store, a library, a bookstore, 'maison de la presse', two newspapers, tailors, gift shops, 'l'office du tourisme' and more.
This only to show him what I earlier had told him, namely that this town do have an unusual number of shops and other facilities (five supermarkets), not least compared to a Swedish town the same size (4500 inhabitants).
We also visited the cinema (Cinéma Lux) and talked to monsieur Didier Godet, 'le patron'.
When we arrived, he was showing an old silent movie for school classes but he let us go upstairs looking at the cinema theatre from the balcony and Jens was surprised to see how beautiful this cinema actually is - in the middle of 'nowhere'.
"Somewhat like Cinéma Paradiso" he said.
This cinema is also used as a theater and was usually built as a monastery, many years ago, visible not least in the almost churchlike architecture, interiorally.
We also took a look at the football- rugby, tennis- and athletic stadiums and not least the football- and sports stadium with artificial grass and a running track, open all year round.
La Châtre also have a indoor pool.
In the next photo we find Jens standing in front of the statue of George Sand reading the information text about her and other prominent persons, born or having lived in La Châtre.

The next photo is taken on Friday, with Jens standing in front of Maison de George Sand in Nohant.
Thanks to my mother-in-law - who drove us there - we got the opportunity to visit George Sands home and as being not only a cinephile but also a 'bücherwurm' Jens appreciated this very much. Not least as we were the only visitors having the guide all to ourselves.

Here we see Jens in front of the church in Nohant, being renovated this year.

As Jens time was limited this was all we had the possibility to see.
I wanted to take him to Sainte-Sévère and the Jacques Tati-museum (or rather the museum displaying the shooting of his film Jour de fête in Sainte-Sévère) but we didn't have the time.
I also wanted to show him the museum in La Châtre but unfortunately it was closed.
Châteaux de Valençay and other sites was also on my list but hopefully we will be able to do this some other time.
In the photo below we see Jens at the Châteauroux station looking at his tickets and wondering how on earth he is going to manage carrying these two heavy cases all the way through Europe!

I very much appreciated his visit - and so did Aurore and my parents-in-law - and I hope it won't take to long before we'll meet again, in Paris, La Châtre or why not Denmark, where he lives, studies and works.

Eric Rohmer R.I.P.

R.T.T.

A visit to Cinéma Lux and the film R.T.T. by Frédéric Berthe.

The film started well, with an amusing and somewhat absurd scene with the main character Artur Lepage (Kad Merad) chasing a fast car through the streets of Paris - on a bicycle.
The story continues with a flash-back explaining how all this came about.
His wife frankly explains that she wants to leave him but Artur can't figure out why and can't accept this short notice from her, explained to him in a café before going of with her lover in the car he later on starts chasing.
Earning his living by working in a sports store, Artur is not the exciting man his wife seem to prefer. Having lost her interest in him, she turns to a man with a more ecxiting job and - above all - more money, buying her things Artur can't afford. Well, that's nothing new.
The side story displays a woman called Emilie (Mélanie Doutey) stealing a famous painting at an art museum. This is done by copying the finger prints of the security chief/police Serkin - (Manu Payet) - in a rather unconventional way, using them to get access to the museum.
When trying to leave the country in order to deliver the painting to her job requestor, she uses Artur's bag in which she puts the painting when both are waiting to check in on their flight to Miami.
Artur has decided to find his wife and has got the information that she lives in Miami with her new lover.
The lover is the son of the man who hired Emilie to steal the painting.
This is of course nothing any of the participants know - yet.

As I wrote the film started of well but the combination of action comedy with a social realistic undertone doesn't work out to well.
The story is to predictable using a lot of clichés when describing French who can't speak English and Americans not understanding what they say, two dumb cops with their more brilliant boss, a beautiful exciting woman with the bleak figure Artur by her side, the love that flourish between them and how this ends.
Manu Payet is however quite good in his role and there are some amusing moments but on the whole it doesn't convince.
It feels like a carbon copy of other similar stories with Berthes own little twist added to the plot. I can't however say what this special little twist is.

Oscar et la dame rose, Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt

This film was a very 'nice' film if the expression is allowed.

With this expression I refer to a 'feel good film' - or 'feel bad' if you are very sensible - a very predictable story about impossible friendship, parents who let you down, love, betrayal and the meaning of life.
All of this told in a very traditional filmic way, interfoliated by music and sometimes beautiful, humoristic and sentimental pictures and scenes.

It's a story about a young boy of ten, inflicted by cancer, hospitalized with no hope for the future as the doctors have tried all kinds of treatments.
His parents haven't courage enough to help and support him whereby he incidentally meets with a woman who delivers home made pizzas to the hospital.
He requests her to visit him and the doctor (Max von Sydow) urge her to comply to his wishes in return for him accepting the offer of her being the solely deliverer of pizzas to the hospital.
Reluctantly she agrees and between the two a friendship evolves, a friendship that changes both the life rest to live for the young boy but also the life of the rather tough and emotionally inhibited woman, afraid of sickness, hospitals and death.

This is not the first film to be realized by its author, in this case Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt, who also adapted his book Odette Toulemonde for the movies, a film he also directed.
I don't think neither Schmitt nor e.g. Michel Houllebecq succeeds in adapting their books to the screnes.
It should be easy one might think, as they are the writers given the opportunity to direct their own stories.
However there are few succesful 'cross-overs', i.e. writers trying to direct or journalists trying to write novels.
When it comes to films I can't think of many writers but Marguerite Duras who's been succesful in adapting her books into the Seventh Art.

In this case everything is dependant on the acting by Michèl Laroque ('Rose') and Amir ('Oscar') and they are very charming and they coact very well.
As a Swede and being fond of Max von Sydow it's of course nice to see him in the role as the doctor, von Sydow nowadays being a 'Frenchman', married to Catherine Brelet and living in Paris.