2 Days in Paris – kind of

Two weeks ago, Gunnar and I went to Paris to watch Norwegian films – yeah, I know it still sounds a bit weird to tell such things.

The first evening was nice... but embarrassing.
Let me explain.
We arrive at Reflet Médicis and two Norwegian men wave at us and start to cry out our names. People often wave at me. So I get used to it, Gunnar nevertheless thinks it's remarkable.

So we arrive and the two men waving (and, almost, screaming) was the Norwegian director Knut Erik Jensen and Jan Erik Holst, responsible for the launching of Norwegian films abroad at the Norwegiand Film Institute. Gunnar met Holst for the first time, the same year, the same cinema art et essai and at the same occasion he met me. 
We start talking about VIP grants, Norwegian films abroad and so on. And also about the speech I would give the evening after. When I tell Knut Erik it's about Norwegian comedies, he answers « do they even exist? ». I laugh since we both know Norwegian comedies aren't all funny.

After the screening of Stella Polaris, Gunnar and I drank some wine and talk non-sense with each other. And soon with more people in Swedish, in Svorsk and in French.

Since I am a very nice stalker – meaning that I know when people do PR and don't try to be an attention grabber – I leave Knut Erik with his new fans and I start to chat with a Norwegian woman living in France and the nice man besides. He is looking for what I own, meaning the Stella Polaris DVD. I write some references on my visit card and give it to him.

Then starts the embarrassing part.

  Gunnar and I keep talking about differences between Sweden, Norway and France. The two nice people we just met agree. Then the man starts telling he has worked on an Ibsen play some months ago. Great.

« What do you do?
 _ I'm an actor and a director. »

Ok, that's nothing really exciting when you are in Paris. I have met plenty of actors known for their... feet – socks ads – mouths – coffee ads or hands – jewels ads. And even real actors who spend their evening on stages. So saying that you are an actor when living in Paris is just as exciting as declaring you work on a oil platform when living in Stavanger. We don't recognize our nice actor with whom we still chat.

Then, he takes his iPhone and try to send some messages to his Norwegian friend.
His Norwegian friend being Bent Hamer.
DA Bent Hamer.

He then explains he played in Factotum. We saw Factotum.
It starts to feel a bit awkward. 
I remember the French speaking man in Factotum but just can't place his face.
Well, he is standing in front of me.

Shame, shame, shame. 

We talk about Bent Hamer who prefers spending some time with his 1001 gram script than joining us. The thesp then says that Hamer released Eggs after our actor had directed a "quite popular shortfilm" named La Vis.
It doesn't ring bell. Though I will have realised before the end of the night that I have owned a VHS copy of the film for more than 15 years.

The evening goes on and I finally get to talk to Knut Erik and to Jan Erik. Nice.

Finally when Gunnar and I go back to the hotel, we check our actor on IMDb.

HOLY SH--- 

Our thesp has played in about 170 TV/movie productions.
Among other things:
India Song (Duras)
Der Himmel über Berlin (Wenders)
Code inconnu (Haneke)
Poulet aux prunes (Satrapi/Paronnaud) etc...

We have seen these films so why couldn't we recognize him? Shame on us.
And you know the best part?
His « quite popular short film » won a César for best short film and was Oscar nominated in the same category.

EMBARRASSING, ISN'T IT? 



Thankfully the day after was less... weird.

Our hotel:

 

 Our view:

 

Comédie Française

 

  

Le Louvre et nous:

 

Le Louvre et Gunnar: