A silent film is the surprise dark horse in the looming race for the Oscars after it won the best film and best director prizes from the highly-regarded New York Film Critics Circle.

"/> A silent film is the surprise dark horse in the looming race for the Oscars after it won the best film and best director prizes from the highly-regarded New York Film Critics Circle.

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FILM

French silent film wows critics

A silent film is the surprise dark horse in the looming race for the Oscars after it won the best film and best director prizes from the highly-regarded New York Film Critics Circle.

French silent film wows critics
Bérénice Bejo and Jean Dujardin by Georges Biard

The Artist takes place in the late 1920s as silent cinema is losing ground to the rise of talking pictures. 

It focuses on the story of a declining male film star, played by Jean Dujardin, and a rising actress played by Bérénice Bejo.

The black and white film was written and directed by Michel Hazanavicius who had difficulty getting the financial backing for making a silent film.

The film eventually found funding from a collection of French production companies, including France 3 Cinéma and Canal+.

The film also features better known American talent John Goodman, who starred for ten years in the hit sitcom Roseanne as well as films including The Big Lebowski and Raising Arizona.

It was released on November 25th in the United States, six weeks after its French release.

The New York Film Critics Circle is often a good predictor of likely Oscar successes. Columnist Anne Thompson of the blog Thompson on Hollywood said the award put the film “at the front of the pack. There’s a ripple effect. Now other awards will pay attention.”

Critical reaction has been extremely positive, with Time magazine saying it was a “zesty romance to leave audiences glowing.”

Chairman of the Critics Circle, John Anderson, said the film was a “celebration of cinema.”

“It’s clever and it’s upbeat and all that, but it’s really about the movies. Of course, that’s going to strike a chord among critics.”

Nominations for the 84th Academy Awards will take place on February 26th, with nominations due to be announced on January 24th.

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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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