French filmfest at the Shang

By Nickie Wang
Contributor /Manila Standard Today
23 June 2003

When talking about France, the first things that come to mind are: the Eiffel Tower, which has become a venue of marriage proposals (remember Tom Cruise’s marriage proposal to Katie Holmes?); street cafes, where lovely and fashionable couple are seen dining; and of course the famous French kiss that has dominated romantic films in Hollywood.

To bring the infectious romantic atmosphere of France, The Shangri-La Plaza in collaboration with the Embassy of France to the Philippines held the 13th French Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex 1.

The festival kicked off on June 11 with the premiere of Un Baiser s’il vous plaît (Shall We Kiss?) by Emmanuel Mouret. The gala opening was attended by celebrities like Robin Padilla and Boots Anson Roa, prominent personalities like Imee Marcos, French Ambassador to the Philippines Gerard Chesnel, Philippine Ambassador to Switzerland Rora Navarro-Tolentino, designer Kate Torralba, Jackie Aquino and Cutie del Mar.

As a tradition in the festival, Filipino films that had been invited to film festivals in France were shown during the fesitval. This year, Brillante Mendoza’s Serbis, and Raya Martin’s Now Showing, were screened on June 12.

Tranche de vie (Slice of life)

The festival screened nine films that affirm France, most especially Paris, as the honeymoon capital of the world. The films showed slices of life in France and gave us a glimpse of how the French fall in love.

Un Baiser s’il vous plaît” (Shall We Kiss?) by Emmanuel Mouret is a movie about a woman named Émilie who encountered Gabriel in a suburb outside Paris. Although they’re both attracted to each other, they each already have someone in their life. What’s more, they know that they will probably never see each other again. Even so, Gabriel would like to kiss her. She would also like to kiss him. But something prevents them from doing so: a story of a married woman and her best friend overcome by the effects of a kiss, a kiss that should have been of no consequence.

Another film by Mouret is Changement d’Adresse. It’s about a guy named David, a shy, awkward musician who has just moved to Paris, falls madly in love with his young student, Julia. He tries everything to win her heart.

Other films screened were the romantic comedy Qui m’aime me suive (Whoever loves me, follow me) by Benoît Cohen; the rib-tickling Ma Vie en l’Air (Love is in the air) by Rémi Bezançon; the musical drama Clean by Olivier Assayas; the thrilling crime story Roman de Gare (Crossed Tracks) by Claude Lelouch; an unconventionally funny film Je crois que je l’aime (I think I love her) by Pierre Jolivet; and Ah! Si j’étais riche! (If I were a rich man) by Michel Munz and Gerard Bitton.

Multi-awarded dramatic musical La Môme - La Vie en Rose by Olivier Dahan, an inspired portrayal of the extraordinary life of the French songbird, Edith Piaf, will be the closing feature film of the festival.