nwFilmCenter

Eclats de Rire (Laugh Out Loud)

Devotees of French film have their passions and none are stronger than for the singular mode of biting satire, anarchistic farce, antic slapstick, and witty wordplay that hallmark French comedies. This selection of eight rarely screened classics featuring French audience and critical favorites from the late 1970s onward, features the work of many of the top writers, directors, and actors in the field and will be sure to inspire further digging for laughs. This touring program is organized and circulated by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs Culture Paris. Special thanks to Marie Bonnel, French Cultural Services, New York.

Fri, Sep 30, 2005 at 8:45 PM Fri, Sep 29, 2006 at 9:15 PM	FRENCH TWIST (GAZON MAUDIT) DIRECTOR: JOSIANE BALASKO FRANCE Tired of her husband Marijo's (Alain Chabat) constant philandering, Lil (Almodóvar favorite Victoria Abril) finds a more attentive partner in a cigar-smoking, no-nonsense lesbian DJ (director Balasko) whose van breaks down on her doorstep."At the core of the ménage à trois chaos is Abril, who wears comically few clothes, and whose trademark laugh pretty well sums up the picture's gusto. The fun doesn't last, of course. The story settles down, the characters call an uneasy truce, and Alaska even starts to moralize on the folly of love gone wrong. But there's no need to believe her-at its best, this lightweight, salivating movie proves beyond all doubt that love is meant to go wrong; any other outcome is a drag." -THE NEW YORKER. ( 105 min ) Sponsored by Versaille in the Pearl. ^ Top
Fri, Sep 22, 2006 at 7 PM Sun, Sep 24, 2006 at 6 PM	FRENCH FRIED VACATION (LES BRONZÉS) DIRECTOR: PATRICE LECONTE FRANCE A group of vacationers arrive at a resort on the coast of Africa. Anticipating a week of relaxation and hopefully a little sex, each is determined to make the most of their glorious opportunity. Satirizing the "Club Med" fantasy, Leconte (MAN ON THE TRAIN, GIRL ON THE BRIDGE) introduces us to the tragic, yet hilarious adventures of feisty Nathalie, Gigi, self-confident Jerome, Christiane, and unlucky Jean-Claude. And, of course, Popeye, the handsome, buff, activity leader who's driving all the men's wives wild, Bourseault, who's stealing Gigi's heart, and Bobo, just a regular guy who, unlike the rest of them is more focused on the future than the day's events. A major hit in France, the cast features many top comedy actors including Josiane Balasko, Michel Blanc, Marie-Ann Chazel, Christian Clavier, Gerard Jugnot and Thierry Lhermitte. ( 95 min ) Sponsored by Saint Honoré Boulangerie. ^ Top
Sat, Sep 23, 2006 at 8 PM Sun, Sep 24, 2006 at 8 PM	THE VISITORS (LES VISITEURS) DIRECTOR: JEAN-MARIE POIRÉ FRANCE Jean Reno, Christian Clavier, Valérie Lemercier and Marie-Anne Chazel star in this irresistibly loony comedy about the trap of modernity. In 1122, under the reign of France's King Louis VI (a.k.a. Louis the Fat), the knight Godefroy de Paincourt, Count of Montmirail and his loyal squire, Jacquouille la Fripouille, are accidentally zapped to 1992 after drinking a magic potion, which was supposed to send them back in time. Stumbling about in the 20th century, they find shelter in a church and then wind up in the home of Beatrice, one of Godefroy's direct descendants. He reminds her of her grandfather whose portrait hangs on the walls her castle. Unfortunately, due to a reversal of fortune, she is being forced to sell the castle to a cowardly and snobby upstart named Jacquart, strangely, Jacquouille's spitting image. ( 105 min ) Sponsored by Alliance Française de Portland. ^ Top
Sat, Oct 7, 2006 at 7 PM Sun, Oct 8, 2006 at 5 PM	THE GOAT (LA CHÈVRE) DIRECTOR: FRANCIS VEBER FRANCE Anarchic slapstick, biting shaggy-dog storyline and gentle whimsy combine in Veber's (THE TALL BLOND MAN WITH ONE BLACK SHOE, THE DINER GAME) comedic pairing of legends Gérard Depardieu and Pierre Richard. After unsuccessfully searching in Mexico for a tycoon's missing, congenitally accident prone, daughter, Campana (Depardieu) is grudgingly saddled with an also accident-prone accountant Perrin (Richard), a would-be detective presumed to be so maladroit that he will accidentally lead Campana to the missing girl. Once let loose, the question becomes whether Perrin will crack the case or crack his own skull first. As each pratfall brings the unlikely team closer to the missing girl, Campana transforms from dubious referee to helpless accomplice in Perrin's unending circus of riotous accidents and contagious bad luck. ( 91 min ) Sponsored by Say It In French language school. ^ Top
Fri, Oct 13, 2006 at 7 PM Sat, Oct 14, 2006 at 8:30 PM	FREEDOM OLERON (LIBERTÉ-OLÉRON) DIRECTOR: BRUNO PODALYDÈS FRANCE Jacques, father of four young boys, gets bored on the family vacation on Oléron Island. One day inspiration strikes and he decides to invest all his savings in a sailboat, which he christens "Liberté-Oléron." Having no idea how to actually sail does not deter him from setting out for the Island of Aix, 3 miles away. Jacques tells his family that he's the only captain on board, besides God. As his wife Albertine later says, "On the way there, it was wonderful, the sea was an iridescent blue, everything was in tune. . . on the way back. . ."A light, ironic and touching comedy, the wonderful ensemble cast includes Denis Podalydès, Guilaine Londez, Patrick Pineau, Arnaud Jalbert, Ange Ruzé and Lou-Nil Font. ( 107 min ) ^ Top
Fri, Oct 20, 2006 at 7 PM Sun, Oct 22, 2006 at 4:30 PM	TANGUY DIRECTOR: ÉTIENNE CHATILIEZ FRANCE Edith (Sabine Azema) and Paul (Andre Dussollier) are the parents of a 28-year-old PhD candidate, Tanguy (Eric Berger). A master of Chinese and Japanese language, culture, and history, Tanguy teaches at the university, has excellent people skills and in all ways is ready for a successful adult life. The only problem is that he still lives at home, with no plans of moving out anytime soon. Edith and Paul treat their son with respect and kindness, but their patience is wearing thin. Unable to confront him about the idea that they wish he'd move on, they concoct a hilarious plan to sour his experience of living at home. Chatiliez balances an outrageous script with impeccable performances to fashion an intelligent and witty social commentary full of universal laughter. ( 108 min ) Sponsored by Cercle Français and the Portland Bastille Day 2007 Festival Committee. ^ Top
Fri, Oct 27, 2006 at 7 PM Sun, Oct 29, 2006 at 5 PM	BERNIE DIRECTOR: ALBERT DUPONTEL FRANCE Dupontel's jet black comedy about the search for identity tells the story of Bernie (Dupontel), a frustrated and mildly retarded 30-year-old who leaves the orphanage where he was raised to learn the truth about his parents. The authorities won't give him any details, so he steals his files and discovers the terrible truth: his impoverished parents left him in a dumpster when he was two weeks old. In need of a more romantic vision to sustain him, he invents a somewhat more fabulous scenario: his parents were victims of a Mafia plot and he was kidnapped and abandoned. His parents are still alive. . .they need his help! Wreaking havoc wherever he goes, Bernie's journey into the real world isn't pretty. ( 87 min ) ^ Top
Wed, Nov 1, 2006 at 7 PM Sun, Nov 5, 2006 at 5 PM	SANTA CLAUS IS A SHIT (LE PÈRE NOËL EST UNE ORDURE) DIRECTOR: JEAN-MARIE POIRÉ FRANCE A cult-comedy in France, Poire's dark farce finds Pierre and Thérèse, manning a lonely-hearts suicide hotline on Christmas Eve for callers in despair. Things start to run amok when a most unusual Santa Claus arrives at the office on the heels of his pregnant wife, fearfully on the run from his possibly violent Christmas present. Then comes a woeful, manic-depressive transvestite looking for love and a parade of chaotic humans who drive the evening's catastrophes from bad to worse and back again. Starring Anemone, Thierry Lhermitte. Marie-Anne Chazel, Christian Clavier and Josiane Balasko. ( 90 min ) ^ Top