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FILM

Refugee comedy, transgender love story tipped at Berlin festival

A European refugee comedy and a transgender love story are tipped to clinch prizes Saturday at the Berlin film festival, an event dominated by criticism of US President Donald Trump.

Refugee comedy, transgender love story tipped at Berlin festival
Photo: John MacDougall/AFP

Audiences have lavished applause on the cult Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki's “The Other Side of Hope”, his first picture in six years, and “A Fantastic Woman” by Chile's Sebastian Lelio.

The two films led a critics' poll in British film magazine Screen and played well among reviewers surveyed by the German dailies Der Tagesspiegel and Berliner Zeitung.

A seven-member jury led by Paul Verhoeven (“Basic Instinct”, “Elle”) and including US actress Maggie Gyllenhaal (“The Dark Knight”) and Mexican director and actor Diego Luna (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”) will hand out the Golden and Silver Bear trophies at a ceremony beginning at 1800 GMT.

Last year, jury president Meryl Streep gave top honours to Italy's “Fire atSea”, a portrait of the refugee crisis on the island of Lampedusa. It is nominated for an Academy Award for best documentary this month.

The 11-day Berlinale, Europe's first major cinema showcase of the year, screened nearly 400 features, 18 of which are nominated for the main prizes.

But on and off screen, celebrities and filmmakers have used the festival spotlight to sound off about Trump's policies, particularly his now suspended travel ban on refugees and travellers from seven mainly Muslim countries.

“I want people to know there are many, many people in my country that are ready to resist,” Gyllenhaal told reporters as the festival opened.

'Gorgeous, cuttingly poignant'

Kaurismaki's movie was cheered as a moving call to conscience on behalf of the hundreds of thousands seeking refuge in the West from war and persecution.

It recounts the story of Khaled (Syrian actor Sherwan Haji) who ends up in remote Finland and strikes up an unlikely friendship with a group of Helsinki eccentrics.

Britain's Daily Telegraph swooned over the “gorgeous, cuttingly poignant” movie. German newspaper Die Welt declared it an instant classic that was “full of warmth” and noted Kaurismaki singled out Chancellor Angela Merkel's liberal asylum policy for praise.

“This film will be watched long after (Syrian President Bashar al-) Assad is history,” its reviewer, Barbara Moeller, said.

“A Fantastic Woman” features a knockout performance by transgender actress Daniela Vega as a nightclub singer fighting for her right to attend the funeral of her much older lover after his sudden death.

The Guardian newspaper gave the picture five stars, saying it could “make Vega the first transgender performer to scoop a major acting award”.

Late Friday, the picture won the Teddy Award for best LBGT-themed feature,which Vega collected.

Film industry bible Variety said director Lelio had “crafted perhaps the most resonant and empathetic screen testament to the everyday obstacles of transgender existence since Kimberly Peirce's 'Boys Don't Cry' in 1999”.

It noted that unlike that film or “The Danish Girl” — both of which scooped Oscars — and TV's acclaimed “Transparent”, “A Fantastic Woman” featured a trans actress playing a trans part.

'Indigestible ham'

Oren Moverman's “The Dinner”, a thriller about America's festering racialand class divisions starring Richard Gere, Laura Linney and Steve Coogan fared less well with critics despite its ripped-from-the-headlines plot.

The Guardian labelled the movie, the only US production in competition, as a “soggy melodrama” and savaged the “indigestible ham” of the main performances.

The all-star Brexit satire “The Party” fared better, with Screen calling the “brisk comedy” British director Sally Potter's “most enjoyable film to date”.

Festival guests also embraced China's animated heist thriller with apolitical edge, “Have a Nice Day”.

Eastern Europe put in a strong showing with Polish director AgnieszkaHolland's feminist fairy tale “Spoor”, the dysfunctional couple drama “Ana, mon amour” by Romania's Calin Peter Netzer and “On Body and Soul” by Ildiko Enyedi, a love story set in a Hungarian slaughterhouse.

Reviewers also adored mesmerising performances by the lead actresses in Senegalese director Alain Gomis' “Felicite” and Hong Sang-soo of South Korea's “On the Beach at Night Alone”, Vero Tshanda Beya and Kim Min-hee.

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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