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FILM

Brazilian cop drama wins Berlinale

Violent Brazilian cop drama “Tropa De Elite” won the Golden Bear at the 58th International Berlin Film Festival. The UK’s Sally Hawkins took home the Silver Bear for best actress for her role in Mike Leigh’s latest movie “Happy-Go-Lucky” and US filmmaker Paul Thomas Anders was awarded a Silver Bear for best direction.

The Berlinale’s jury, led this year by Greek director Constantin Costa-Gavras, awarded Brazilian director José Padilha the top prize on Saturday night for his film about an elite urban warfare Brazilian police unit. “Tropa De Elite” (The Elite Squad) shows the corrupt police using brutal methods to fight the drug mafia in Rio de Janeiro.

“The critics were partly very much against us, that is true. But we have won the prize,” said Padhila, while explaining that the film depicts everyday reality in Brazil.

The award for best actress went to Sally Hawkins from the UK for her role in Mike Leigh’s crowd-pleasing comedy “Happy-Go-Lucky”. Hawkins plays a 30-year-old Londoner who is always in a good mood no matter what adversities life throws her way.

Iranian actor Reza Naji won the best actor Silver Bear award for his portrayal of an unemployed father in the film “The Song for Sparrows”. The film directed by Majid Majidi is meant to show the reality of life in rural Iran.

The Americans were well represented in the award winners with “There Will Be Blood” garnering the Silver Bear for best director and the prize for best music. Staring Daniel Day-Lewis and inspired by Upton Sinclair’s book Oil, the film explores the quest for power in southern California’s oil boom in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

“If I also win all the Oscars, I will get a heart attack,” said director Paul Thomas Anderson, alluding to the eight Academy Award nominations for “There Will Be Blood”.

The American documentary “Standard Operating Procedure” won the Grand Jury Silver Bear. The film, directed by Errol Morris, examines human rights violations at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The Silver Bear for the best screenplay went to Chinese director Wang Xiaoschuai for the drama “In Love We Trust”, a film about a mother and her child who has cancer.

“Making a film in China is hard for independent filmmakers. This prize helps us a lot,” said Wang Xiaoschuai.

This is the second time in the Berlinale’s near 60-year history that the Golden Bear went to a Latin American filmmaker. Ten years ago, Brazilian director Walter Salles won the prestigious prize for “Central Station”. In Brazil, around 2.5 million people have already seen “Tropa De Elite” in theatres and it is believed that 12 million people have watched the film on illegally pirated DVDs.

FILM

French films with English subtitles to watch in November

As days get shorter and temperatures drop, November is a great month to enjoy a warm and comforting moment at the cinema. Here’s a round up of the French movies with English subtitles to see in Paris this month.

Cinema in France
Photo: Loic Venance/AFP

The cinema group Lost in Frenchlation runs regular screenings of French films in the capital, with English subtitles to help non-native speakers follow the action. The club kicks off every screening with drinks at the cinema’s bar one hour before the movie, so it’s also a fun way to meet people if you’re new to Paris.

These are the events they have coming up in November.

Friday, November 5th

Boîte Noire – What happened on board the Dubai-Paris flight before it crashed in the Alps? In this thriller Matthieu, a young and talented black box analyst played by Pierre Niney (star of Yves Saint-Laurent among other movies) is determined to solve the reason behind this deadly crash, no matter the costs. 

The screening will take place at the Club de l’étoile cinema at 8pm. But you can arrive early for drinks at the bar from 7pm. 

Tickets are €10 full price, €8 for students and all other concessions, and can be reserved here.

Sunday, November 14th

Tralala – In the mood for music? This new delightful French musical brings you into the life of Tralala (played by Mathieu Amalric), a 48 years old, homeless and worn-out street singer, who one day gets mistaken for someone else. Tralala sees an opportunity to get a better life by taking on a new personality. He now has a brother, nephews, ex-girlfriends, and maybe even a daughter. But where is the lie? Where is the truth? And who is he, deep down?

The night will start with drinks from 6pm followed by the screening at 7pm at the Luminor Hôtel de Ville cinema. There is also a two-hour cinema-themed walk where you’ll be taken on a “musicals movie tour” in the heart of Paris, which begins at 4pm.

Tickets cost €10, or €8 for students and concessions, and can be found here. Tickets for the walking tour cost €20 and must be reserved online here.

Thursday, November 18th

Illusions Perdues – Based on the great novel series by Honoré de Balzac between 1837 and 1843, this historical drama captures the writer Lucien’s life and dilemmas who dreams about a great career of writing and moves to the city to get a job at a newspaper. As a young poet entering the field of journalism, he is constantly challenged by his desire to write dramatic and eye-catching stories for the press. But are they all true?

The evening will kick off with drinks at L’Entrepôt cinema bar at 7pm, followed by the movie screening at 8pm. Tickets are available online here, and cost €8.50 full price; €7 for students and all other concessions.

Sunday, November 21st

Eiffel – Having just finished working on the Statue of Liberty, Gustave Eiffel (played by Romain Duris) is tasked with creating a spectacular monument for the 1889 Universal Exposition in Paris. It’s ultimately his love story with Adrienne Bourgès (Emma Mackey) that will inspire him to come up with the idea for the Eiffel Tower.

After a first screening last month, Lost in Frenchlation is organising a new one at the Luminor Hôtel de Ville cinema, with pre-screening drinks at the cinema bar. 

Tickets cost €10, or €8 for students and concessions, and can be found here

Thursday, November 25th

Les Héroïques – Michel is a former junkie and overgrown child who only dreams of motorbikes and of hanging out with his 17-year-old son Léo and his friends. But at 50 years old, he now has to handle the baby he just had with his ex, and try not to make the same mistakes he has done in the past. 

The film will be followed by a Q&A with the director Maxime Roy who will discuss his very first feature. 

Tickets cost €10, or €8 for students and concessions, and can be found here.

Full details of Lost in Frenchlation’s events can be found on their website or Facebook page. In France, a health pass is required in order to go to the cinema.

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