Francophone Women Film Directors

Transcription

1 Francophone Women Film Directors

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3 Francophone Women Film Directors A Guide Janis L. Pallister and Ruth A. Hottell Madison Teaneck Fairleigh Dickinson University Press

4 2005 by Rosemont Publishing & Printing Corp. All rights reserved. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted by the copyright owner, provided that a base fee of $10.00, plus eight cents per page, per copy is paid directly to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, Massachusetts [ X/05 $ pp, pc.] Associated University Presses 2010 Eastpark Boulevard Cranbury, NJ The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of the American National Standard for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials Z Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Pallister, Janis L. Francophone women film directors : a guide / Janis L. Pallister and Ruth A. Hottell. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN X (alk. paper) 1. Women motion picture producers and directors French-speaking countries Credits. 2. Motion picture producers and directors French-speaking countries Credits. I. Hottell, Ruth A., 1952 II. Title. PN P dc printed in the united states of america

5 Dedicated to Pascal and Ramona for their advice and patience and to the memory of Lucile Martineau, senior lecturer at Smith College, in Massachusetts, deceased 15 February, 2004

6 Well, I don t know about chick films, but I can quote Euzhan Palcy (A Dry White Season) who said she didn t think that films by women were any better, just different. Executive Director Debra Zimmerman, Women Make Movies I have reached this conclusion, or this inquiry: that women s cinema as much in the Third World as in the Old World begins with the desire for the word. As if to film means for women a mobility of voice and body, the body not gazed upon, but unsubmissive, retrieving its autonomy and innocence. Assia Djebar (Tr. from Un regard de femme)

7 Contents Acknowledgments 9 Introduction Directors and Their Films Core Concepts and Themes Film Sources 260 Bibliography 265 Index 274 7

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9 Acknowledgments WE ARE MOST GRATEFUL TO CILIA SAWODOGO, AGNÈS VARDA, Dominique Loreau, Catherine Breillat, and Marie Mandy for their kind and generous cooperation in the preparation of this book, either through according us interviews, providing us with information or furnishing us with photographs. Our thanks also go to Dr. Lenita Locey for her generous help with computer and other matters. And for photography assistance we are indebted to Dr. Ramona Cormier and Dr. Wesley K. Hoffman, and to the Instructional Media Services of Bowling Green State University. The authors are especially indebted to the National Film Board of Canada for its permission to use their written and photographic materials, as provided under written agreements. Research for this book was partially funded by a University of Toledo Kohler Faculty Travel Grant and by the Canadian Studies Program and the Provost s office of Bowling Green State University. 9

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11 Introduction SINCE THE PUBLICATION IN 1997 OF FRENCH-SPEAKING WOMEN FILM Directors: A Guide, by Janis L. Pallister, notable strides have been made in the production of first-rate and well-received films by women. 1 Furthermore, one finds that more and more film studies are either devoted to this area of cinematic production, or, at the least, pay some attention to the matter. A case in point might be the magnificent new history of film by Robert Sklar. 1 Sklar devotes two or three pages of his huge study to Agnès Varda (340 42); he makes multiple references to Alice Guy-Blaché (though these boil down ultimately to a handshake). Claire Denis figures in his discussions and even merits a still from Beau Travail, as does Chantal Akerman. And Agnès Jaoui s 1999 Le Goût des autres (Taste of Others) is mentioned in passing, though Sklar focuses on the fact that this outstanding film was written with her husband Jean-Pierre Bacri, and that both of them perform in this work. The great cinematographer Agnès Godard, Claire Denis s right-hand woman, is also mentioned briefly. To Sklar s credit, Safi Faye is mentioned (361), despite the fact that most scholars take little heed of the work of women when writing of African cinema. Still the gaps in this voluminous, all-purpose history are notable and painful. For despite their undeniable notoriety, neither Catherine Breillat s films nor her name can be found here. And especially egregious for its omissions is the section on Québec: no Léa Pool,no Anne Claire Poirier, no Mireille Dansereau, no Sophie Bissonnette. Indeed, no woman at all. (It is perhaps incumbent upon us to say the whole section on Québec cinema is seriously lacking, with only three or four famous men directors under discussion.) Of course, it is not the purpose of this introduction to present a review of any particular recent study of world film: Sklar s book is targeted here to serve as an example of the current state of affairs. In the domain of popular critics, the subjects addressed are much the same. Thus, Roger Ebert writes a great deal about Claire Denis and Agnès Varda. Unlike Sklar, he is drawn to Breillat. (Perhaps for similar reasons, he has devoted a hefty review to Romance.) But like 11

12 12 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Sklar his attention to women s films from Africa and Québec is limited: if he writes of Pool, it is largely because of her recent Englishlanguage film Lost and Delirious (Rebelles; 2000; 100 mins.). It must be admitted, however, that he has written a lengthy review as well on Emporte-moi (Set Me Free). 2 Let us consider the state of attention given to these talented women by the general public. Many of their films will appear on TV5 and Canal. (Though, even so, when speaking to the representation of women in film, Martine Aubry, former Ministre de l Emploi et de la Solidarité, has stated: Un chiffre, d ailleurs, permet de rappeler que dans le domaine artistique, comme dans tant d autres domaines, la parité n est pas acquise: 10%; C est la proportion de femmes parmi les réalisateurs français. Ce chiffre est en progression, bien supérieur à ceux d autres pays européens, mais il reste insuffisant. ) 4 Still a popular guide for American movie buffs, and one boasting more than 19,000 entries, Maltin s 2002 edition reveals strong biases against women directors, if a cursory study of the book from this perspective tells us anything at all. 5 While Beau Travail, a masterpiece by Claire Denis, is to be found there, it is given only 3 stars. We did not find any other works of hers in the guide. La Bûche by Danièle Thompson hardly on a par with Beau Travail also receives 3 stars. A similar fate awaits Euzhan Palcy s Rue Cases-Nègres (Sugar Cane Alley), which is however allotted 3 1 /2 stars. Noticeably, Palcy s Dry White Season receives 2 1 /2 stars while her Siméon is not even listed. Dirty Dishes, a very charming film by Joyce Buñuel (daughter-in-law of Luis Buñuel), weighs in at only 2 1 /2 stars. Somewhat surprisingly the films of Jeanne Moreau L Adolescente and Lumière are also allotted 2 1 /2 stars. Chantal Akerman s Couch in New York gets a very low 1 1 /2, while Je tu il elle, which could be regarded as a masterpiece, is entirely absent. Agnès Varda, one of the greatest and most senior of French-speaking women directors, is accorded 3 1 /2 stars, not 4, for Sans toit, ni loi (Vagabond ) while we did not find Le Bonheur, nor Cléo de5à7 (Cleo from 5 to 7), nor Les Glaneurs et la glaneuse (The Gleaners and I). To Maltin s credit we find listed her 1977 breakthrough feminist film L Une chante, l autre pas (under One Sings, the Other Doesn t )... but it is rated as a 2 star film! Egregiously, we have not found mention of a single French Canadian woman director: not Anne Claire Poirier (whose 1979 Mourir à tue-tête [Scream from Silence] is a must in the study of women s film.) Not Marquise Lepage, whose 1999 Des marelles et des petites filles took prize after prize. Not Sylvie Groulx, not Micheline Lanctôt, whose Sonatine has received considerable attention from the film

13 INTRODUCTION 13 scholar Joseph Donohoe. 6 Not Léa Pool, though Emporte-moi was so widely received and covered. (It is true that Ebert covers her films and awards Lost and Delirious, Pool s only film in English, 3 1 /2 stars). Is it significant in view of all this that the racy films of Catherine Breillat, though not well thought of, are nonetheless to be found? Her 36 Fillette receives 2 1 /2 stars while Romance receives 1 1 /2 stars. (They are better than that!) Films by Diane Kurys, which have been very popular in the U.S., are listed and are given good marks. (Diabolo menthe [Peppermint Soda] receives 3 1 /2 stars, for example.) Cursory examination of this guide shows, then, that almost invariably the films of Duvivier, Resnais, Godard, Luis Buñuel many of which would not be preferred to the above by some viewers are given 3 1 /2 to 4 stars. (We found no 4-star film by a French-speaking woman director.) Dare one assert, then, that it is the big names of all these male directors that command stars no more deserved in reality than certain of the ones named above or studied in our guide? The question is rhetorical, of course. But a recent article in the New Yorker shows a similar direction in critiquing the body of films we are discussing here: Judith Thurman, in her review article of The Sexual Life of Catherine M., refers in passing to the dreary films of Breillat and labels Baise-moi as repulsively cynical. 7 Incidentally, Thurman is no more impressed with the book she is reviewing, to which she compares these films. This kind of treatment hardly increases viewership, even though serious film scholars are busy studying these very films. On the other hand, one may frequently view francophone women s films on TV5, if in France, or if in America one is equipped with the right dish. (This can cost up to $ and involve cutting down a tree or so for another thousand.) But even in France some of the more explicit of these films have run into trouble. 8 In any case, and despite the visibility cited above, one must attribute the lack of attention to women s films not only to what might be a blatant case of sexism but also to problems of distribution. Because they are underfinanced, and certainly because of distribution problems (related of course to under financing), the majority of the films cited in our guide are not treated in mainstream journals nor available in video shops. 9 Now, it is because of such lacunas as these, widespread in the case of film literature, that a followup volume of Pallister s French-Speaking Women Film Directors seems necessary. Necessary because of the films themselves, which are not only needed but about which information is often lacking. We are concerned, then, with bringing references together in a readily usable format. For, although occasionally

14 14 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS a woman director eschews that very tag, most accept such categorization, and most are intent upon telling their story usually a story about women s experiences from a woman s point of view. If this were not true, would there be such a thing as the annual Festival International de Films de Femmes at Créteil? And cannot the same be said for the splendid special showing of women directors films presented by the Sundance Channel in April, 2002? This not to mention frequent presentation on the Independent Film Channel of women s films not usually seen on the big screen in America, not even for rent in most video stores. And, too, one might cite the Rocky Mountain Women s Film Festival dedicated to the drive, spirit and diversity of women. The fifteenth annual event took place in Colorado Springs, Colorado on November 1 3, (For further information, visit: Within this framework, why concentrate especially on Frenchspeaking women directors? Firstly, as a service to (French) teachers and professors who now incorporate film and women s art into many of their courses. Next, because in spite of the problems etched above, one cannot deny that a number of the women filmmakers of France, Québec and Belgium have become virtually as well known as many male directors: Chantal Akerman is quite famous; her film Couch in New York has frequently aired on television; Léa Pool, too, is known in many circles, and can be considered as almost on a level with Atom Egoyam. But especially famous are Claire Denis, Catherine Breillat, and Agnès Varda, the latter s recent film, Les Glaneurs et la glaneuse (The Gleaners and I), having received widespread recognition, and having been, for example, the fifth of the top ten sales made by Facets in the spring of 2002, while Breillat s Une vraie jeune fille (A Real Young Girl) came in sixth. This is from all sexes and countries. Virginie Despentes s sensational and controversial Baise-moi was ninth in the top ten rentals (from all countries) and figured as ninth of twenty-five top-selling foreign films. 10 This compact volume seeks, then, to answer questions not only about the works of renowned artists, including the remarkable success of such works as Breillat s and Despentes s, but about those of lesser-known artists as well. Striving to complete the picture through 2002, it is compiled from many sources, and presents information in English, but with reference to French copy, in order to increase the guide s versatility. * * * Style: We punctuate French titles according to the rules set forth by The French Review, not PMLA. Among other things, this facilitates indexing.

15 INTRODUCTION 15 Sources of Information: In the preparation of this volume as with the first we have found the presentations and catalogs of the Créteil Festival of Women s Films to be of particular value. On the web, there are sites devoted to women s films and women in films, many of which are cited in our bibliography. Catalogs and Web sites of the NFB (ONF) are also a rich source of information, and we are especially grateful to this entity for its kind permission to borrow generously from its copy. We have excerpted material from all of these references, and from others besides whether in English or in French, for the convenience of those who wish to use this guide book. Wherever this has been done, the source of the information has been given. It should be noted that dates and run times vary considerably from one source to the other; in most cases we have made no effort to adjudicate these matters, but have given sliding dates and durées. These variations in date occur for a number of reasons among which one might suggest that: 1) the film was planned for one year, but in fact, was held up for some reason or another; 2) sometimes a new copyright date has been put on the USA version, both on the film and on the video; 3) sometimes, even, a new date was put on the video when it came out. For similar reasons the running time can vary from film to video, etc. Many Shorts of a few minutes are to be found in Créteil catalogs. The information regarding them has been only partially reproduced here. Similarly, virtually all documentaries have been excluded here; they and their directors will be treated in a separate guide to Frenchspeaking women documentarians. One more note is in order here. Those referring to this guide should be aware that its use is maximized when it is consulted in tandem with the 1997 guide (see note 1 below) French-Speaking Women Film Directors; for it has been our intention to include here, by and large, only such filmmakers, films and critiques as did not figure in that volume. One should consult as well the Internet Movie Database Site ( some but not all of the information on certain directors has come from this site, and from other internet sites as indicated in the body of the guide. AFinal Word We wish to close this preface by establishing what this book is, and what it is not. It is not intended to be a critique of films by women directors, but rather a compendium of their films and selected criti-

16 16 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS cism of them, including an effort wherever possible to give places in which the films are discussed in French, thus making for a bilingual reference work. And indeed the establishment of this text has been an arduous job: As we sugested above, the internet was used extensively, along with many other guides, journals, catalogs, library resources consulted in situ and so forth. In many cases, the information contained herein has not been easily established, even when found after extensive searches on the internet. Thus it is our hope that this guide, when used in conjunction with Pallister s French-Speaking Women Film Directors, will be an important and handy tool, a point of departure, a quick source of information; for that was our intention in preparing it. We have refrained for the most part from entering into controversies or displaying our own likes and dislikes. Similarly, for the sake of remaining objective, we have chosen not to include our own analyses. Our views may be found in our other published writings on the subject at hand. Notes 1. Janis L. Pallister. French-Speaking Women Film Directors (Madison, N.J.: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1997). Supported by a subvention from Women in French. All subsequent references to this work will be indicated by author ( Pallister Guide ) and page number. 2. Robert Sklar. A World History of Film (New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2002). 3. It is noteworthy, too, that despite the advances made by women filmmakers at the end of the twentieth and beginning of the twenty-first century, the jury of the 2002 Cannes Film Festival with David Lynch as president of the jury included only men filmmakers, though actresses did participate. Source: Screen Africa News Bulletin. Editor: Angela van Schalkwyk. mailto:editor@screenafrica.com. The situation for 2004 is somewhat improved. 4. Introduction of the 2000 Créteil Women s Film Festival catalogue (14). One might nonetheless single out such events as Le grand prix du meilleur scénariste that (from 1986 to 1995) went to such directors as Sandrine Veysset (in 1995) for Y aura-t-il de la neige à Noël? (Finalist; Prix Louis Delluc 96; César 97 de la 1ère Œuvre). In 1992 it went to Eve Deboise for Les Gens de la rizière (Lauréat ex-aequo Primé Cannes 94); in 1992 to Martine Dugowson for Mina Tannenbaum (Lauréat exaequo, Nommé César 93; in 1991 to Anne Fontaine for Les Histoires d amour finissent mal en général; in 1990 to Agnès Merlet for Le Fils du requin (Lauréat Ex-aequo Festival de Venise 93); in 1989 to Philomène Esposito for Mima (Finalist); in 1988 to Patricia Mazuy for Peau de Vaches (finalist); and in 1988 to Claire Denis for Chocolat (Finalist Sélection Cannes 88). Note also that Cinemalia in 1999 held an important festival of films by women directors, including: Musidora s Soleil et ombre (1922, recently restored by Cinémathèque Française); Dana Rotberg s L Autre côté; Claire Denis s Le Beau Travail; Danièle Thompson s La Bûche; Maria de Medeiros s Capitaines d avril; Pacale Bailly s

17 INTRODUCTION 17 Dieu est grand, je suis toute petite; Diane Kurys s Les Enfants du siècle; Valérie Lemercier s Fri Fri; Marie Vermillard s Lila Lili; Charlotte De Turkheim s Mon Père, ma mère, mes frères et mes sœurs; Dominique Cabrera s Nadia et les hippopotames; Catherine Corsini s La Nouvelle Eve ; Philomène Esposito s Toni; Brigitte Coscas s Une Saison [Mamirolle]; Tonie Marshall s Vénus Beauté and Noémie Lvovsky s La Vie ne me fait pas peur. Interestingly enough, in reviewing Toni, GönülDönmez-Colin takes Esposito for a man: Philomene Esposito comes up with an ambitious as well as personal work after his [sic!] failure with Toxic Affair. But once again, he loses his grip on his film halfway through... (http. 5. Leonard Maltin, 2002 Movie & Video Guide (New York: Signet, 2001), Joseph L. Donohoe, Jr., Sonatine in Context, a Neglected Film of Micheline Lanctôt, in Essays on Quebec Cinema, ed. Joseph I. Donohoe, Jr (East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 1991). 7. Judith Thurman, Doing It in the Road, New Yorker (10 June 2002): Such is the case in particular of the film Baise-moi. The film Romance, too, is regarded by many as demonstrating that sex is no longer faked in cinema. See one German description found on the internet: The problem of financing is apparently very acute in Québec. In 2000, when she received the Albert-Tessier prize, Micheline Lanctôt denounced in various interviews the difficulty (all) film directors even the most experienced have in finding financial backing. (Séquences 219 [May/June 2002]: 7). However, on the American front, some, if all too little, help is available. Still, on 10 July 2002, NewFilmmakers (New York) hosted Cinewomen, which supports and encourages women in the film and entertainment industry. See html And note, too, the existence of the MadCat Women s International Film Festival (San Francisco.) Heralded as the most cutting-edge women s film festival, MadCat presents films and videos by women from around the globe. Please visit glow.com/madcat. Announcement edited by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE. Additionally, from 30 October to 3 November 2002 Rochester, New York hosted the second annual High Falls Film Festival, which highlights work by female directors, producers, and screenwriters. Screenings included Julie Taymor s Frida, Coline Serreau s Chaos, etc. For details visit Facets Features (Spring 2002): The American scene is viewed as dismal by Michelle Goldberg: Where are the women directors? 27 August, Internet address: ent/movies/feature/200208/27/women_directors/index.html?x

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19 1 Directors and Their Films Africa Amari, Raja (Tunisia) Satin rouge (Franco-Tunisien, 2002, 1 hr. 40 mins.) In Arabic (with some French). [Stated in some places as made in 1997.] Directed and produced by two Tunisian women: Raja Amari et Dorra Bouchoucha- Fourati; music: Nawfel El Manaa. Cast: Hiam Abbass, Hend El Fahem, Maher Kamoun, Monia Hichri, Faouzia Badr, Nadra Lamloun, Abou Moez El Fazaa, Salah Miled. Synopsis: A widowed Tunisian seamstress takes an unlikely journey of self-discovery in Raja Amari s sumptuous and sensual Satin Rouge. While investigating a suspected liaison between her headstrong teenaged daughter and a cabaret musician, young widow Lilia becomes drawn to an exotic nightclub netherworld of Rubenesque belly dancers and nocturnal pleasureseekers. She strikes up a friendship with one of the dancers, then eventually takes the stage herself, quickly becoming the favorite of both cabaret patrons and the club s hotblooded drummer. As she gradually sheds her shapeless, matronly house dresses for the flamboyantly sequined bar-girl garb, she also begins to emerge from her cocoon of melancholy and loneliness. ( Director Raja Amira is a dancer herself; she trained for many years at the Conservatoire de Tunis and clearly knows what a belly dance fan wants to see in a movie. The cabaret dressing room scenes, in particular, are filled with all the sparkling sequined costumes and heavily made up performers fans might hope for, says Bobbie Giarratana.) Synopsis in French at: Satin Rouge est un film de femmes: Production, réalisation, image, assistant, montage, que des femmes, ou presque! C est l histoire d un fantasme au féminin : spnews.html INTERVIEW: Self-Empowerment by Way of the Midriff; Raja 21

20 22 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Amari s Satin Rouge by Kate Schultz. Read the complete interview at indiewire.com: Amari_Raja_ html. Several more sites on the internet regarding Amari and especially Satin Rouge. (indiewire: ) Venice may get the most international acclaim, but Italy s second-largest festival, the Torino Film Festival, offered plenty of cutting-edge international and domestic films during its twentieth event. The jury awarded its best feature film prize to French/Tunisian production Satin Rouge, directed by Raja Amari. The film claimed the 20,500 Euro prize at the event (November 7 15 [2002]). Bachir-Chouikh, Yamina (Algeria) Born 20 March 1954, Algiers, Algeria. Rachida (2002, 100 mins.) Algeria/France. Language: Arabic/ French. Written by Yamina Bachir. Cast: Ibtissem Djouadi as Rachida; Bahia Rachedi; Hamid Remas. Shown at Cannes Took the prix TV5 des cinémas du sud at the Marrakech 2002 film festival. Took the prizes Images de femmes and Images du public at the 2003 Montréal film festival, Vues d Afrique. Synopsis: A look at fundamentalist terrorism in Algeria through the eyes of Rachida, a teacher in one of the school districts. (IMDb) An important work, according to France-Amérique (1 7 juin 2002): 16. See: Un véritable cri de femme. Elie Castel, Manifestations (Séquences 226 [July-August 2002]: 8 9.) Benguigui, Yamina (Algeria; France) See France Benlyazid, Farida (Morocco) Born in 1948 in Tangiers. Studies in modern literature at the Univ. of Paris VIII Studied cinema at IDHEC in Paris. Producer of Une brèche dans le mur (d. Jilali Ferhati, 1978). Identités de femme (1980) Fiction. Une porte sur le ciel (1988) Sur la terrasse (1995, 18 mins.?) Short in the collective: Cinq films pour cent ans (1995, 90 mins.) Details in French at: Keïd Ensa (French title: Ruses de femmes, ou le conte de la fille au basilic) aka Women s Wiles; aka L Astuzia delle donne ( , 90 mins.) Morocco, Switzerland, Tunisia, France. Fiction. Written by

21 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 23 Benlyazid from the story Le Conte de la fille au basilic. Photography: Serge Palatsi; editing: Kahéna Attia; music: Mohamed Cherrafl sound: Fawzi Thabet. Cast: Samira Akariou, Rachid El Quali, Fatma Bensaïdane, Abderrahim Bayga et al. Production: Tingitania Films (Morocco), Waka Films (Switzerland), Touza Productions (Tunisia), Céphéide Productions (France). Distribution: Brussels Ave, Rue des Visitandines 1/48, 1000 Bruxelles tel fax Synopsis: An intriguing commentary on the power struggle between the sexes and the different classes in Morocco. (Hottell, see bibliography.) French résumé and bio. found at: teurs/fictions lm /benlyazid.html Casablanca Casablanca (2002) docudrama Synopsis: Adapted from the novel by Rida Lamrini, Les Puissants de Casablanca, this film studies several problems that stirred up Casablanca society at the time of the 1996 campaign for bettter sanitaziation. Read full details in French at: article.asp?tb article&id Bertrand Tchakoua Pouma, Joséphine (Cameroon) Un Mariage riche en couleur (1996) Fanta (2000, 90 mins.) Synopsis: Fanta lives with her husband in Paris. They are having quarrels over money; and she wants to stop her acting lessons because they are so expensive. La Princesse Mushika (in preparation) Bornaz, Kalthoum (Tunisia) Born in Tunis in Studied cinema at the IDHEC and filmed Shorts before making Keswa, her first fulllength film. Keswa (aka The Lost Thread, orle Fil perdu) (1997, 96 or 100 mins.) Original version in Arab, subtitled in French. Cast: Rim Turki (Nozha), Mouna Noureddine (la mère), Lotfi Achour (Lotfi). Also: Ali Mosbah and Ahmed El Hafian. Synopsis: A young woman returns to Tunis for her brother s wedding. French synopsis at kes/kes.html

22 24 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Chirabi, Saad (Morocco) Femmes... Femmes (1999) Synopsis: This film explores the lives of four modern Moroccan women as they intersect and reflect the social issues and conflicts experienced by North African women. Coulibaly, Fatoumata (Mali) Fatoumata Coulibaly first was noticed with her N Golo dit Papa. She is also a producer at the Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision du Mali. N Golo dit Papa (not Papi ) (1997, 39 mins.) Fiction. Prix de la Coopération Française (Fespaco) Synopsis: The initiates who hold the caste system in honor disturb young Nyamanton (Idrissa Samaké), a rebel who dares to disobey the rule in order to enter into marriage with Koudédia (played by Fatoumata Coulibaly). See: cine.html Talibés ou la quête violée (1998; in process) Sekenbougou (in preparation) Deliba, Fejiria (Algeria) See France Djebar, Assia This director introduces us to the daily life of Algerian women of all generations. Her films are discussed in Pallister, French- Speaking Women Film Directors, A Guide, 16, but the following supplementary information regarding her may prove useful as a quick reference. Born 4 August 1936 as Fatima-Zohra Imalayen in Cherchell, Algeria, Djebar publishes her first novel, La Soif (Paris: Julliard) in 1957 and her second novel, Les Impatients (Paris: Julliard) in In 1962 she published the novel Les Enfants du Nouveau Monde; (Paris: Julliard). In 1977 she directed her first film, La Nouba des femmes du Mont Chenoua and in 1979 directed her second film, La Zerda ou les chants de l oubli, a documentary juxtaposing French newsreels of World Wars I and II with Algerian women singing traditional songs (Pallister Guide, 16). In 1991 she wrote Loin de Médine (Paris: Albin Michel), and in 1995 Vaste est la prison (Paris: Albin Michel 1995). Djebar meditates on cinema in Un Regard de femme (French edition, 174): This image... this scandal that for me as a child was considered normal, here she is at the start of my quest; woman s unique silhouette, gathering in the folds of her drapery-shroud the five hundred million segregated women of the Islamic world; suddenly she is staring at us, but from behind the camera, and through a free hole in a

23 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 25 masked face, she is devouring the world. Internet (portrait of Djebar on film). Entre ombre et soleil (1994; 52 mins.; color; 16 mm.) Director: Kamal Dehane; Shot in Algeria. Production company: CBA. 18, rue Joseph Bruxelles, Belgium. The story of Assia Djebar s experience, her questioning about presentday Algeria and the future of its society. Femmes d Alger (French/Algerien, 1992, mins.). Film by Kamal Dehane: About five Algerian women, including Djebar. Ekoumou, Yolande (Cameroon) L Héritage (1999; 136 mins.) Synopsis: A criminal, coming out of prison and having lost his reputation, thinks he ll show the young people how to pull off a job. Fares, Nadia (Tunisia) Born in Switzerland, Miel et Cendres (Switzerland/Tunisia, 1996, 80 mins.) Prix Tolérance at the Journées Africaines et Créoles) (1996?) Filmed in Tunisia. Cast: Nozha Khouadra, Amel Ledhili, Naji Najeh, et al. Producer: Karin Koch, Lotfi Layouni; screenwriter: Nadia Fares, editor: Kahna Attia Riveille; camera: Ismael Ramirez. A first feature from Swiss- Tunisian Fares. Synopsis of one of the three stories: When she learns that her mother opposes her relationship with her lover, Leila decides to become a prostitute. In negotiating her body, she is only transgressing the final taboos of a society that denies the most fundamental signs of expression. (Elie Castel, Séquences 191 [July/Aug. 1997]: 9) Compare Louise Carré s Mon cœur est témoin. Internet: Follows the stories of three North African women.... Despite its tragic moments, the film delivers a message of hope. A compelling examination of female desire in male-dominated society, Honey and Ashes speaks to all cultures and genders. Reviewer: Lisanne Skyler. Faye, Safi (Senegal) Born 1943, in Dakar. Ethnologue. Studied at the Ecole Louis Lumière in Paris. Supplement to Pallister Guide, 17. La Passante (1972) Goob na nu (La Récolte est finie) (1979, 30 mins.) Fad jal (Grand-père raconte) 1979, 108 mins. Lettre paysanne (Peasant Letter; Kadou Beykat) (available from Mypheduh) (1975) Moi, ta mère (Man sa yay) (1980) As Women See It? (1980)

24 26 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Les Ames au soleil (1981; 27 mins.) Selbé (1983) Racines noires (1985, 11 mins.) Elsie Haas, Femme peintre, cinéaste d Haïti (1985, 8 mins.) Tesito (1989, 27 mins.) Femmes de pêcheurs; leur contribution à l économie. La Toile d araignée, (1990 ) Mossane (1995, 105 mins.) (Spelled Mossen, 1992 in Schmidt.) Synopsis: Fourteen years old and possessed of natural, timeless beauty, Mossane excites by her mere presence. In this Wolof village between the sea and the savanna, such beauty proves tragic. Safi Faye s gorgeous, powerful film begins from a detailed observation of contemporary village life, but unfolds with the mounting force of ancient drama. Mossane tempts fate when she refuses the man to whom she had been promised at birth; it s a desperate act, with desperate consequences. Astou (2001) For information on Safi Faye and her film Mossane see: Also see List for African Literature and Cinema (Ken Harrow s report on Créteil Festival des Femmes; April 1998). Also see from the internet: an interview with Cameron Bailey [Press Conferences]. Safi Faye appears in Caméra d Afrique (d. Férid Boughedir) where she gives testimony on the problems of criticizing the Senegalese society. Additional information from the internet: Safi Faye: Filmmaker, ethnographer and mother. She is one of the pioneers of the African cinema. She made her first steps in film direction in [In] La passante [1972],... her first 16 mm film,... she herself played the main role, an African girl in Paris. Note: (1) Films (USA) distribution unit has in the past distributed Kaddu Beykat. (2) Women Make Movies (USA) ( distributes Selbe in the series As Women See It. Additional information at: Folly (FOLLEY) Anne-Laure (Togo) This important documentarian was born in She is a juriste. She will be studied in the forthcoming Guide to francophone women documentarians. Correction: The Créteil catalogue for 1995 gives La Gardienne des forces (1992); cf. the title of the film listed in Pallister Guide, 18 as Le Gardien des forces (1991) (Curiously, in Schmidt (ALA Bulletin, fall

25 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS : 13 ) it is LA GARDIEN...). The correct title of the film is Le Gardien des forces (1992; 52 mins., about voodoo in Togo). Femmes du Niger entre l intégrisme et démocratie (Women of Niger) (Niger; 1993; 26 mins.). Other documentaries include: L Or du Liptako (1993, 12 mins.) Entre l arbre et la pirogue ( ; 52 mins.) Femmes d Angola: Rêver la paix (1996, 26 mins.). Les Oubliées (1996, 52 mins.) Projet Sambizanga (1996, 12 mins.) Sarah Maldoror ou la nostalgie de l Utopie (1996; 26 mins.) Déposez les armes (1999, 26 mins.) L Une l est, l autre pas (2000, 26 mins.). Is concerned with excision. See cine.html Kalimunda, Jacqueline (Rwanda) Tresses ( 2002) Synopsis: Hairdressing in Paris. Koudil, Hafsa Zinai (Algeria) A novelist; her first feature film is: Le Démon au féminin [or Les Démons au féminin] ( ; 90 mins.). D. and scenario: Koudil; photography: Ahmed Messaad; sound: Ali Moulahcene; editing: A. Cherigui. Cast: Doudja Achaichi, Said Amrane, Ahmed Benaissa, Fatha Berber. Synopsis: In Algiers in the 1990s, Ali and Salina, a modern couple, drift to madness. Ali is persuaded that his wife is possessed by the devil and, comforted by his son who frequents extremist religious milieus, he tries to make Salina remain in the house and wear the hid jab. When she refuses, he decides to have her exorcised. Synopsis in French at: See also: Catherine Bedarida. Le combat d une cinéaste algérienne; Hafsa Zinai Koudil. Le Monde, Section: Culture (1 avril 1995). Krim, Rachida (Algeria/France) See France Liking, Werwere (Cameroon) Born in 1950 in Bondé. Raised by her grandparents in a traditional milieu. Has lived in Ivory Coast since Elle sera de jaspe et de corail is the most famous of this prolific writer s novels. She is also very active in African theater. (Indeed, she founded the theater company Kl-YiMBlock in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.) Regard de fous (1987, 93 mins. Fiction. Video.(A filmed adaptation

26 28 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS of her play Dieu chose). [Mentioned on List for African Literature and Cinema (Ken Harrow s report on Créteil Festival des Femmes /4/9/98).] Synopsis: During a choral rehearsal Nemy gives her version of God, the devil and her vision of the world since its creation. Film about Liking: Werwere Liking (26 mins.) D. by Issiaka Konate. Loreau, Dominique. See Belgium Marrakchi, Laila (Morocco) Born in 1978 in Casablanca and educated at the University of Pais III where she received a DEA in Cinema and Audio-Visual Studies. Contact: Lazennec Tout court. 5, rue Darcet, Paris. lazennectoutcourt@wanadoo.fr L Horizon perdu (The Lost Horizon) (France/Morocco, 2000, 12 mins.) Prize for Best Short at the Torino Film Festival of Director, Script: Marrakchi; photography: Béatrice Mizrahi; sound: Pierre André; editing: Pascale Fenouillet. Cast: Smahane La Houssine, Zakariya Gouram. Production: Gloria Films Production; Contact: Gloria Films; Production: Laurent Lavolé and Isabelle Pragier 65 rue Montmartre Paris, France Tel: mel@ gloriafilms.fr. Synopsis: The film follows Abdel Salam s (Abdesalam s) final hours in Tangiers as he prepares to leave his lover, Rhimou, and his country for a questionably better life on the other side of the horizon. AyamBeirutCine/morocco.asp. Deux cents dirhams (2001, 14 mins.) Morocco/France Festival du Cinéma Méditerranéen, Prix jeune public du Comité Fasild (Fonds d action et de soutien pour l intégration et la lutte contre les discriminations). Synopsis: Ali is a young Moroccan shepherd who lives in the country. One day as he is tending his sheep near the new turnpike which borders his village, he finds a 20 dirham bill. A true gift from heaven that will change his life. Meskaldji, Samia (Algeria) See France. Mouyéké, Camille (Gabon) Journey to Ouaga (2001, 90 mins.) Synopsis: Lionel, a young Frenchman, is charged with taking a car to Africa for resale. When he arrives in Cotonou, Benin, the vehicle

27 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 29 and his hopes go up in smoke during a riot against the devaluation of the CFA (franc). Desperate and penniless, Lionel crosses paths with an African couple, Zao and Loutaya. They are planning to go to Ouagodougou, he to find his father and she to do movie costuming. A great friendship is born from the meeting of Lionel and Zao. Nacro, Régina Fanta (Burkina Faso) Born in Tenkodogo, Burkina Faso in She studied cinema (audiovisual sciences and techniques) at INAFEC (Ouagadougou) graduating in 1986; she also studied at the Sorbonne. She worked on the film Badiaga by Dikondé-Pipa and with the celebrated director Idrissa Ouedraogo. She is presently working on a new film while pursuing a Doctorat en Sciences de l Éducation à Paris. View photo at: ments/fantareginanacro.jpg. Pas d histoires (Participation with Yamina Benguigui.) Relou Un Certain Matin (1992) L Ecole au cœur de la vie (1993) Puk Nini (Ouvre les yeux) (1995, 30 mins.) In French, Mori and Wolof. D. and scripted by Nacro; photography: Nara Keokosal; sound: Sessouma Yassala; editing: Andrée Davanture. Cast: Georgette Pare, Etienne Minoungow, Fatous Seck. Produced by Les Films du Défi of Burkina Faso and Atria of Paris. Synopsis: Salif, a dentist, leads a monotonous married life until he meets a prostitute; his wife Isa tries to understand why he prefers a second bureau ( as a mistress is sometimes called in Africa). Le Truc de Konaté ( ; mins.) Video. Fiction. In Mori. (Took Prix Images de Femmes.) Producer: Les Films Du Defi. Shot in Burkina Faso. Actors: Rasmane Quedraogo, Jose Sanda, Djeneba Dao. Synopsis: After a stay in the city, Dieneba brings presents home to the village, including condoms for her husband Konate. But when Konate sees his present, he flies into a rage, saying that he will not change his habits. Dieneba then refuses to have intercourse with him and Konate, seeking consolation with his second wife, discovers that he has become impotent. ( ography/short.htm) See also: Etc. cine3mondes. See French synopsis at: La Tortue du monde (1998, 33 mins.)

28 30 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Jeunes contre le Sida (1999, en prép.) La Nuit de la vérité (1998; 90 mins.) (Shown at Amiens Film Festival 1999; allocation made to Nacro at this festival for development of script.) Synopsis: After a fictional ethnic war this night was to be one of reconciliation, but becomes one of intrigue. For more details of the plot, see, in French: Femmes capables (1998, 33 mins.) Florence Bariga, l expérience d une rencontre (1999, 26 mins.) Synopsis: Barriga is a business woman, dealing in textiles. She tells of her daily life. Florence Barriga, las fantomas des nanas benz (1999, 30 mins.). Africa, Africas (2001; 62 mins.: i.e., 23/19/20 mins.) Co-directed with Agnès Nbibi (Cameroon) and Maji-da Yabdi (Ethiopia). Three episodes on (1) techniques for whitening the skin, (2) the suffering of women during war, and (3) the right of young men of Burkina Faso to work. In French, Mori and Ahmaric. Bintou (Close Up On Bintou) (2001; 31 mins.) (Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso) Written and directed by Nacro. Took the Licorne d or at Amiens (Festival d Amiens 2001). Synopsis: A battered wife whose husband justifies himself by saying she has taken money to educate their daughter; he believes that a woman should not be educated. [Selected for the Quinzaine des réalisateurs at Cannes 2001; took Prize for best Short at et Fespaco 2001.) See: South African Film News Bulletin (11/16/01). Also: Screen Africa News Letter 7 (May 2002). Read the complete review of Mama Africa indiewire.com: For additional information on Nacro, consult: caen.fr/cindoc.web/ Mama Africa is available from Facets. Sahraoui, Djamila (Algeria) Born in 1950 in Algeria. Studied humanities at the University of Algiers, then film at the Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinématograhiques (IDHEC) in Paris. Has lived in France since Has taken many prizes and was made the laureate of la Villa Medicis in 1997 for her documentary works. Will be treated in the forthcoming guide to documentarians. Sawadogo, Cilia (Burkina Faso) Born in Leipzig (Germany) in Studied animation techniques at the University of Montréal. Presently

29 31 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS teaching at Concordia University in Canada, often working with the ONF (NFB). Is presently learning the new techniques of computer animation. She made five animation clips for Sesame Street ( ). She was also an assistant for the film Jonas et Lisa (1995). Her films include: L Arre t d autobus (1994; 12 mins.). Shooting location: Burkina 1. L Enfant de la rue. Cilia Sawadago. Courtesy Cilia Sawadago $ $CH :48:44 PS PAGE 31

30 32 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Faso; country used for post-production: Canada. Production company: Cilia Sawadogo, 401 Bourget, Vaudreuil, (QC) J7V 7E5, Canada Synopsis: Among passengers waiting for the bus is an old woman who reflects upon her racist thoughts. A young black man comes and releases her from her stereotypes and makes a white dove appear as a symbol of peace: tvmovies.htm Christopher Changes His Name (Christopher change de nom) (2000, 6 mins.) Burkina Faso/Canada. First made in English. Screenplay: Itah Sadu; music: Chris Crilly; producer and contact: Office national du film du Canada [3155, Côte de Liesse, Saint-Laurent, Québec, Canada, H4N 2N4. Tel. : (514) ; Fax: (514) ; l.charbonneau@onf.ca.] Synopsis: Christopher hates his name it s just too common! When Aunt Gail from Trinidad tells him a story about a larger-thanlife character called Tiger, Christopher changes his name to Tiger. But then he finds a better name. Synopsis in French at: fiction_court_christopher_change s_name.html See also: CHRISTO PHER lievre.h tml _e.html Additional films: Naissance; La Femme mariée; L Enfant de la rue; Le Joueur de Cora. Sylla, Khady (Senegal) Born in A writer who also directs films. Les Bijoux (1996; , 22 mins.) Short fictional film; in Wolof. Synopsis: Absa s mother gets out the family jewels for an important date her daughter is going to have with an important suitor. She also gets a wig. Returning from the hairdresser s she spends the afternoon chatting with her three sisters. Colobane express ( , 52 mins.) In Wolof. Part fiction, part documentary. A day in the life of a driver of the traditional cars or taxis-brousses. For details in French see:

31 33 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS Tenfiche, Malika See France Tlatli, Moufida (Tunisia) Born in 1947 in Sidi Bou Saı d, Tunisia, Tlatli studied cinema at IDHEC (Paris), graduating in She worked for French television until 1972 as a scriptwriter, then as a director of production. Returning to Tunisia, she edited films and collaborated with the best directors of Tunisian cinema. Her reputation made of her a sought-after professional, but she interrupted her activities as editor to turn to directing, and in 1994 produced the feature Les Silences du palais. Four years later she made La Saison des hommes to show the emotions of a married woman living with her co-sisters in Djerba. Translated from Who s who du 17e Fespaco, by Michel Amarger (Internet: RFI Les rendez-vous). See also: indcine.html Les Silences du palais (Supplement to Pallister Guide, 24) additional info.: (1993, 127 mins.) D. and scripted by Moufida Tlatli; photography: Youssef Ben Youssef; music: Anouar Brahem; sound: Faouzi Thabet. Cast: Amel Hedhili, Hend Sabri, Najia Ouerghi, Ghalia Lacroix, Sami Bouajilia, Kamel Fazaa, Hichem Rostom. Produced by Cinetelefilms, Mag Films, Mat Films. Distributed by Amorces Diffusion. Available from Facets. Many prizes won. Synopsis in English in Pallister Guide, La Saison des hommes. Moufida Tlatli. Courtesy Films de Losange $ $CH :48:55 PS PAGE 33

32 34 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Synopsis in French at: Tlatli speaks to the press of the personal side of her life that fed into her films: Internet: La Saison des hommes de Moufida Tlatli, Entretien avec Moufida Tlatli. http// Les Mains tatouées (Tatooed Hands) (1997?) Dir/prod: Moufida Tlatli (Tunisia). Synopsis: After Les Silences du palais, Tlatli turns to family life in Tunisia. M hamed opens a prosperous business selling his wife s carpets, but crisis is looming, as she gives birth to two daughters and a mentally handicapped boy. La Saison des hommes (Tunisia, 2000, 124 mins. ) Original version in Arabic, subtitled in French. W. and d. by Moufida Tlatli. Adaptation and dialogues: Nourid Bouzid; photography: Youssef Ben Youssef; sound: Faouzi Thabet; film and sound editing: Isabelle Devinck and Mourad Louanchi; music: Anouar Brahem; scenery: Khaled Joulak, Claude Bennys; mixing: Thierry Lebon, Bruno Mercere; costumes: Naama Mejri, Nadia Anane; makeup: Fatma Jaziri; hair stylist: Essia Baaziz. Cast: Rabiaa Ben Abdallah (Aïcha); Sabeh Bouzouita (Zeineb); Ghalia Ben Ali (Meriem); Hend Sabri (Emna); Ezzedine Gennoun (Saïd); Mouna Noureddine (Omni); et al. Official selection Un Certain Regard Cannes 2000 Synopsis:The story takes place in Djerba, an island where women stay alone for eleven months out of twelve while the men go off to work in Tunis, France, or elsewhere. Tlatli portrays these women under the yoke of a patriarchal system in which women themselves (mothers-in-law, e.g.) continue to perpetuate their servitude. (Colette Trout, Film à recommander. Women in French Newsletter [Spring 2000]: 21.) Sales in France: r.vial@filmsdulosange.fr International Sales: d.elstner@filmsdulosange.fr See for this film: Peter Lennon, Sins of the Mothers in The Guardian, Friday June 22, view/interviewpages/0,6737,510536,00.htm l There is a great deal of information about this director s life and her films on the internet. Yacoub, Zara Mahamat [or Majamat] (Chad) An important documentarian, Yacoub is treated in Pallister Guide, 24. Her Dilemne au féminin (1994, mins.) about excision has been censored in Burkina Faso. A recent work of fiction is: L Enfance confisquée (2000, 28 mins.) CM béta SP Fiction. Shot in Chad. Production company: Sud Cap Productions. Synopsis: An eleven-year-old girl, who works as a maid in a well-

33 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 35 to-do family, undergoes harassment, scorn, and indifference on a daily level. Centering on the childhood slavery of Miriam, the short film appeals for clemency and affection to be shown toward children. For synopsis in French see; Zinaï-Koudil, Hafsa. See Koudil. Belgium Readers are strongly urged to consult the following Web sites for further information regarding the Belgian directors, including their addresses and references to journal articles about them and their works. Cinergie.be index du site: L annuaire et le magazine du cinéma et de l audiovisuel belges: agenda, dossiers de presse et articles: Cinergie: magazine du cinéma belge Numéros en ligne: Le webzine Cinergie on line,... Cinergie, En coédition avec le Centre du cinéma et de l audiovisuel de la Communauté Wallonie-Bruxelles. Cinergie annuaire et magazine du cinema et de l audiovisuel... cinema, belge, belgique, films, production, réalisation, audiovisuel. Akerman, Chantal. One of the most famous women filmmakers, Akerman has made several courts métrages (Shorts) and semi-documentaries, as well as fictional works. For a biography in English and other works not listed here see Pallister Guide, 25. Some film titles are repeated here for additional information, such as dates and timing. Akerman has done quite a lot of work for television, including the following: Télévision: Pina Bausch, Un jour Pina m a demandé (1983, 57 mins.) Lettre de cinéaste (1984, 45 mins.) (Variant title: Lettre d un cinéaste.) Le Journal d une paresseuse Court métrage (Short) Le Marteau Short Rue Mallet-Stevens (1986, 7 mins.) Les Trois Dernières Sonates de Franz Schubert (1989) moyen métrage Trois strophes sur le nom de Sacher Short [c.m.] Contre l oubli (1991, 3 mins.) (See below)

34 36 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Portrait d une jeune fille des années 60 à Bruxelles (1994, 55 mins.) [Films not listed in Pallister Guide, or additional information]: Saute ma ville (1968, 13 mins.) L Enfant aimé, oujejoueàêtre une femme mariée (1971, 35 mins.) Hôtel Monterey (1972, 65 mins.) La Chambre (1972, 11 mins.) Le 15/8 (1973, 42 mins.) Coréal. Samy Szlingerbaum. Les Grands-mères (1973, 45 mins.) Inachevé. Aujourd hui, dis-moi (1982, 45 mins.) Hôtel des Acacias (1982, 45 mins.) Directed with students of l IN- SAS (Institut national supérieur des arts du spectacle et des techniques de diffusion). Années 80 (The Eighties) (1983, 79 or 85 mins.) Available from Facets. L Homme à la valise (1983, 60 mins.) J ai faim, j ai froid (1984, 12 mins.): Episode of Paris vu par... vingt ans après. Family Business (1984, 18 mins.) Nuit et jour (Night and Day) (1991, 90 mins.) Kodak Crystal Award for best artistic quality, Sur la terre comme au ciel (1991, 80 mins.) Contre l oubli (1991, 3 mins.) (One of 30 short films for Amnesty International.) See Nadine Trintignant. Le Déménagement (1992, 42 mins.) Un divan à New York (A Couch in New York) (1996, 115 mins.) (Eurimages Co-production: France/Germany/Belgium). Cast: Juliette Binoche and William Hurt. Synopsis: Béatrice, a Parisian dancer, and Henry, a New York psychoanalyst, exchange apartments for a few weeks. See review by Carlo Mandolini, Le paradis, c est les autres, in Séquences 191 (July/August, 1997): 50. He finds several major flaws. See remarks by Akerman collected by Elie Castiel (Séquences, July/ August, 1997: 50 51) concerning a number of issues. Chantal Akerman by Chantal Akerman (France, 1996, 64 mins.) Producer: Xavier Carniaux; screenwriter: Akerman; Editor: Claire Atherton; camera: Rémon Fromont. Synopsis: When asked to participate in the French television series Cinema de notre temps, Akerman jokingly chose herself as subject matter. When they insisted she include footage of herself, she grudgingly obliged them by dividing the film into two parts. The film opens with Akerman sitting in her apartment and looking squarely at the camera, explaining to the viewer her predicament. She then reads from a text she wrote about the problems she was having making this film.

35 37 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 3. Un Divan a New York. Chantal Akerman. Courtesy Belgian Embassy. Ultimately, Akerman switches to her original idea of letting her films speak for her, taking clips from her extensive filmography and linking them anonymously until they become part of a whole new film. (Reviewer: Beverly Berning. Internet.) Sud (1999, 70 mins.) Video. La Captive (The Captive) (2000; 112 or 118 mins.) (Belgium/ France) Cast: Stanislas Merhar, Sylvie Testud and Olivia Bonamy. This film was part of the 32nd Directors Fortnight Cannes International Festival (May 10 21, 2000). Synopsis: Based on Proust s La Prisonnie re, The Captive is a meditation on desire, obsession, love and possession. A beautiful opening shows Ariane and her girlfriends frolicking on the beach. But, caught in an impossible relationship with the intense young Simon, Ariane can t fight her desire for women.... Akerman s mysterious reflection on otherness may remind some of her film The Letter. See: Internet Sites: Chicago Film Festival; frenchculture.org: French Cultural Services. Interview. An interview with Chantal Akerman regarding The Captive is online on the Director s Fortnight Website. Jean Decock in his report on the Cannes festival 2000 in The French Review 74.5 (April 2001: 1022) finds that Akerman was mal in $ $CH :49:02 PS PAGE 37

36 38 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS spirée in choosing to make this film which is gris, froid et minimaliste... Facets catalog: Chantal Akerman s The Captive concerns a wealthy man s obsession with his lover, whom he suspects is involved in a lesbian affair.... a gently captivating, deceptively austere work that meditates on the destructive nature of love, possession, and desire... further evidence of one of cinema s most singular talents (David Wood, BBC). De l autre côté (Cannes, 2002) Synopsis: A documentary in form of reportage conducted on the border between Mexico and the U.S., somewhere in Arizona. Near the Mexico-US border, Chantal Akerman follows clandestine immigrants. Cahiers du cinéma. See France-Amérique (1 7 juin 2002): Sélection officielle, and Séance spéciale at Cannes. (Third part of trilogy: D est ; Sud; De l autre côté.) Al Joundi, Dima Born in Lebanon in She left her homeland and went to Belgium to study film at eighteen. Entre nous deux... Beyrouth (1993, 52 mins.) Synopsis: The story of two sisters, Dima, who leaves Lebanon in bitterness to study in Belgium, and Rim, who paints, stays in Beirut, a city she loves fiercely. Both have felt deeply the drama of the war. They reunite, and renew their bonds. Bianconi, Lorédana Born in 1954 in Haine Saint-Paul. Doctorat in Discipline delle Arti, delle Comunicazioni e dello Spettacolo de la Faculté des lettres et de philosophie de Bologne. She directed La Mina (1989), Avec de l Italie qui descendrait l Escaut (1993), and Comme un air de retour (1994), a trilogy on Italian immigration to Belgium. (See Pallister Guide, 30.) La Mina (1989, 58 or 62 mins.)video. Le Temps des réfugiés (1987, 60 mins.) Video. Comme un air de retour (1994, 105 mins.) V.O. French. (Belgium). Gefährliche Tr äume (1998, 116 mins.)tv France/Germany. Color. Do you remember revolution? (1998, 116 mins.) V.O. Italian. Produced by Dérives and WIP. Videoimages: Alain Marcoen; sound: Thierry de Halleux; editing: Karine Pourtaud; direction of production: Véronique Marit; producteur délégué: Jean-Pierre Dardenne. Production: Dérives, ZDF, WIP, la RTB-F (Liège) and other Belgian agencies. Selected for the festival Cinéma du réel in Paris (from 13 to 22 March, 1998). Has taken several prizes. Synopsis: In Italy, during the 1970s Adriana, Barbara, Nadia, and

37 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 39 Susanna are twenty years old when they decide to enter the armed struggle, to leave their social life and their families to make revolution the center and the purpose of their existence. After many years in prison, they now attempt to tell about their existence. French synopsis at: fviolenc.htm, Portrait féminin singulier (2000) Bonfanti, Eve Born in Brussels on 14 September While very young she became interested in theater and began her career as an actress. Attracted to writing and mise en scène, she worked in the studios of the great directors. In 1979 she created her first mise en scène and directed her first cinema scenario. Madame P (1984, 85 mins.) Dans la ville In preparation. Hänsel See France Loreau, Dominique Born 12 October 1955 in Brussels. She graduated as an editor and scriptwriter from l INSAS (Institut national supérieur des arts du spectacle et des techniques de diffusion) in Since 1989 she has taught journalism at the Institut Supérieur de Formation Sociale. In 1991, she studied editing at l Ecole de recherche graphique. Since 1992, she has taught editing at ULB (l Université Libre de Bruxelles). Edited Comme si c était hier by Myriam Abramowicz (1979). Départ (1981, 13 mins.) (co-directed with Philippe Simon). Des rails sous la Senne (1981, 30 mins.) Le Saut dans la vie (1984, 14 mins.) Zigzag (1987, 14 mins.) Dakar-sida (1988, 26 mins.) La Folie des autres (1990, 90 mins.) Les Noms n habitent nulle part (Names Don t Live Anywhere; Names Live Nowhere) (Senegalese proverb) (1994; 76 mins.) In French. Production company: Underworld Films, Avenue Louis Lepotre 48, 1060 Bruxells, Belgium, Tel: , Fax: Shot in Belgium. Synopsis: Stars Sotigui Kouyate as a griot who tries (unsuccessfully) to reconnect Africans in Europe with their Sundiata narratives and inheritance. (The great Senegalese actor Nar Sene plays one of them.) [Available from Facets: Les Noms n habitent nulle part (Names Don t Live Anywhere; Names Live Nowhere). ] The contact for the film is: Le Centre de l audiovisuel Bruxelles;

38 40 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS 4. Divine Carcasse. Dominique Loreau. Courtesy Dominique Loreau. 18 rue Joseph II;B-Bruxelles, Belgique. Te l.(32) ; Fax (32) or Facets Public performance rights included). Additional description at: filmography/short.htm $ $CH :49:09 PS PAGE 40

39 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 41 Divine carcasse aka Divine Body (1997 or 1998, 59 mins.) Beta video. Belgium/Benin. In French, Fon and Yoruba with English subtitles. Synopsis: This film is a marvelous fable that offers a study in cultural contrast between a desacralized European view of equality & an animist African one. Available from California Newsreel. a film not to be missed! JLP. See the discussion in Library of African Cinema 2002: 36. Les Fleurs du malt (1999, 50 mins.) Béta-digital. With Jacques Martin. Third episode of a series. Comedy: Beer and slapstick. Information in French at: 33/malt.html. La Récréation de l ancêtre Documentary; in preparation. Mandy, Marie Born in Louvain 16 May 1961, Mandy lived for some time in Africa and in the U.S., then studied philology at the Université de Louvain (1985), then cinema at the London International Film School. From 1993 to 1995, she was president of l ARPF (Association of Directors and Producers) and a member of the Belgian committee for SACD (Société des auteurs et compositeurs dramatiques). She is also a photographer and producer. Her documentaries (other than Filmer) are entered in our forthcoming guide to documentarians. The Man Who Thought too Much (1986, 1 min.) The Trouble with Mary (1986, 9 mins.) Judith (1989, 13 mins.) Pardon Cupidon (1992, 84 mins.) (Prim Fuji de la meilleure photographie au festival international du film francophone de Namur 1992.) La Démocratie, l envers et l endroit (1995, 28 mins.) Video. JH, 26 ans, handicapé, cherche emploi en Europe... (1995, 35 mins.) Video. Changing Places (1997, 31 mins.) Video. Paul Ricœur, Interprétons notre monde contemporain (1997, 30 mins. Supplement [from Créteil cat. 2001]. Filmer le désir: voyage à travers le cinéma des femmes (Belgium/ France; 2000; 60 mins.) Documentary. Participation of: Sally Potter, Carine Adler, Agnès Varda, Catherine Breillat, Jeanne Labrune, Liliana Cavani, Francesca Comencini, Doris Dorrie, Deepa Mehta, Patricia Rozema, Paule Baillargeon, Léa Pool, Moufida Tlatli, Safi Faye, Jane Campion. Synopsis: What images can women identify with at the beginning of the twenty-first century? In this film, women filmmakers of five continents are portrayed; the film seeks to shed light on the specificity

40 42 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS of their glance (vision [regard]) and on what women bring to today s cinema. Navarra, Aime e (See Pallister Guide, 40) First Belgian woman director. Cœurs Belges dates from 1923 (69 mins., silent) Synopsis: The Count of Chavannes arrives at the chateau of the Marquise de Brabant in July, 1914, to celebrate his marriage. During the evening, general mobilization for WWI is announced, and the fiance is called back to France. Perelsztein (or Perelsztejn), Diane Born in Brussels in Studied directing at IAD (Institut des Arts de Diffusion). A director at RTBF (Radio Te le vision Belge [in French]). Fondatrice des Films de la Me moire en Productrice et re alisatrice des e missions juives, Shema Israe l pour la RTBF et la BRTN de 1982 a Survivre a Shangaı aka Escape to the Rising Sun (1990, 95 mins.) Rhodes Nostalgie aka Rhodes For Ever (1995, 59 mins.) Documentary. 5. Filmer le de sir. Marie Mandy. Courtesy Marie Mandy $ $CH :49:13 PS PAGE 42

41 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 43 La Bande dessinée a cent ans (1996, 53 mins.) Documentary. Robert Fortune, le voleur de thé (2002) Documentary. Gratte-ciel (90 mins.) In preparation. Toye, Patrice ( Flamande ) Born 31 July 1967 in Gand. Studies in film direction at Sint-Lukas. L Amant de maman (1989, court métrage [Short]) Tout ce qu elle veut (1990, court métrage) Vrouwen willen trouwen (1992, court métrage) Prix Joseph Plateau Stad in zicht (1994, court métrage) Ten documentaires on the theme Young People and Anti-racism (Jeunes et anti-racisme) for the Ministry of the Flemish Community (Ministère de la Communauté Flamande) (1995). L Amant de maman (1997, 50 mins.) Rosie (1998, 97 mins.) Synopsis: Rosie lives in an imaginary world, made up of dreams and illusions so as to survive & so as not to have to face her immense emotional emptiness. She is filmed with coldness and distanciation. Her gestures are calculated, almost geometric. Built on a huge abstraction, this film makes the viewer react constantly, transposing him/her into the very thought of the directress. Close to her heroine, Patrice Toye brings off an admirable tour de force. Paraphrased from Elie Castiel in Séquences 206 (Jan./Feb. 2000): 19.]. Blackout Full length, in preparation. (About Berlin in the 1970s.) Canada Sites to consult: Films.Oc.Ca Cinémathèque québé coise Le Cinéma québécois s affiche N.B.: The authors are especially indebted to the National Film Board of Canada for its kind permission to use their written and photographic materials, as provided under written agreements. Acadia Blanchar, Renée Blanchar is an Acadian, having been born in Caraquet, New Brunswick. She has studied at the University of Ottawa and at FEMIS. An important documentarian, she will be treated more

42 44 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS thoroughly in our forthcoming guide to documentarians. She is supported by the ONF. Le Temps X (Y mins.) Produced by Diane Poitras, Pierre Bernier, and Cécile Chevrier. (Produced by Les Productions du Phare Est inc., and in co-production with the ONF.) Synopsis: The journey of a group of young people who will be 40 at the end of Between the moment when the first man walked on the moon and the cloning of Dolly the sheep, this generation X has known great turbulence. From Victoria to Montréal, passing through Vancouver, five young people reveal themselves. A film that is both tender and grave, and which sheds a diffferent light on the way we perceive this misunderstood group. Synopsis in French in ONF catalogue. Raoul Léger, ou la vérité morcelée (2002, 70 mins.) ONF. Written by Blanchar. Synopsis: Two sisters search to discover the circumstances of the assassination of their brother, a young Acadian missionary. Reviewed by Michael Hogan in Séquences 219 (mai/juin 2002): 41. British Columbia Levitin, Jacqueline Correction: Listed in Pallister Guide, 124 under Québec. Educated at the University of Washington with Ph.D. from SUNY Buffalo; Associate Professor at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby BC. Scripted Tucson or Bust (1995). Eva: Guerrillera (1987) Feature Film. Quebec Ascah, Valérie Alexandra ou plus jamais (2000, 10 mins.) Fiction. Scénarisation : Martine de Blois; production: Marcel Fraser; image: Laurent Beauchemin; sound: François Guérin; artisitic direction: Jules Ricard; music: Alain Blais; editing: Natacha Dufaux. Cast: Evelyne Gélinas; Pierre Gendron; Philippe Provencher; Michel Lavoie. Synopsis: Concerns fear... the kind that sticks to your skin. The only way to get away from it: act; that is, test one s capacity to defend oneself in the face of a real or imaginary menace. But how far can one go? Synopsis in French: Ce court métrage parle de la peur, celle qui colle à la peau. La seule façon de s en libérer: agir, c est-à-dire expéri-

43 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 45 menter sa capacité de se défendre face à une menace réelle ou imaginaire. Mais jusqu où peut-on aller? Avertising flyer Infoinis. Baillargeon, Paule [See Pallister Guide, ] Solo 1991 Le Sexe des étoiles (1993) C.V. in Séquences 215 (September/October 2001): 27 Theatrical actress in the 1970s and 1980s, she turned to directing film in the 1990s, bringing to this activity her sensitivity and her humor, without finding her true voice. Baril, Céline La Fourmi et le volcan (1992) L Absent (1997, 78 mins.) Scenario: Baril; editing: Baril; photography: Baril and also photography: Michel Lamothe and Céline Baril; prod.: Baril. Cast: Roland Bréard (Roland); Bobo Vian (radio hostess); Gabor Zsigovics (radio host). Distributed by Cinéma Libre. Synopsis: Auteure film. Baril wonders about three persons (an elderly couple and a young boy) who appear in numerous photos of an album she has found in a bazaar. The film is said by Carlo Mandolini (Séquences 192 [September/October 1997]: 51 52) to be a metaphor on the work of the artist, who, always looking for meaning, invents a life from fragments of reality. 6. Le Sexe des étoiles. Paule Baillargeon. Photo used with permission of the National Film Board of Canada.

44 46 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Du pic au cœur (2000, 85 mins.) W. and d. Baril. Cast: Karine Vanasse, Tobie Pelletier, Xavier Caféïne, Bobo Vian, André Brassard, Denis Gravereaux, Peter Batakliev. Dist.: France Film. Synopsis: Madly in love with Serge since her childhood, Alice also loves Léon who is interested above all in music. As in L Absent, there is a discourse here on other national identities. Tr. from Castiel. See Elie Castiel s review in French in Séquences 211 (January/ February 2001): 49. Castiel finds Baril to be one of the finest women directors of contemporary Québec cinema. See C.M. in Séquences 215 (September/October, 2001): 24. Multidisciplinary artist, she experiments with video, photography and installation. She has surprised filmgoers with Du pic au cœur a feature-length film with poetry that is both naive and troubling. Beaudry, Diane Apprendre... ou à laisser (1990); Sur le dos de la Grande-Baleine (1994) Nos amours (1997, 52 mins.) ONF Synopsis: Ariane and Jacques each ask the question: Is love still possible? They have lived through a round of successive and failed loves, against the background of feminism and sexual revolution. Will they withdraw from love? What kind of emotional legacy will they transmit to their children? See Séquences 194 (January/February1998): 8 9. See also Séquences 216 (November/December 2001): 14. Bélanger, Josette For fifteen years Bélanger has been constructing video work, now brought together on two videos under the title O mes amours!. Based on la parole, on a text: e.g., Mais à quoi rêvent les éperviers? or Les Hasards heureux de l escarpolette, or a video about the famous libertine painting by Jean-Honoré Fragonard that provides the title. Her work mingles fiction and introspection, and treats the great universal themes of life, death, love, revolt, etc. See also under Lorraine Dufour. Mais à quoi rêvent les éperviers? ( mins.) Les Années Jules-Félix (1998) Quelques O.V.N.I. (1999) Bissette, Roshell Winter Lily (1998, 90 mins.) Scenario by Bissette with Ryosuke Ayoke. Cast: Dorothée Berryman, Danny Gilmore, Kimberly Lafer-

45 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 47 rière, Jean-Pierre Bergeron. [Anglophone film, though made in Québec.] Gilmore is viewed as the Canadian DiCaprio; he played in the marvelous Lilies of John Greyson. Briand, Manon Born in 1964, Briand studied cinema at Concordia University in Montréal. Cofounder of Films de l Autre. New production house: Dagaz Films. Les Sauf-conduits (1991) took the Graine de Cinéphage prize at Créteil (1991) Croix de bois (1993) Picoti, Picota (1995, 10 mins.) Synopsis: Adèle, on her way home from school, sings Picoti, Picota... Then she loses something. Fréquence discrète Deux secondes (1998 9, 100 mins.) Cast includes Charlotte Laurier and Dino Tavarone. La Turbulence des fluides aka Chaos and Desire (2002, 115 mins.) Scenario: Briand; photography: David Franco; editing: Richard Comeau; music: Simon Cloquet, Valmont; sound: Frédéric Ullman; décor: Mario Hervieux; costumes: Louise Gagné, Liz Vandal. Cast: Pascale Bussières (Alice Bradley); Julie Gayet (Catherine Rolland); Jean- Nicolas Verreault (Marc Vandal), Geneviève Bujold (Colette), et al. This film was voted most popular film at the 2002 Montreal World Film Festival, but did not fare well in France. Synopsis: Alice Bradley is a seismologist in Tokyo; she is sent to her home in Baie-Comeau to investigate tidal problems. Here she establishes important relationships. See Elie Castiel, Séquences 221 (September/October 2002): (review of the film); (interview with Briand). Stills. Champagne, Monique Well-known figure of theater and radio. Has worked as script girl on more than seventy features ( ). She has also written a collection of short stories. 20 Décembre (1989, 27 mins.). Written and directed by Champagne; photography, Thomas Vamos; editing, Yves Dion; music, Jérôme Langlois. Cast: Charlotte Laurier, François Cormier, Isabelle Rosa, Monique Mercure et al. Produced by Monique Champagne, Lorraine Richard, and La Société d édition et de production Iris and Les Films Riti (Montréal). Synopsis: It s spring. Marie-Thérèse is not able to declare her love for a young peasant, Jérôme. His wedding marks the beginning of her silence. Unfortunately, she takes refuge in her imagination. Come

46 48 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS winter (i.e., December 20) someone enters her life and fills it with passion. A mix of physical and emotional passion. Chartrand, Marie Ame noire (2000?) (Short) Took ours d or at the fifty-first international film festival in Berlin Cloutier, Nathalie and Hughes Fortin Mea Culpa: pour ceux qui ne connaissent pas la honte (2001, 85 mins.) Directed and written by Cloutier and Fortin. Cast: Dominic Anctil, Anik Beaudoin, Johans-Karl, Anne-Sylvie Gosselin, Soleil Guérin, Isabelle Lamontagne, et al. Synopsis: Documentary or fiction? It seems there is no story. But there is a kind of manifesto against institutions and their politics. An underground film. See Interview with directors and review by Elie Castel: Séquences 218 (March/April 2002): Cohen, Suzy De l autre côté du cœur (1997, 96 mins.) Cohen also wrote the scenario. Synopsis: Concerns an incestuous relationship between a brother and sister; set in the 1920s and 1930s. See Denis Desjardins s Valse Clos in Séquences 191 (July/August 1997: 43 44) for description and credits. He finds the portrayal of Québec society and language to be unauthentic. En toute innocence Cast includes Ann Gisel Glass and Chris Campion. Colbert, Laurie, and Dominique Cardona (Colbert: 1958-; Cardona: 1955-). See Laurie Colbert in Foster, Also see: Collaborating Directors: Marie-Julie Dallaire, Jennifer Alleyn and Manon Briand, with André Turpin, Arto Paragamian and Denis Villeneuve. Cosmos (1996; 1 hr. 40 mins.) Comédie dramatique. Cast: David La Haye, Audrey Benoit, Marie-Helene Montpetit. Synopsis: A Montréal taxicab driver of Greek (or Slavic?) origin witnesses the comings and goings of several city dwellers who look for, then meet, one another, and end up not knowing where the wind is driving them. Paraphrased from Séquences 188 (January/February 1997: 22 24).

47 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 49 Corbeil, Eloïse Papillon (2001 2) Stars Michèle-Barbara Pelletier playing the role of a young actress at an audition. Côté, Ghyslaine Pendant ce temps (Meantime) (1998, 30 mins.). A great many characters in a limited amount of space. Synopsis: Scene is a restaurant; a bomb is apparently ticking as various people come and go each with his/her own agenda, including a food critic, a lecher or two, a woman who wants her daughter to meet her new boyfriend and a couple having a dispute. [Has been shown on the Sundance channel.] Cournoyer, Michèle Michèle Cournoyer was born in Saint Joseph de Sorel in 1943 and studied graphic arts, photography, and animation in Québec, England, and Italy. She then worked as a set designer, art director, costume designer, and screenwriter on several groundbreaking Québec films of the 1970s, including Mireille Dansereau s La Vie rêvée and L Arrache-cœur and Gilles Carle s La Mort d un bûcheron. She also made a number of independent films of her own, winning recognition for her talent as an experimental filmmaker. She uses a variety of techniques in highly original hybrid works that are full of humor and charm. In 1989, Cournoyer won the NFB French Animation Studio s ninth Cinéaste recherché(e) competition. A Feather Tale (1992) won the Grand Prix de Montréal at the 1992 Montreal World Film Festival. Other films include Toccata; Old Orchard Beach; P.Q. Dolorosa; La Basse-cour (1999); Une artiste (An Artist) (1999) (one of seven animated Shorts in part 2 of the Rights from the Heart collection, made using digital rotoscoping). Le Chapeau ( , 6 mins.; also said to be mins.) ONF Short; Animation film of great importance. C Took Prix John Spotton for best Canadian short at twenty-fifth Toronto International Film Festival, was awarded the Special Jury Prize at the International Festival of Animation Film in Ottawa, and the Téléfilm Canada prize for the Best Canadian Short at the Festival international du film francophone en Acadie. Special Mention from the Fédération internationale de la presse cinématographique (the FIPRESCI award) at the Festival international d animation at Annecy in France. Direction, script and animation: Michèle Cournoyer; animation camera: Pierre Landry; editing: Fernand Bélanger; original music: Jean Derome; sound design: Fernand Bélanger and Jean Derome; sound editing: Esther Auger and Monique Vézina, assisted by Martine

48 50 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Collin; sound recording: Geoffrey Mitchell; rerecording: Serge Boivin and Jean-Paul Vialard; producers: Thérèse Descary and Pierre Hébert. Dolby Surround. Drawings on paper. (Cournoyer uses a combination of several techniques... and enlists her imagination to approach universal themes with great skill.) Synopsis: A young woman, now a nude dancer in a bar, remembers a moment when as a child she received the visit of a man who sexually molested her. Associations include the image of a hat that obsesses her. Stark images done in black ink. Internet NFB site: The Hat strikes hard with its stark, and sometimes crude, imagery of a memory that refuses to go away. The woman, conscious of having been abused body and soul, draws the audience into the shadows of a wounded childhood.... Animator Michèle Cournoyer uses black ink on white paper to illustrate this painful tale. With a quick stroke, she throws ink on paper, creating an occasional blotch. Stains on the soul, stains on paper... See also: internet (NFB site): Press release of 25 April 2000 The Hat NFB animated film shown at fifty-third Cannes International Festival Film. For more information, contact Michèle Boucher, Agente aux communications, Programme français; Téléphone: (514) ; Télécopieur : (514) ; m.boucher@nfb.ca Crépeau, Jeanne Le Film de Justine Claire et l obscurité (1992) Bridge (1994) Revoir Julie (1998; 90 mins.) Synopsis: In an earlier time, Juliet loved Julie; Julie didn t dare... at the time; now they are reuinted. Maurice Elia gives a not too flattering account of this film in Séquences 200 (January/February 1999): 56. See L.C. in Séquences 215: Her work most often has to do with fantasy and imagination, with lesbianism and solitude. Her involvement in cinema, and lately in the defense of Québec s Cinémathèque, is important. Dionne, Guylaine Earned her doctorate at the University of Strasbourg in France. A native of the province of Québec, Dionne has been working steadily in the film and television industry for more than a decade, since she graduated with honors from Montreal s Concordia University where she studied film production. Her first independent

49 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 51 feature film, Les Fantômes des trois Madeleine, was five years in the making. In 1989, Dionne produced and directed her first short fiction film, Les Frissons d Agathe, which won many awards in various festivals. She then went on to work for the National Film Board, where she honed her skills as a camera operator. LesFrissonsd Agathe (1989). Short fiction; took the Panavision Canada Award. Les Rêves secrets des Tarahumaras (1993). Prix Gémeaux for best documentary series. Amérique 500 ( ) Filmed in ten countries of the Americas. Prix Gémeaux for best documentary series. Iles d Inspiration: Félix Leclerc (1999) Jess Goes West (2000) From the series Les Histoires oubliées. Les Fantômes des trois Madeleine aka The Three Madeleines (2000, 81 or 87 mins.) W. and d. by Dionne; photography: Nathalie Moliavko-Visotzky; editing: Aube Foglia; sound: Ismael Cordeiro, Sylvain Bellemare et al.; décor: Patricia Christie; costumes: Geneviève Audet. Cast: Sylvie Drapeau (Marie-Madeleine); France Arbour (Mado); Isadora Galwey (Madeleine); Kathleen Fortin (jeune Mado); Maxim Gaudette (Gérard), et al. Produced by: François Landry, Guylaine Dionne, Michael Mosca. Dist.: France Film. Dist.: Les Films Equinox. Entry for the Caméra d or prize at Cannes. Background: The story of the three Madeleines was, according to Dionne, born several years ago when vacationing at a friend s house in Biot, a small village just a few kilometers from Cannes. She states that she carried the film inside herself for a long time, until one day this cinematic expression was born. Synopsis (internet): This surrealist road movie features three generations of women: Mado, the grandmother, Marie, the mother, and Madeleine, the daughter. The three women take off together on a trip that starts in Montréal and ends up in the Gaspé region. The long journey rekindles their memories, their past, their dreams and conjures up the ghosts in their lives. At the end of the road, will they find what they have been so avidly seeking-: an identity to call their own? Where will their quest take them? Telefilm Canada, See review in French by Charles-Stéphane Roy, Les Fantômes... Souvenirs et onirisme. Séquences 211 (January/February 2001): 34. Also see an important article in French by Carlo Mandolini, Un souvenir accordé au passé sombre (Séquences 218 [September/October 2001]: 28). Functions of flashback; need to imagine another s past; to enter into another s imagination. He writes: One feels that the anguish of these people comes from the difficulty in hooking onto solid

50 52 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS existential references; thus the need of young Madeleine to cling to photographs of her father taken by Marie-Madeleine, her mother. See Ron Holloway on Film Festivals.com (Cannes 2000). He writes on Dionne and quotes her as saying: We talk about family a broken family it is true, but one that is full of poetry and hope. See Moving Pictures: Focus (internet). See review in French: Le parfum du désir Les Fantômes des trois Madeleine (de Guylaine Dionne) Critique in French by Gérard Grugeau [24 images n 103 4: 81] on the internet. Filiatrault, Denise Ç ta ton tour Laura Cadieux (Fall, 1998) Scenario by Filiatrault, based on the novel by Michel Tremblay. Synopsis: More than greatly favored by nature, these women, who have been meeting every week for fifteen years in a waiting room of a doctor s office, dream of losing weight. And after all, were these weekly visits and meetings only a pretext simply to escape their loneliness? Review in French in Séquences (January/February 1999): (This article includes credits). See also Châtelaine (August 1998): 12. Laura Cadieux.... La Suite (aka Laura Cadieux... The Sequel) (1999; 97 mins.) Cast: Ginette Reno; Pierrette Robitaille; Sonia Vachon; Denise Dubois; Mireille Thibault; Danièle Lorain. Synopsis: A sequel to the popular Quebecois comedy It s Your Turn, Laura, in this go-round, protagonist Laura (Ginette Reno), a rotund middle-aged woman, celebrates her birthday on an ocean cruise with her gossiping girlfriends. Once on board, the romantic intrigue begins. Laura is wooed by the ship s debonair captain, while her friend Lucille makes a valiant go for the extremely gay Oscar. Meanwhile, Laura s other friend Alice tries to shack up with almost everyone while avoiding bumptious butcher Albert. Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide L Odyssée d Alice Tremblay (2002, 102 mins.) Scenario: Sylvie Lussier, Pierre Poirier, after an original idea by Denise Robert; photography: Pierre Gill; editing: Yann Thibodeau; music: François Dompierre; sound: Yvon Benoît; costumes: François Barbeau; decor: Michel Proulx. Dist.: Alliance Alantis Vivafilm. Cast: Sophie Lorain (Alice), Martin Drainville (Ludovic, Louis), Pierrette Robitaille (Carabosse, Fée Marianne, Madame Bossy); Marc Labrèche (Le Grand Méchant Loup); Mitsou Gélinas (Le Petit Chaperon Rouge, Educatrice); Danielle Ouimet (La Mère-Grand); Marc Béland (Le Prince

51 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 53 Guillaume, Guillaume); Pascale Desrochers (Cendrillon, Sandrine); Myriam Poirier (Audrey; Aurore); Louise Portal (Blanche-Neige); Liliana Komorowska (Shéhérazade). Note: Sophie Lorain is Filiatrault s daughter. Synopsis: Subversion of the fairy tale, even to the point that Snow White makes love with a different dwarf each night. Synopsis in French by Elie Castiel, Alice au pays des travers, Séquences 220 (July/August 2002): Two stills. Also see Filiatrault s interview with Elie Castiel Séquences 220 July/August 2002): Fortin, Martine with Guy Bonneau Maman, il y a un monstre dans mon lit! ( ) Fournelle, Nadine Le Marchand de sable ( ) D and w. by: Nadine Fournelle; Maison de production: Chouette Films inc., Montréal; productrices: Nadine Fournelle, Virginie Jalfredo; distributor : Radio-Canada. Cast: includes Julien Poulin Fournier, Johanne with Catherine Vidal (q.v.) Larguer les amarres Gagné, Jeannine Gagné has been producing and directing films for more than fifteen years. She is connected with Les films de l autre. Read about her in French at: production/prod_829.asp. Drôle de fille (1987) Bébé bonheur (1994) Aube Urbaine (1995) This film won the prize Vision du Réel in Nyon and the prize for best short at the Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois. Synopsis: Short documentary essay on the city as it awakens. L Insoumise aka The Rebellious One (1998, 55 mins.) Telefilm Canada, TéléQuébec. This film took the 2001 Grand prix du 3e Festival International du Film et de la Vidéo, Cinéma et Littérature de Famalicao, in Portugal. Synopsis: Excerpts from the works of Marie-Claire Blais are read by leading actresses. [Jeannine Gagné directs this film, an interpretation of the writings of Quebec author Marie-Claire Blais.] With Marie-Claire Blais, Nathalie Mallette. Demo at:

52 54 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Description in French: Communications Voir Inc. libre.ccom/mini Fais semblant que tu m aimes (2000) (Film pour enfants.) Au fil del eau (2002, 90 minutes) Super 16 mm Color. D. and w.: Jeannine Gagné; producer: Jeannine Gagné; artistic director and decors: Gabriel Tsampalieros; director of photography: Michel Lamothe; editing: Louise Dugal; sound: Esther Auger and Claude Beaugrand; costumes: Caroline Poirier; music: Jean Derome. Cast: Gabriel Gascon; Margot Campbell; Frédérique Collin; Claude Laroche; Guy Thauvette; Paul Ahmarani; Michelle Rossignol. Production and distribution: Amazone Film; 460, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest Bureau 302, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3B 1A7. Tel: (514) ou (514) amazonefilm@iquebec.com Synopsis: A bittersweet film, in which four men and three women are out of their milieu, in perpetual activity. One can t tell if they are living their dreams or dreaming their lives. Evolving in a world that is strange, a priori, they nevertheless remain close to us through their anguish, their wish for power, their destinies. A fantasy in which memories of childhood and former loves animate the present. Tr. from the French site: French synopsis found at: duction/prod_829.asp. To get info. re. ordering of Jeannine Gagné s film Au fil d eau write amazonefilm@iquebec.com Gagnon, Diane Pour une nuit (1996, 15 mins.) A Short. Stars Joëlle Morin and Mario Saint-Amand. Synopsis:A man and a woman face one another with different points of view concerning love. La Rage (1999, 11 mins.) Fiction. Scenario: Gagnon and Francis Macerola; photographie Brian Baker; editing: Gagnon. Cast includes David La Haye. Production: Diane Gagnon et Cartouche Films enr. Distribution: 7e Art distribution, 5396, rue Fabre, Montréal H2J 3W5. Tel: ; fax: ophelie@infointernet.net. Film was shown at Festival des Films du Monde in Montréal in Success due in part to musical score of Jérôme Langlois as well as to artistic direction of Claude Métras. Synopsis: A man, who is the victim of insomnia and haunted by his memories, feels incapable of forgetting his suffering, except perhaps by appeasing his vengeance over his father. The story of another night begins here. Address: Diane Gagnon, Centre l Accore, 25, rue Abbotsford,

53 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 55 Chateauguay, QC J6J 1K3. Tél. (450) , Téléc. (450) Gélinas, Anne-Marie. See Carlo Mandolini, Anne-Marie Gélinas, producer and cofounder of productions Jeux d ombres. Séquences 215 (September/ October 2001): A thorough account of this woman s activities. Gervais, Suzanne La Plage (1978; 3 mins.) Director: Suzanne Gervais; producer: Francine Desbiens; photography: Richard Moras; editing; Jacques Drouin; music: Maurice Blackburn; sound: Roger Lamoueux, Hans Peter Strobl. Original Title Code : 105C Synopsis: A fantasy that leaves the viewer free to speculate, this film touches on the theme of solitude. A woman drowns, unnoticed by three men sitting with their backs to the sea. Two of them are throwing dice; the third is drinking a glass of water. An animation film without words based on a short story by Roch Carrier. Internet (NFB site). Guilbeault, Luce On Canal D, in the series Biographies, there was a showing of the film dedicated to the greatly missed Luce Guilbeault, Luce Guilbeault, ExplorActrice, broadcast at 9:00 p.m. on 7 November Guy, Suzanne See Séquences 216 (November/December 2001): L Enfant de la ville bleue (1987, 28 mins.) Director Guy; producers; Claude Grenier, Paul Lapointe; co-producers: Les Productions du sept avril Ltée; scenario: Céline Côté, Suzanne Guy; photography.: Philippe Lavalette; editing: Michèle Groleau; music; Marcymar, John Doerr; sound: Marcel Fraser et al. Original Title Code: 106C Synopsis: At one time, says Louise, having a child was considered as archaic. Today, she expects her first child and believes in the virtues of the traditional family. As for Dorothée, she hasn t feared defying conventions. Single, she has given birth to a daughter whom she raises by herself, in Toronto. These two women explain their desire to become mothers after the age of thirty-five. Synopsis in French internet (NFB site): cine/cinema/f00130.htm New York doré (1990, 86 mins.) Director: Guy; producers: François Bouvier, Doris Girard, Monique Létourneau, Michel Payette; co-

54 56 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS producers: Les Productions du Lundi Matin (1985) Inc.; scenario; Guy; photography: Rénald Bellemard; editing: André Corriveau; music; Yves Chamberland; sound; Michel Charron et al. Original Title Code: 106C Cast: Pauline Bernatchez, Roger DaSilva, Annick De Bellefeuille, André Dupuis, Pierre Godbout, et al. Synopsis: This long documentary presents the views of Québécois who have succeeded in settling in the American metropolis. French description internet (NFB site) cine/cinema/f00130.htm Les Heures du jour (1991) L Année qui change la vie (1992) L Arbre de la mémoire (2000) Wednesday s Children Hayeur, Isabelle Les Siamoises (1999, 78 mins.) B&W (Fiction) D. amd w. : Isabelle Hayeur. Maison de production: Amérique Films inc., Montréal. Producer: Martin Paul-Hus. Maison de distribution: Cinéma libre inc. Cast: Jessica Bakeer, Stéphane Demers, René Gagnon. Synopsis: a schizophrenic adolescent is forced to take a medication intended to make her more sociable. Hivon, Julie Born in 1970, a novelist and short-story writer, in 1997 Hivon published Le Livre de grand-mère... which won the prize of the Festival de théâtre amateur of Victoriaville. She has also published novellas (Ballade pour une fin de millénaire, which took first prize for novella in the Voir contest) and has directed Shorts. Her Baiser d enfants (1995) won the Golden Sheaf Award for best dramatic Short at the Yorkton Film Festival in Saskatchewan, and the National Film Board prize for best screenplay at the National Screen Institute in Edmonton. Her short film Dans le parc avec toi was screened at the 1999 Montréal World Film Festival and the Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois, where it was awarded an honorable mention by the Association québécoise des critiques de cinéma. Dansleparcavectoiwas also shown on the CBC s English television network, and at several other Canadian and international film festivals. Ce qu il en reste is her first novel (1999 Montréal: XYZ Editeur, 1999). Bio in French at: Baiser d enfants (1996) Dans le parc avec toi ( ) Short.

55 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 57 Synopsis: Concerns the probable breakup of a couple, told in minimalist style. A huis clos in an inappropriate space (a public park). See Séquences 178 (May/June 1995): 9, for Baiser d enfant (and also Pallister Guide, 78); Séquences 195 March/April 1998): 11 for Dans le parc. Crème glacée, chocolat et autres consolations (2001, 97 mins.) First long film. Appears to have (also or originally) the title Popsicles, crême glacée et autre consolations. D. and scenario by Hivon; photography: Claudine Sauvé; editing: Nathalie Lamoureux; music: Marin Allard; sound: Hugo Brochu and Martin Allard; decor: Christian Légaré; costumes: Francesca Chamberland. Cast: Isabelle Brouillette (Suzie); Danny Gilmore (Samuel); Jacynthe René (Judith); Clermont Jolicœur (François); Geneviève Bilodeau (Ambre); France Castel (Nicole); Serge Thériault (Renaud); Dorothée Berryman (Micheline). Produced by Marcel Giroux and Julie Hivon; Dist. Cinéma Libre, 460, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, bureau 500, Montréal (Québec) H3B 1A7.Téléphone: (514) ; télécopieur: (514) ; clibre@cam.org; web site: Synopsis: Three friends meet to eat and chat. The main characters come from dysfunctional families (as do the characters in Hivon s novel, Ce qu il en reste). Suzie and Samuel are haunted by their parents disputes. For synopsis in French see: production/2001/cremeglace/cremeglace.html At this site one may view a video excerpt (Quicktime). For a discussion of this film see: 24images/pointdevue109.html Also see C.V. in Séquences 215 (September/October 2001): 25: Renowned novelist, Hivon goes into cinema with two well-received Shorts in which emotions rest on the unspoken and on atmospheres. Review by Mathieu Perreault in Séquences (November/December. 2001: 39). Includes still. The question is clear: how can we love when our parents didn t love each other? Several opinions on this film at: fiche/film/ html Katapani, Phyllis Born in Montréal of a Greek father and a Turkish mother, Katapani made this film in Québec as well as in the two lands of her origins. Home (2002, 70 mins.) Scenario by Katapani. Cast: François Papineau, Jacinthe Laguê, Atanas Katapni, Eva Kyzirides, Myriam Saad,

56 58 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Patricia Diaz, Theo Diamantis, Jorge Martinez, Bachir Bensaddek. Distribution: Caméra Libre. Synopsis; A film about nostalgia; about the absence of speech. Review by Elie Castiel in Séquences 221 (September/October 2002): 58. Lacourse, Danièle w/ Yvan Patry Chronique d un génocide annoncé (1996) Le Rêve d Alonzo (2000) Laliberté, Sylvie Born in 1959 in Montréal. Bonbons bijoux (1996) Short Papillon cerise (1997) Oh la la du narratif ( ) Prize for best fictional short of the Association québécoise des critiques de cinéma (AQCC). L Outil n est pas toujours un marteau (1999) Synopsis: Humorous and penetrating look at contemporary art and present day society. Lanctôt, Micheline First known as an actress in The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (d. Ted Kotcheff). Also starred in La Vraie Nature de Bernadette (d. Gilles Carle). See Pallister Guide, for previous films. Writer of the scenario for Sylvaine, l esprit de la forêt, a film about immortality. See: Janick Beaulieu, En quête de tendresse, Séquences 200 (January/February 1999): Also see Interview ( La Famille ou les affaires, Entrevue avec Mathieu Perrault) inséquences (March/April, 2001): The Life and Times of Captain M. Projected film, based on anglophone book by Douglas Glover. Story of first woman to inhabit Ontario at the end of the eighteenth century. The story of the colonization of the Cantons de l Est by loyalists and their defeat, from which Canada was born, says Lanctôt, who cannot seem to get funding for the making of this film. (Séquences 220 [July/August 2002]: 6.) Le Piège d Issoudun (2002, 85 mins.). Synopsis: In the early 1980s, a woman from Québec City stopped with her two children in a motel on the Rive-Sud in Montréal. She ran the bath and drowned her two children, one after the other. Then she started back to Québec City. Shortly before she got home, the police arrested her. From synopsis in French, in Séquences 220 (July/August 2002): 6.

57 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 59 See also: 1 Lapointe, Esther Entre quatre murs (1981) Scenario: Marcel Cabay. Cast: Jean Brousse; Serge Christianssens, Françoise Faucher, Josiane Goffoy, Christian Saint-Denis, Johanne Seymour. L Or du Temps ( ) Collaboration with several other directors. See synopsis: [ asp.] by Claudia Brillant cbrilla@hotmail.com. Laure, Carole Multi-talented actress and singer Carole Laure has appeared in more than thirty films in Canada and abroad, including Gilles Carle s La Mort du bucheron (1973), La Tête de Normande Saint Onge (1976), and Fantastica (1979), and Lewis Furey s Night Magic (1985). All these films were screened at the Cannes Film Festival. She also starred in Bertrand Blier s Préparez vos mouchoirs (Get Out Your Handkerchiefs) which took the 1978 Oscar for Best Foreign Film. Mary s Sons is her feature-film directorial debut. Les Fils de Marie (2002, 97 mins.) (Mary s Sons) Direction: Carole Laure; screenplay: Pascal Arnold and Carole Laure; director of photography: Pascal Arnold; sound: Pierre Blain; Art Director: Frédéric Page; editing: Hugo Caruana; music: Jeff Fisher. Cast: Carole Laure (Marie); Jean-Marc Barr (Paul); Félix Lajeunesse-Guy (Martin); Danny Gilmore (Alex); Daniel Desjardins (Victor). Production: Les productions Laure-Furey [ laurefureyprod@aol.com]. Coproduction: Toloda; Pascal Arnold Karina Grandjean ; 38, rue René Boulanger Paris [Tél : ; Fax : ; toloda.prod@freesbee.fr]. Shown in Cannes, May, Sales: Flach Pyramide International Eric Lagesse; 5, rue Richepanse; Paris (Tél : ; Fax : ; elagesse@ cybercable.fr.) Synopsis: Tragedy brutally enters Mary s life when her 15-yearold son, William, and her husband die in a car accident. She falls headlong into a bottomless well of grief. Then, one day, she places an ad in the local newspaper to find a substitute son who needs a substitute mother. Dramatic and theatrical, Mary s search for meaning in her tragic destiny becomes a search for beauty and for life: she chooses four candidates, ranging in age from 17 to 40. Mary and her four new sons tap deeply into each others impossible needs. Mary is no longer alone, and though often terrified by the prospect of loss, she discovers the will to survive is still there and that the broken heart can heal. from

58 60 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS SynopsisanddiscussioninFrenchbyMarcLepoivreathttp:// Also consult: /longsMetrages/fils_de_Marie.html. See: Liberation (13 November 2002): XII. Also in French: l Humanité Hebdo (22 23 March 2003: 8. (Pub. of Créteil; Les Fils was shown at Créteil festival See Elie Castiel s discussion of this film in Séquences 223 (January/ February 2003): Lauzon, Mylène Student at the Institut national de l image et du son (INIS). La Rumeur de l ange (2003, 12 mins.) Beta S.P. Fiction. Synopsis: Crow announces to seven-year-old Lucie that it s the end of the world. Things start to move, and even disappear. See: Leriche, Chloé Has produced fourteen Shorts since 2001, the most famous of which is La Réplique. La Réplique (2001 2, 19 mins.) Synopsis: Three short films with actresses as the subject. Leroux, Louise Stiletto (1999, 46 mins.) ONF. [ Ultime symbole de féminité et de sensualité. Director: Leroux; producer; Eric Michel. photography: Bernard Couture and Yves Laurier-Beaudoin; editing: Aube Foglia; music: Dominique Grand, Sylvain Grand, L Onde de Choc; sound: Serge Boivin, Marie-France Delagrave, Marie-Claude Gagné, Martyne Morin; voice and narration: Caroline Dufour. Original Title Code: 149C Cast: Tania Bertrand, Michel Dorion, Dylan Gilmore, Peter Grimm, Gil Kezwer, Séverine LeRallec et al. Synopsis internet (NFB site): Stiletto. The very word seduces. Pedestal of desire, ultimate symbol of feminine allure, this high-heeled pump is firmly entrenched in the popular imagination and in our lives. Stiletto is the filmmaker s search for new answers. Her itinerary takes us into the worlds of an erudite historian, a podiatrist, a fashion designer, and an Italian manufacturer. She has scrutinized this aphrodisiacal pump from all angles. Stiletto strikes off in new directions and replaces traditional feminist thinking with innovative ideas. Synopsis in French ONF catalog. Liberovskaya, Katherine Born in Montréal of Russian parents. Works mostly in English. Interested in connections between tradition and

59 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 61 modernity, and also in the place of women in the new economy of technological image. Jusqu au bout de l âme russe (1997, 73 mins.) Filmed in 1993 and 1994 in Russia. Synopsis: Seeks to understand the Russian soul. Martin, Catherine Has made a number of documentaries, and one full-length work: Mariages (200l, 95 mins.) Produced by Lorraine Dufour for Les Productions 23 and la Coop Vidé de Montréal. D. and script by Martin; photography: Jean-Claude Labrecque; editing: Lorraine Dufour; music: Robert Marcel Lepage; sound: Marcet Chouinard. Cast: Marie-Eve Bertrand (Yvonne); Guylaine Tremblay (Hélène); Mirianne Brûlé (Thérèse); Markita Boies (Noémie); Hélène Loiselle (Maria); David Boutin (Charles); Raymond Cloutier (Auguste) et al. Prod. by Lorraine Dufour; Dist. Film Tonic. Prix du Meilleur film de l année accorded by majority vote of the members of AQCC (Association québécoise des critiques de cinéma). Martin s first full length feature. Synopsis: Recreation of the suffocating atmosphere of matriarchs at the end of the nineteenth century; us familiaux de l époque. Some reflection of mother-daughter relations (as in Les Dames du 9e). For review see: Charles-Stéphane Roy in Séquences 216 (nov./déc. 2001): 37. Still of Mariages in Séquences 218 (March/April 2002): 19. Migneault, Louise 42DD ( ) Short Synopsis: Humorous treatment of a woman s determination to reduce the size of her large breasts despite her husband s protests. Nitoslawska, Marielle Of Polish origin, Nitoslawska was educated in the Ecole de cinéma in Lodz. She has been photography director for many films, including Sky Bones (1998). Her first long film concerns a Mexican sculptor living in the Québec forest. Bad Girl (2001, 58 mins.) Scénario: Nathalie Collard and Pascale Navarro. Contact: InformAction. Synopsis: Pornographic film treated with an analytical eye. Catherine Breillat, among others, speaks in the film, and claims that the erotic film as practiced by women seeks above all to delimit the love relationship. Masochism in the feminine is also spoken of; lesbianism is touched upon, and so forth. Tr. from EC, i.e. Elie Castiel: Elie Castiel, Séquences 215 (September/October 2001): 38, con-

60 62 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS cludes: In its form Nitoslawska s film does not reinvent the documentary genre, but the words of the interlocutors have an undeniable force of persuasion. Poirier, Anne Claire An important filmmaker treated in Pallister Guide, Her latest film dealing with drugs and prostitution is: Tu as crié: Let Me Go (1997, 98 mins.) ONF. ( letmego) Script and narration: Anne Claire Poirier and Marie-Claire Blais. photography: Jacques Leduc and Pierre Mignot. editing: Monique Fortier and Yves Dion; music: Marie Bernard. Produced by Paul Lapointe and Joanne Carrière. Distributed by ONF. Received Genie (1997) for full-length documentary. Other prizes: Montréal, Lisbon, Vancouver, Yamagata. Synopsis: Concerns the murder of Poirier s daughter Yanne, who had become a prostitute to support her daily heroin doses ten years earlier. Part exorcism, part collective therapy, this painful film is a mother s declaration of her love to her daughter, in the form of an intimate journal. Encounters with other drug addicts, as well as AIDS victims and prostitutes, are also shown in long, slow travelings. ONF catalog gives French synopsis. See article by Carlo Mandolini Pavane pour une infante défunte, in Séquences 191 (July/August 1997): Shown at Créteil festival See also a general article, with special attention to Mourir à tue-tête, by Janick Beaulieu, Séquences 200 (January/February 1999):31 2. See also Séquences 216 (November/December 2001): 14. Poissant, Isabelle B. in 1959 in Montréal. Conte pour petites filles sages (1990, 8 mins.) Synopsis: One sunny afternoon two young girls go biking through a park and into the woods where they meet characters that live in the urban landscapes of the 1990s. La Fabrication d un meurtrier ( mins.) B&W. Documentary. Cast: Pierre Chagnon, Gabriel Arcand, Dominique Petin, Denis Bouchard. Synopsis: Maurice Delarue, psychiatrist, was supposed to be leaving with wife Maritsa for a visit to her native Bulgaria. So why is she arriving alone at a train station in Tamovo, a small medieval town? And Liliana, was she only used to introduce Delarue to Mr. Re, his amnesiac patient? What is their strange plan? A murder investigation unfolds. Synopsis in French by C.V., in Séquences 215 (Sptember, Octo-

61 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 63 ber 2001): 27. Uneven but interesting, this film presents the qualities and faults of a first feature-length film. Let us hope she will have the chance to show what she is really capable of. Pool, Léa Born in Soglio, Switzerland, 8 September Moved to Quebec in 1975 (B.A. from l UQAM in communications, 1978.) In 1984 she directed her first film La Femme de l hôtel. For further information on earlier films see Pallister Guide, 130. Bio and Filmography Site in Italian at Dialo_Vocabo_testi/D_cin04.htm Regista e Sceneggiatrice. Lettre à ma fille (1996) Prix spécial pour le Musée de la Civilisation de Québec, Québec, Canada. Full-length documentary. B&W. Rispondetemi (See Pallister Guide, 133) The film Montréal vu par... (1991, Foster says) contains a sketch called Rispondetemi ( Répondez-moi ), directed by Pool. Emporte-moi (aka Set Me Free) (1998; 94 mins.) Scénario and original idea: Léa Pool. Collaboration on writing of scenario: Nancy Huston and Monique H. Messier; collaboration on scenario: Isabelle Raynault; photography Jeanne LaPoirie; sets: Serge Bureau; costumes: Michèle Hamel; editing: Michel Arcand; sound: François Musy; music: ECM Executive Producer: Louis Laverdière. Cast:: Karine Vanasse (Hanna); Miki Manojlovic (The father); Pascale Bussières (The mother); Alexandre Mérineau (Paul); Nancy Huston (The teacher); Charlotte Christeler (Laura); Anne-Marie Cadieux; Monique Mercure. Produced by Lorraine Richard. A Cité-Amérique production; co-production with Switzerland and (France). Merchant-Ivory and Artistic License. Synopsis: Hanna, at thirteen, reaches a turning point in her life, when she views Jean-Luc Godard s Vivre sa vie. The heroine of that film, Nana, becomes Hanna s model for freedom. Hanna s father, an exiled Jew and a poet, and his wife, psychologically vulnerable, do not offer great stability for Hanna, but she bonds with her brother Paul, and her best friend, Laura. Additional synopsis in Facets Cat. Emporte-moi (1999; 95 mins.) [English title Set Me Free.] (Canada/Switzerland). Quotes Kevin Thomas in the Los Angeles Times. Winner Best Canadian Film, Toronto Film Critics Association. [Available In Fr. with English subtitles from Facets.] Synopsis in French at internet: index/76/emporte_moi.html This site also describes the problems coming from this film as follows: Pool has had a lawsuit over this film, concerning possible plagiarism of a scenario by Isabelle Raynaud. (Without mentioning plagia-

62 64 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS rism, the judge determined that there was some repeating of certain essential creative elements found in Raynaud s scenario.) The film took several prizes, was selected as Canada s submission to the Oscar committee; Best film in the Giffoni festival;youth Prize in the Valladolid Festival; ecumenical jury s Special Prize in the Berlin festival; Jutra for actress to Karine Vanasse; for supporting actress to Pascale Bussières, etc. See Maurice Elia s discussion in Séquences 202 (May/June 1999): 33. Also: Canadian Léa Pool Tells Authentic Tale of Youth, Sex, and Anna Karina by Aaron Krach: (indiewire/ ) See Roger Ebert s highly personal review of Set Me Free (Emportemoi) on the internet. (Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.) See article in Châtelaine (Februaary 2000: 30 36). Important global view of the film and of Pool s personal connections with her work. See on the internet: Un film de Lea Pool Emporte-moi. [23 April 1999]. Pool s Emporte-moi was treated by Maurice Elia ( Une petite fille qui n est plus une petite fille ) in Séquences 202 (May/June 1999): 33. The Gender Tango (1997, 46 mins. ) Series: Women: A True Story (NFB). Producers: Raymond Gauthier, Don Haig, Jean-François Mercier, Lise Payette, Huguette Marcotte. Co-producers: Les Productions Point de Mire Inc. Music: Osvaldo Montes. Title Code: 111C MSN: See Femmes below. Synopsis: This episode on identity highlights the many complex interactions between men and women. Additional info. on Hotel Chronicles [see also Pallister Guide, 132.]: Series Parler d Amérique: (1990, 74 mins.) Producer: Éric Michel; text: Léa Pool; script: Léa Pool, Laurent Gagliardi; cinematography: Georges Dufaux; editing: Alain Belhumeur; music: Robert M. Lepage; sound: Richard Besse; sound editing: Alain Belhumeur. Synopsis: From one hotel to another, from the heart of Manhattan to the depths of Death Valley, the filmmaker reflects on modern America. In road movie style, with improvised encounters, the filmmaker examines the American myth and ponders the fate of Uncle Sam s country in the media age.... Refusing to pass final judgment on the American dream, the filmmaker, at the end of her travels, sees some sign of new hope. English version of the French original: Hotel Chronicles at ONF/NFB Educational VideoStore. Mouvements du désir (1994, 92 mins. 29 secs.) ONF. Title Code: 105C MSN: Scenario and text: Léa Pool; photography: Pierre Mignot; editing: Michel Arcand; music: Zbigniew Preisner; sound: Florian Eidenbenz, Michel Arcand. Producers: Denise

63 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 65 Robert, Alfi Sinniger, Peter Baumann, Yves Rivard. Co-producers: Cinémaginaire Inc., Catpics Co-production. Cast: Valérie Kaprisky, Jean-François Pichette, Jolianne L Allier-Matteau, William Jacques, Mathew MacKay, Élise Guilbault, Mimi d Estée, Lucien Deslongchamps, Marc Gélinas, Gregory Hlady. Synopsis: Three days and three nights of a unique voyage aboard the Transcontinental. In the train, passengers of all ages, nationalities and personalities meet one another for a few moments or for a lifetime... Among them are Vincent and Catherine. A meeting... and a great love story lived against the most beautiful landscapes in the world, within the unique decor of a Canadian train. Femmes: une histoire inédite: 4: Le Tango des sexes (1996, 55 mins.) (video recording) Produced by Raymond Gauthier. Canada: Téléfilm Canada; SODEC; TV5; Officie National du Film du Canada; Pointe de Mire Inc. English version of above The Gender Tango: Women: A True Story Series (1996, 47 minutes). See above. Synopsis: Susan Sarandon hosts this study of images of women from around the world: of a young girl who has competed in beauty pageants since she was twenty-two months old; of Maria, who sells cosmetics along the Amazon River; and of Dorothy, a jazz musician who masqueraded as a man for years to be accepted in her field. Aboriginal societies that treat women as evil and those who consider them as valued powerful tribal members are also profiled. Directed by Léa Pool. Also found under: Postcards from the Future (1997, 45 mins.) Series: Women: A True Story (NFB) Producers: Raymond Gauthier, Don Haig, Jean-François Mercier, Lise Payette, Huguette Marcotte. Co-producers: Les Productions Point de Mire Inc. Music: Osvaldo Montes. Title Code : 111C MSN: Synopsis: Women are hard at work inventing the next millennium. How will the empowerment of women affect the future of all mankind? Gabrielle Roy (1997 [some sources give 1998], 90 mins.) This film, made by Les Productions de l Impatiente, Montréal/Buffalo Gal Pictures Inc., was filmed in Winnipeg. Phyllis Laing, Ian Boyd, Diane Poitras were the Producers as well as CFCF Inc., Bravo!, Télé-Québec, TV5. Micheline Cadieux was the scénariste. The film enjoyed the participation of Telefilm Canada. Prix du Film Canadien 17e Festival international du film sur l art de Montréal. Made-for-television documentary; it took several prizes: Best history and biography programs award at the nineteenth Rocky Awards of the Banff Television Festival in 1998; Gemini Award for

64 66 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Best Documentary Montréal, 1998; Prix Gémeaux du Meilleur documentaire in Pool s work was also selected by the Festival des films de femmes at Créteil and by the Secrétariat du Printemps du Québec in France Shown as part of la série L Oeil ouvert, TQc dimanche See Telefilm Rapport: : rap_96/mess_pre.htm. Commentary and information in French at: q54. Film is available from: Myriam Gaucher, Filmoption international; 3401 St. Antoine ouest, Montréal, Québec H3Z AXA. Tel Lost and Delirious (Rebelles) ( 2000, 100 mins.) First film of Pool in English. (Compare English-language films by Girard, Lepage, Arcand.) Scenario by Judith Thompson adapted from The Wives of Bath by Susan Swan (Canadian author). Photography: Pierre Gill; editing: Gaetan Hunt; music: Yves Chamberland; sound: Yvon Benoît et al.; decor: Serge Bureau. Cast: Piper Perabo (Paulie Auster); Jessica Paré (Victoria Moller, alias Tori or Tory); Misha Barton (Mary Bradford, alias Mouse); Jackie Burroughs (Fay Vaugh); Graham Greene (Joe Menzies); Mimi Kuzyk (Elenor Bannet); Luke Kerby (Jake); et al. Produced by Lorraine Richard, Greg Dimwit and Louis-Philippe Russian. Dist: Les Films Seville. Lion Gate Films. Synopsis: Mouse Bradford has just arrived at Perkins Girls College and is quickly adopted by her two senior roommates, the striking, sharp-witted Paulie and the charming and beautiful Tory. These three bond over loss: Mouse has lost her mother, Paulie lost the parents who gave her up for adoption, and Tory is losing herself to fit her parents expectations. They become inseparable. Mouse, however, is confused by the depth of the relationship between Paulie and Tory. This world comes crashing down when Tory and Paulie are caught in a compromising situation. Lost and Delirious is about the friendship of three teenagers and how they experience it in a private school. Throughout the film, the lost threesome question their relationships with one another and the authority of others while desperately attempting to seek out true love. Dominique Pellerin in Séquences 215 (September/October 2001: 43) finds that although it is in English, the film nevertheless follows themes and tone characteristic of Pool s otherworksthatarein French: search for identity; passage of innocence to maturity; discovery of love; desire and its taboos; theme of lesbianism; etc. Finds analogy with Dead Poet s Society)... (but is it also like Girl,

65 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 67 interrupted to some degree?jlp) Pellerin also finds that Pool s signature has disappeared here; it is not an auteur(e) film. See Roger Ebert on Lost and Delirious in the Chicago Sun-Times (13 July 2001). Facet Features (Winter 2002: 7): The director of Set Me Free (Lea Pool) has a new film set for video, Lost and Delirious. This is a film that is erotic without sacrificing emotional honesty... a hymn to teenage idealism and hormones (Roger Ebert). The Blue Butterfly (Mariposa Azúl) (2002; completed in 2004, 90 mins.) Léa Pool directs William Hurt, Pascale Bussières, and Marc Donato in the theatrical feature film The Blue Butterfly, a Galafilm and Global Arts Canada-United Kingdom co-production. Producer: Arnie Gelbart Synopsis: Based on a true story, The Blue Butterfly tells the tale of Pete Carlton (Marc Donato), a terminally ill ten-year-old boy. His one last dream is to catch the most beautiful butterfly on Earth, the mythic and elusive Blue Morpho found only in the tropical rain forests of Central and South America. His mother, Teresa (Pascale Bussières) persuades Allan Osborne (William Hurt), a renowned entomologist, to take them on a trip to the jungle to search for the butterfly, leading to an adventure that will transform their lives. See Francine Laurendeau, Mariposa azúl de Léa Pool, in Séquences 221 (September/October 2002): 7. See also article on Hurt: doc5.htm And also Le Devoir: Piece by Odile Tremblay, Edition du Devoir du mercredi 5 juin, Also Projected by Pool: Film on Jean-Claude Lauzon. Taxi pour la liberté In process. Communiqué, 22 Projets de film pour Contact Europe : CitÉ Amérique Cinéma Télévision Inc. Director: Léa Pool; producers: Lorraine Richard, Louis Laverdière, Louis-Philippe Rochon. Synopsis: Based on the first novel of Gilles Gougeon. A young Turkish woman flees her past by traveling all over the world. [There are hundreds of entries for Pool on the internet, especially for Lost and Delirious and Emporte-moi. ] Prégent, Johanne These films have been discussed in Pallister Guide, 133: La Peau et les os (1988; 88 mins. 37 secs.) ( peauos) on the subject of anorexia and bulimia; Blanche est la nuit (1989); On a marché sur la lune (1990); Les Amoureuses (1993). L Ile de sable (1999, 105 mins.) Photoography: Pierre Mignot; production: Claudio Luca; scenario: Gilles Desjardins and Johanne Pré-

66 68 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS gent; original music: Clode Hamelinl; sound: Serge Beauchemin et al.; editing: Claude Palardy. Cast: Caroline Dhavernas, Sebastien Huberdeau, Anick Lemay, Geneviève Désilets, François Papineau, Marie Tifo, Raymond Gloutier. Synopsis: Manou, who is sixteen, finds herself pregnant. Her mother has just died, and she learns nearly simultaneously that her sister is her real mother. She also falls in love with an unpredictable and complicated boy. Manou rushes into an adventure that will take her to l Ile de Sable and to the fulfillment of her dream. Images (by Mignot) lean on the notion of maternity (umbilical position of the heroine, egg, mother-daughter relations). Synopsis in French: France-Amérique (29 July 4 August 2000): 23. See Séquences 205 (November/December 1999): Ronfard, Bénédicte A filmmaker as well as a writer, Ronfard has published Au pays de Moussia along with Marie Cardinal s Au pays de mes racines. Paris: Grasset, 1980, 239 pp.; 21 cm. ISBN ISBN SDM: [A 4]. Combien je t aime ( ) Short. Synopsis: Recounts three love stories. Uses old codes of affective discourse. La Voix humaine Féminin pluriel parcours d un enfant terrible (1999) A monologue for which Ronfard was the vidéaste. Dossier sans titre (6 mins.) Fiction. Address: benedicter@yahoo.com Rosenthal, Sylvie La Bombe au chocolat (1997, 15 mins.) An auteure film, since Rosenthal is director, scénariste, and producer of this first work. Synopsis: Pascale Montpetit suffers from a form of bulimia that causes her to stuff herself with information from books, magazines, etc. She meets Denis Mercier, an ex-boulimique d information, who is writing a book on the subject. Pascale sets aside her interest in stuffing herself with paper and begins to enjoy instead bombes au chocolat... her specialty, because she is a famous chef. Subtle and funny. Seymour, Johanne Seymour is a 1977 graduate of Montréal school, l INIS [L Institut National de l Image et du Son]. Actress in Entre quatre murs (d. Esther Lapointe, 1981) and in Puzzle (d. André Bousquet, 1978). Wrote in collaboration the scenario for Diva (II) (d. Bruno Carrière and Jean-Claude Lord, 1999). L Invitation (1998) Writtten by Benjamin Sales

67 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 69 La Dernière Pomme (1999) C.M. (Short). Won the Golden Bonsai for best short. Produced by Jean-Roch Marcotte. Scripted by Marc Roberge. Cast: Louise Portal, Vincent Bilodeau, Louise Laparé, Aubert Pallascio. Cent Titres ( ) Sima[a]ni, Nadia. Femme de rêve (1997) Short. Théocharidès, Nathalie Aller Simple (2000, 12 mins.) Color; fiction format HD. Scénarisation: Florence François; production: Jeannine Gagné; image:allen Smith; sound: Esther Auger; music: Boris Petrowski; editing: Louise Dugal; artistic direction: Normand Sarrazin. Cast: Mara Kotto, Léa- Marie Cantin, Martin Gendron, Stéphane Desormiers. Synopsis: Victor, a boxing trainer, is troubled by the departure of his wife Madeleine. He has trouble concentrating on the training of his young poulain, Alexis. Dream sequences and memories are fused with the real. Synopsis in French: Advertising flyer Infoinis. Vachon, Suzan Vachon leads a triple life of vidéaste, sculptress and photographer. Her last work, Heures..., dealt with light. Discours des comètes (1992) Filiations (1997) Les Heures d argent des illuminations (2000) Valiquette, Esther Having suffered an early death, this filmmaker nonetheless captured, with the two films cited below, poetry, silence, life, death, and alterity with an exceptional economy of methods. E.C. in Séquences 218 (March/April 2002): 25 Le Singe bleu (1992) Extenderis (1993) Vidal, Catherine w/ Johanne Fournier Larguer les amarres (1999, 49 mins. 28 secs.) ONF. Original Title Code : 119C ( - les - amarres) Directors: Johanne Fournier, Catherine Vidal; producers: Nicole Lamothe; scenario: Johanne Fournier, Catherine Vidal; photography: Johanne Fournier, Catherine Vidal; editing: Heidi Haines; music: Simon Carpentier, Francis Delage; sound: Serge Boivin et al. Cast: René Dugas, Steve Godfrey, Steve Hart, Holli Haustein, Frank Holzkämper, Ernst Kramer, Namoi Moyer, Jean-François Perreault.

68 70 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Synopsis (Paraphrased from French text in internet and ONF catalogue): Catherine, twenty-one years old, wants to become a filmmaker. But she likes to travel around and savor her freedom. Johanne, forty-four, is a filmmaker by trade. Deciding to live life rather than to film it, she chooses to return to the Gaspé to meet her lover, while Catherine takes off for Vancouver and the Yukon. From West to East, with two cameras functioning as pens, without a technical crew, the two women keep up a filmed correspondence. Postcards, short reports, carefully drawn pictures, and letters, weave the narrative. Questions regarding trips, one s trade, the importance of living life arise here. Tonic and tender, ironic and grave, the messages bear with them the pleasure of creating images. Antilles Caribbean Sbraire, Harmel For ten years Sbraire has been coach to French actors: she has helped them assume the personality of the character they have to interpret in front of the camera. Bio in French at: marius/. Frayeur au 6e ciel (1986) Short. Comedy. Prix de la qualité du CNC; Premier Prix du public du Festival international de Créteil; and Prix lors du Festival Images-Caraïbes. L Annonce faite à Marius (1997, 1 hr. 25 mins.) Comedy. Scenario: Jackie Berroyer and Harmel Sbraire; music: 3ème Oeil; production: Garuda Production; France 2 Cinéma. Cast: Léa Drucker, Pascal Légitimus, Jackie Berroyer, Gérald Thomassin, Eric Coustaud. Synopsis: Marius, a young man from the Antilles who lives alone in Paris working little jobs that are no longer sufficient to pay his bills, finds a solution testing medications in a laboratory. There he meets professor Migeon, a famous obstetrician and researcher in a rundown clinic. Without his knowledge, the professor implants an embryo in him. tr. from AlloCiné. Discussion of this film in French at: corporate/ecriture/marius. One can see a video extract at: ecriture/marius/ Martinique Bagoe-Dubosq, Clarisse Le Petit Plat d accras (9 mins., fiction)

69 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 71 Palcy, Euzhan Aimé Césaire: une voix pour l histoire (A Voice for History) (1994, 150 mins,), in French with English subtitles. Synopsis and description from California Newsreel: This monumental, three-part study introduces American audiences to the celebrated Martinican author who coined the term negritude and launched the movement called the Great Black Cry. Euzhan Palcy...weaves Césaire s life and poetry into a vast tapestry featuring many of the most important artistic and intellectual figures of the past six decades. André Breton, the high priest of surrealism, described Césaire as A black man who embodies not simply the black race but all mankind, who will remain for me the prototype of human dignity. In Part I, L Ile Veilleuse (The Vigilant Island), Césaire shows us his pays natal, its volcano, beaches and colonial towns, a tropical crossroad where Europe, Africa and America meet. From this cultural vortex, Césaire, his wife, Suzanne, and philosopher René Menil founded in 1939 the seminal literary review Tropiques which influenced Caribbean intellectuals like Wifredo Lam, René Depestre and Frantz Fanon. After the War, Césaire served as mayor of Fort-de- France and Martinique s representative to the French National Assembly. Part II, Au rendez-vous de la conquête (Where the Edges of Conquest Meet), moves to Paris in the 1930s where Césaire, Leopold [Sédar] Senghor..., and the French Guyanese poet, Léon Damas, developed the concept of negritude.... John Henrik Clarke and Howard Dodson of the Schomburg Center discuss the profound impact of black American authors, In Part III, La Force de regarder demain (The Strength to Face Tomorrow), Césaire responds to the disappointments of the postcolonial world. His plays were among the first to warn of the dangers of neo-colonialism. French anthropologist Edgar Morin et al.... testify to Césaire s central role as a founding ancestor for the current flowering of Diaspora literature. See California Newsreel site: CN0114. Known for her Rue Cases-nègres and her biographical three-part work on Aimé Césaire discussed above, Palcy has turned recently to the making of films in English. A Dry White Season was her first, followed by a series of others, including the following: Ruby Bridges (1998, TV)Written by Toni Ann Johnson. Cast: Chaz Monet (Ruby Bridges); Lela Rochon (Lucielle Lucy Bridges), and many others. Synopsis: Stirring true-life story of Ruby Bridges, the little black

70 72 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS girl who successfully integrated an all-white school in New Orleans in the midst of riots, and hate mongers. This incredible tale is not just about racial differences, but it is also a testimony to the strength and power of God that little Ruby puts her faith in for help. The Killing Yard aka: Atikka (USA working title). (2001, 1 hr. 51 mins.) Made-for-TV courtroom drama (A Showtime Original); written by Benita Garvin. Cast: Alan Alda (Ernie Goodman); Morris Chestnut (Shango); Rose McGowan (Linda Borus); et al. Originally produced for the Showtime network. Synopsis: An act no one could forgive. And only one man could defend. The true story of the 1971 Attica Prison riot. A man Shango Bahati Kakawama (Morris Chestnut) is wrongfully accused of murdering two of his inmates around the same time as the riot. IMDb. See also Yahoo.com Some find that, in this film, courtroom drama takes the lead, while character development is forsaken, and that B-movie queen Mc- Gowan contributes little, while the convict (Chestnut) is hard to feel sorry for. Wings against the Wind (produced 1999; release date TBA in limbo) D. Palcy; Written by Candace Allen and Euzhan Palcy (also story). Cast: Angela Bassett as Bessie Coleman; Danny Glover, Gérard Depardieu, et al. There are many entries for Palcy on the internet. See in particular: Supplementary comments: Article and photo: Dominique Brémond: A Dry White Season in Journal français d Amérique (20 October 2 November 1989): 24. Further information: Euzhan Palcy is the first black woman filmmaker to have directed a feature-length Hollywood film, A Dry White Season (1989). Like Palcy herself, the film is controversial and of uncompromising passion and conviction. women.com/palcy2.html See a description of Palcy s career at: people/euzhan_palcy. France Readers are urged to consult the following article where films are listed by genres and dates: Brigitte Rollet, Héritières et novatrices: les réalisatrices concemporaines. WIF Studies, Special Issue, ed. Dana Strand and Joëlle Vitiello (2003):

71 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 73 Abecassis, Eliette Eliette Abecassis was born in Strasbourg in She has a degree in philosophy and is the author of several novels, the earliest being Qumran (Paris: Albin Michel, 1996). She collaborated with the Israeli filmmaker Amos Gitai in the writing of his Kadosh (France/Israel, 2000), a controversial exploration of women living under Orthodox Judaism. She teaches philosophy in Caen. In 1998 she published an essay on the philosophical origins of homicide Petite Metaphisique du Meurtre (P.U.F., 1998). Her 1999 book La Répudiée was finalist for the Grand Prix du roman de l Académie française and for the Prix Fémina. Le Trésor du temple (Paris: Albin Michel, 2000) brings back Qumran; her most recent book is Mon Père (Paris: Albin Michel, 2002). She is director of an arresting Short, which is being made into a full-length feature. La Nuit de Noces (2001, 12 mins.) Cast includes Samuel Le Bihan. Synopsis: All set in the bedroom for their wedding night, the Jewish bride tells her husband that she is pregnant. http: // / 2002 / program / shorts / montpellier.htm Alessandrin, Lisa Born on 6 November, Sometimes credited as Lisa Azuelos-Alessandrin. Has written the following screenplays: 15 août (2001) (under the name Lisa Azuelos-Alessandrin); La Femme rêvée (1996) (TV). Ainsi soient-elles aka Femmes; Mujeres a flor de piel (1995, mins.) Drama. Directed by Lisa Alessandrin and Patrick Alessandrin; written by Lisa Alessandrin and Patrick Alessandrin. Cast: Marine Delterme (Marie); Florence Thomassin (Jeanne); Amira Casar (Alice), et al. Synopsis: The film is about three women friends: Alice who dreams of a great love, Marie who doesn t believe in love anymore and practices a useful sexuality, and Jeanne, a married woman who believes in combining love and sex, but feels abandoned. One fine day, things change: Alice loses her certitudes, Marie falls in love and Jeanne decides to thrust limits aside. club/catalog/v3145.htm Synopsis in French at ainsi_soient_elles.html For two excellent stills see: galerie_gen_cpersonne 32976&big 1&p age 2.html Angel, Hélène Born in Director, scriptwriter. Student at FEMIS (France s National Film School) in Paris from 1987 to 1991, she directed two Shorts in a style oscillating between comedy and so-

72 74 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS cial realism. Her third Short, La Vie parisienne (1995), took numerous prizes at different festivals. Bio in French at allocine.com Fin d une tradition (1991) Jeune fille en désordre (1991) La Vie parisienne (1995) Peau d homme, cœur de bête (1999, 94 mins.) First feature length film. Cast: Serge Riaboukine and Maiike Jansen Synopsis: Coco (Bernard Blancan) returns to his native village after 15 years of absence. He finds his family, his friends, and the atmosphere again. Reassured, and strangely, suspiciously calm, Coco hides a terrible secret which will awaken the past. Angel presents us here with a very beautiful film which exploits primitive emotions and fear of isolation with intelligence. Synopsis in French in Journal français (sept. 2001): 25; See also Journal français (January 2002): 29. Mercenaires (2002) (Release date: August 2003) [Working title Dragon Rouge (Filming debut: 10 April 2002).] Adventure. Filmed in the Camargue, PACA region. Prod.: Diaphana Films, 171, rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, Paris. Fax: Mail: diaphana@diaphana.fr. Co-production: France 3 Cinéma; Rhône-Alpes Cinéma; Havas Images; producteur délégué: Michel Saint-Jean; director of production: Philippe Saal; scenario: Hélène Angel, Jean-Claude Janer; photography: Benoît Delhomme; costumes: Catherine Rigault; casting: Julien Grossi (Marseille). Cast: Daniel Auteuil, Sergi Lopez, Emmanuelle Devos, Gilbert Melki. Synopsis: Felix is fifteen; he is still a child, not really a man. He dozes near a tree, struggling against sleep. If he goes to sleep he will die of cold. It is winter; the olive trees have frozen. On his lap, a gilded book... a book that tells the story of Guillaume de Montauban, a legendary knight also called le Dragon Rouge. The wind turns the pages of the book and out comes a terrified soldier. allocine.com. Synopsis in French at allocine.com Anspach, Sólveig Born in Par Amour (1989; 9 mins. 30 secs.) Vizi et Vizirette (1993; 12 mins.) Haut les cœurs! aka Battle Cries (2000; Hong Kong: English title) (1999; 110 mins.; France/Belgium). First feature length film. Written by Sólveig Anspach and Pierre Erwan Guillaume; Karin Viard took a César for best actress. Cast: Karin Viard (Emma); Laurent Lucas (Simon); Claire Wauthion (Emma s mother); Julien Cottereau (Olivier); Philippe Duclos(docteur Morin); Charlotte Clamens (docteur

73 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 75 Colombier); Didier Sauvegrain (docteur Lalande); Fejria Deliba (L infirmière), et al. Synopsis: Pregnant with her first child, Emma discovers she has breast cancer. Refusing an abortion, the young woman decides to care for herself, in spite of the skepticism of those around her. This film, presented at the Quinzaine of Directors at Cannes in 1999, tells Anspach s own story. The subject is upsetting and difficult, but the film avoids the pathétique while still being emotional. See Dominique Pellerin s account and also full credits in Séquences 207 (March/April 2000): Commentary by Alice Liddell (-darragh@excite.com) Dublin, Ireland (8 November 2000) at IMDb: nm / Made in the USA (2001, 105 mins.) Filmed in English. Written by: Sólveig Anspach and Cindy Babski. Synopsis: The history of the execution of Odell Barnes in Texas, on 1 March The movie, based on testimonies of family, friends and lawyers, aims at demonstrating that O. Barnes did not receive a fair trial and was executed because of his past and background. Summary written by Doisnel (IMDb). Assal, Anita Born 3 May Adrénaline (1990, mins.) Long métrage collectif. (Full length.) Horror. Directed by Anita Assal and Barthélémy Bompard. Cast: Clémentine Célarié, Franck Baruk, et al. Synopsis: A couple s television set is possessed by the devil. French synopsis at. allocine.com Parano (1994, 1 hr. 20 mins.) Directed by Anita Assal with Yann Piquer, Alain Robak, Manuel Flèche, and John Hudson. Cast: Patrick Bouchitey, Alain Chabat, François Chaumette, Christine Combe, Jean-François Gallotte, Jean-Marie Maddeddu, Gustave Parking, Nathalie Presles, Marina Rodriguez-Tomé, Jean-François Stévenin, Jacques Villeret, Cécile Sanz de Alba. Synopsis: Seated on a cafe terrace, he is waiting for the woman who has answered his petite annonce (a want ad) asking for companionship. To seduce her, he will have to listen to her stories, each one more off center than the other. French synopsis at: allocine.com Aubouy, Véronique Born in 1961 Shorts: Petits Préludes (1982); Sable d or (1987); Le Silence de l été (1992); Hamlet Crossing a Very Little Street (1993); 13 Figures de Sarah Beauchesne (1994).

74 76 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Audry, Jacqueline ( ) Born on 25 September 1908, in Orange, Vaucluse, Provence-Alpes-Côte d Azur, France; Died 22 June 1977 in Poissy, Yvelines, Île-de-France, France (road accident). Sister of Colette Audry. See treatment in Pallister Guide, 46. See also Foster, Aka s are added here, and some dates (in reverse order) differ. Many details on these films are available from IMDb. Le Grand Amour de Balzac (1973, 52 mins. [7 episodes]) (mini) TV Series. D. by Jacqueline Audry and Wojciech Solarz; written by Yves Jamiaque; Cast: Renée Faure, Anouk Ferjac, Pierre Meyrand, Colette Renard, Michel Robin. Le Lis de la mer (1969) Written by Colette Audry (adaptation) and André Pieyre De Mandiargues (novel). Cast: Carole André, Kiki Caron, Angelo Infanti. Fruits amers Soledad (aka Bitter Fruit; aka Frutti amari) (1967, 108 mins.) France/Italy /Yugoslavia. Written by Colette Audry (also play), Jacqueline Audry et al. Cast: Emmanuelle Riva (Soledad); Laurent Terzieff (Alfonso); Beba Loncar (Tita); Roger Coggio (Paco); Rik Battaglia (Sebastian). Le Bonheur conjugal ( mins.) TV Series (113 episodes). Drama. B & W. Written by André Maurois (novel). Cast: Colette Castel (Colette); Dominique Paturel (Dominique); Jean Desailly (Le professeur); Yane Barry (Sophie); Jean-Loup Reynold (Octave); Jean- Pierre Aubert (Jérôme); Marie-France Mignal (Chantal); Denise Provence ( La mère de Colette); Bernard Lavalette (Le père); et al. Cadavres en vacances (aka Pas si folles les guêpes) (1963, 100 mins.) Written by Jean-Pierre Ferrière (novel) and Pierre Laroche (I) (adaptation). Cast: Jeanne Valérie (Brigitte); Simone Renant (L hôtelière); Noël Roquevert (Le commissaire); Gérard Séty (Bernard); Suzanne Dehelly (Blanche Bodin); Jeanne Fusier-Gir (Berthe Bodin), et al. Les Petits Matins (aka Hitch-Hike; aka Mademoiselle Stop) (1962, 95 mins.) B&W. Comedy. Written by Stella Kersová (story) and Pierre Laroche (I) (dialogue). Cast: Agathe Aëms (Agathe); Arletty (Gabrielle, maîtresse de Rameau); Gilbert Bécaud (Le pilote d Air France); Francis Blanche (Le douanier); Bernard Blier (Rameau); Pierre Brasseur (Achille Pipermint); Jean-Claude Brialy (Jean-Claude, le marchand de brosses); Darry Cowl (Le journaliste); Fernand Gravey (L homme à la Cadillac); Daniel Gélin (Le comédien); Robert Hossein (Le fou); Michel Le Royer (Champion de tennis); Pierre Mondy(Le manager); Noël-Noël (Le baron); Andréa Parisy (une autostoppeuse). Le Secret du Chevalier d Éon (aka Cavaliere e la zarina; Secret of Chevalier D Eon; aka Storie d amore proibite) (1959, 82 mins.)

75 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 77 France/Italy. Written by Ennio De Concini, Vittorio Nino Novarese, et al. Cast: Andrée Debar (Geneviève d Éon); Isa Miranda (La tzarine Elisabeth Petrovna); Gabriele Ferzetti (Bernard de Turquet); Bernard Blie (Le baron d Exter); Jean Desailly (Louis XV); Simone Valère (La marquise de Pompadour); René Lefèvre (I) (Antoine d Éon); Jacques Castelot (Le marquis de l Hospital); Bernard La Jarrige (Pascal d Éon de Beaumont); Dany Robin (La comtesse de Monval) et al. L École des cocottes (aka School for Coquettes) (1958, 100 mins.) B & W. Written by Paul Armont (play) and Marcel Gerbidon. Cast: Dany Robin (Ginette Masson); Fernand Gravey (Stanislas de La Ferronière); Bernard Blier (Labaume); Odette Laur (Amélie); Darry Cowl (Gégène); Suzanne Dehelly (Mme Bernoux); Robert Vattier (Racinet); Jean-Claude Brialy (Robert); and also Jack Ary; Rouby Bruce (L élève de Stanislas); Jacqueline Fontel; Lisa Jouvet; Maryse Marion; Maryse Martin (La patronne du Lapin du Morvan ); Jacques Morlaine; Robert Thomas (I); Jean-Pierre Vaguer; Henri Virlojeux (Un employé du Racinet). C est la faute d Adam (aka It s Adam s Fault) (1958, 96 mins.) Color.WrittenbyRaymondCaillavaandPierreLaroche(I).Cast: Armand Bernard (I); Michèle Cordoue (Lucienne Langeac); Paul Demange; Bernard Dhéran (Comte Philippe de Bergen); Michel Etcheverry; André Gabriello; Denise Grey (Jeanne Sandret); René Lefèvre (I); Elisabeth Manet; Henri Nassiet; Dany Robin (Eléonore de Savigny); Noël Roquevert; Jacques Sernas (Gérard Sandret); Gaby Sylvia (Hélène de Bergen); Robert Vattier; Henri Virlojeux. Mitsou (1957) Color. Written by Colette (novel) and Pierre Laroche (I). Cast: Danièle Delorme, Thérèse Dorny, Gabrielle Dorziat, Jacques Duby, Jacques Dumesnil, Jacques Fabbri, Fernand Gravey, Denise Grey, François Guérin (I), Odette Laure, Maryse Martin, Jacques Morlaine, Gaby Morlay, Palau, Claude Rich. La Garçonne (1957, 97 mins.) Drama. Written Marcel Achard and Jacqueline Audry. Cast: Robert Arnoux (Sorbier); Jacques Castelot (the unknown); Marie Daëms (Arlette Montéran); Jean Danet (Lucien Vigneret); Andrée Debar (Monique Sorbier, la garçonne ); Georges Debot (Radiguet); Suzanne Dehelly (Aunt Sylvestre); Bernard Dhéran (Max Delaume); Allain Dhurtal; Anouk Ferjac; Evelyne Gabrielli as Danièle; Fernand Gravey (Georges Sauvage); René Lefèvre (I) (Professeur Vignabos); Robert Lombard (I) (Paul Poiret); Elisabeth Manet (Ginette); Colette Mars (Nichette); Mauricet; Jacques Morlaine; Gaston Orbal (le maître d hôtel des cabinets particuliers); Jean Parédès (Edgar Lair); Renée Passeur (Mme Sorbier); Alain Quercy (Sacha Volant); George Reich (Peer-Rys); Claude Rich (Del-

76 78 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS marre); Robert Rollis (le chauffeur de Lucien); Roger Saget (le gros groom). Huis clos (aka No Exit ) (1954) B&W. Written by Pierre Laroche (I) and Jean-Paul Sartre (play). Cast: Arletty(Inès); Danièle Delorme (Florence), Gaby Sylvia (Estelle), Franck Villard (Garcia). Commentary by: dbdumonteil (13 October, 2002): Most of all, [Audry] has... three convincing actors, two of whom are unfortunately forgotten today... Gaby Sylvia and Frank Villard. The third one is the great Arletty. She outdoes herself here, playing lesbian Inès so intensely she s almost frightening and threatening. IMDb. La Caraque blonde ( aka The Blonde Gypsy; and Myra la caraque ( working title) (1954,103 mins.) Written by Paul Ricard. Cast: Roland Armontel (Polyte Roux); Antonin Berval (Léon Barcarin); France Degand (Ginou Barcarin); Orane Demazis (Alida Roux); Didier d Yd (Jean Roux); Gérard Landry (Pedro); Roger Pigaut (Antoine); Tilda Thamar (Myra Milagros). Olivia (aka The Pit of Loneliness) (1950) Written by Pierre Laroche (I). Tagline: The Secrets of a Woman s Love-Starved Soul! Cast: Edwige Feuillère, Simone Simon (I), with Marina de Berg, et al. L Ingénue libertine (aka Minne; akaminne l ingénue libertine) (1950, 90 mins.) B &W. Written by Colette (novel) and Pierre Laroche (I). Cast: Danièle Delorme (Minne); Roland Armontel (L oncle Paul); Jean Guélis (Ramon); Yolande Laffon (Blanche); Claude Nicot (Le baron Jacques Couderc); Simone Paris (Irène Chaulieu); Jean Tissier (Maugis); Franck Villard (Antoine). Gigi (1948, 82 mins.) B & W. Written by Colette (story) and Pierre Laroche (I). Cast: Yvonne de Bray (Mamita); Gaby Morlay (Alicia); Jean Tissier (Honoré); Franck Villard (Gaston); Danièle Delorme (Gigi). Synopsis: Gilberte is a sixteen-year-old girl raised by her aunt and grandmother to be a demimondaine. But she s not ready for that yet, and spends her days in lessons and in teasing Mamita s old friend, the rich playboy Gaston LaChaille, and following his affairs from afar. But when Gaston throws off his latest mistress, it looks as if Gigi just might be ready to begin her destined career. Summary by Kathy Li (kli@qualcomm.com) IMDb. Sombre dimanche (aka Gloomy Sunday Australia) (1948, 84 mins.) B&W. Cast: Colette Mars (Singer) et al. Les Malheurs de Sophie (1946). B&W. Directed by Jacqueline Audry. Cast: André Alerme, Michel Auclair, José Conrad, Colette Darfeuil, Yolande Laffon, Marguerite Moreno, Madeleine Rousset, Jean Témerson.

77 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 79 Aziza, Claire Born in 1965 in Nice. Graduate of FEMIS (France s National Film School) (section scénario [scriptwriting]). Le Divan de la diva (1985) Artiste en cheveux (1989) Une visite (1989) Les Quatre Saisons de M. Kiwi (1992) Singerie (1998, 25 mins.) Distribution : Skopia Films (Nanterre). Chosen for the international Shorts competition at Créteil 2000 (Catalogue de Créteil, 51). Aziza, Myriam see also Brédier (Créteil) Shorts include Sauf le vendredi, Méprises, Comme on respire, Le Pourboire ou la pitié (1983). Azuelos-Alessandrin, Lisa. See Alessandrin Baignères, Maud Born in Graduate of the Ecole Supérieure de Réalisation Audiovisuelle. A vrai dire (1994) Belles du Louvre (1995) Pour une fois qu on était samedi (1999, 6 mins.) Distribution: Barns Productions (Paris). Chosen for the international Shorts competition at Créteil, (Créteil catalog, 50). Bailly, Pascale Comment font les gens (1993) Mademoiselle Personne (1996) Dieu est grand, je suis toute petite (aka God Is Great, I m Not 2002: USA: festival title) (1999; sortie 2001, 100 mins.) Comedy/ Romance. Written by Pascale Bailly and Alain Tasma. Cast: Audrey Tautou (Michèle); Edouard Baer (François); Julie Depardieu (Valérie); Catherine Jacob (Evelyne); Philippe Laudenbach (Jean); Cathy Verney (Florence) ; Anna Koch (Régine); Max Tzwangue(Simon); et al. Synopsis: Michèle, a young girl of twenty in search of love, of the ideal, and above all in search of herself. Issues of spirituality and religion. A quest to believe in something God, Buddha, or a thirtytwo-year-old Jewish man named François (Edouard Baer). See Fabienne Boulineau, Pascale Bailly, France-Amérique (9 15 November 2002): 14. See Journal français 24,12 (December 2002): 25; also January 2003: 25. Balasko, Josiane Born in 1950 Un grand cri d amour ( ) Balasko has had considerable suc-

78 80 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS cess in theater and this comedy which she wrote and in which she played the main role was warmly greeted by the Parisian public. She therefore decided in to take it to the screen. Cast: Josiane Balasko, Richard Berry. (Film was presented at the Walter Reade Theater in New York by Balasko herself on March 1998.) Bandrier, Florence Born in Estelle, Ida et Solange (1995, 12 mins.) Synopsis: A village is slipping into ennui; even the café is losing out to television, when along come two young women full of life. They install themselves in the café and make friends with the waitress. Barbosa, Laurence Ferreira Born in 1958 in Versailles. Studied cinema at University of Paris VIII, was casting director for Cédric Kahn s Bar des rails. Les Gens normaux Correct date is This film won the Bronze Leopard at Locamo; the Cyril Collard Prize and the Georges Sadoul prize. Paix et amour (1994; 68 mins.) Synopsis: Two teens dream of revolution and liberty in the Nice of Fabio has no one to talk to; Alain is the new boy in town. They meet and together become involved in rebellion. They bond and become outlaws, until one betrays the other. (Créteil cat. 1995: 53.) J ai horreur de l amour (1996, 134 mins.). La Vie moderne (2000, 120 mins.) Cast: Isabelle Huppert, Frédéric Pierrot, Lolita Chammah, Juliette André. Synopsis: Marguerite, an adolescent high school girl who is having problems typical of her age; Claire, a woman from the provinces who wants to become pregnant and goes to Paris to see a specialist; Jacques, an unemployed man: Three persons who don t know each other and whose destinies will intersect in the Paris metro. Synopsis in French: France-Amérique (20 26 July 2002): 23. Bégéja, Liria Avril brisé (1987) Loin des barbares (1993) Change-moi ma vie (2000) Cast: Fanny Ardant, Sami Bouajila, Roschdy Zem, Fanny Cottençon, Olivier Cruveiller. Synopsis: The odd pairing of an Algerian former marathon runner turned transvestite/prostitute and a former actress recently returned from semi-retirement in Russia leads to questions of identity and sexuality.

79 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 81 Bellon, Yannick Born in Her sister, Loleh Bellon ( ), played in Bellon s Quelque part quelqu un (1972); and collaborated with her on the scenario of Les Enfants du désordre. She also played in Jacques Becker s Casque d or. See listing in Pallister Guide, Colette (1951, 29 mins.) Les Enfants du désordre (1992) Le Souvenir d un avenir (akaremembrance of Things to Come) 2001, 42 mins.) B&W. Co-directed with Chris Marker. A French Short that is the most unforgettable film of any length you will see this year. Elvis Mitchell in the New York Times, quoted in ad for First Run Icarus Films. Belmont, Véra Marquise (1997; 118 mins.) D. Belmont and Jean-François Josselin; adaptation by Belmont and Gérard Mordillat; dialogues by Mordillat; photography: Jean-Marie Dreujou; editing: Martine Giordano. Cast: Sophie Marceau; Bernard Giraudeau (Molière), Lambert Wilson (Racine); Patrick Timsit; Thierry Lhermitte (Louis XIV); et al. Scenario: About seventeenth century theater; authors of the period, love, etc. Part history, part fiction. See Denis Desjardins s Marceau de choix, Séquences 193 (November December) 1997: 51. See Lambert Wilson s Racine et Moi, in Séquences 194 (January/ February 1998): 7. Benguigui, Yamina Inch Allah dimanche (France; 2001, 98 mins.) Took the Prix d Amiens métropole at the Amiens Festival (2001), the International Critics Award at Toronto (2001), the grand prix at Marrakech (2001) and three awards in Arcachon (2001): Meilleur film, prix d interprétation feminine, prix du public. Synopsis: Zouina, her children, and her mother-in-law arrive in gray, chilly northern France from Algeria to join a husband whom she barely knows. As a Muslim woman, Zouina is a virtual slave to her taciturn husband. She is forbidden even to leave the shabby flat except for occasional errands. Illiterate Zouina s terrible isolation is compounded by frequent beatings by her husband; her only happiness comes on Sundays, when she sneaks out of the house to play with her children. This vivid slice of semi-autobiography by Yamina Benguigui might sound grim, but it s wonderfully rich with humor, heart, subtle mid- 70s period detail, a haunting music score and consistently fine performances. The lovely Fejiria Deliba is good as bud-

80 82 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS ding feminist Zouina, and so is Zinedine Soualem as tight-lipped, befuddled Ahmed. French synopsis at: 3mondes.fr/indcine.html Pas d histoires! (Don t Make Trouble!) (2001, 70 mins.) D. with Yves Angelo et al., including Fanta Régina Nacro and Christophe Otzenberger. Scenario: Yves Angelo, Yamina Benguigui including Fanta Régina Nacro, et al. Dist. Funfilm. Synopsis: Twelve short stories about racism in every day life. French synopsis at 3mondes.fr/indcine.html. See Alexis Ducouré s unenthusiastic review in Séquences 220 (juillet/ aoüt 2002): 56. In and of itself this film is not a bad thing: production houses which associate to give voice to young people who feel they are victims of rampant racism. See also Au quotidien: Visit the following sites for Benuigui, among many: oeil.electrique.free.fr/site/ article.php3?articleid N022C06. lm/benguigui.html e.html. Benhaïem, Anne On appelle ça.... le printemps (2000) Solu tu (1998) Bercot, Emmanuelle Born on 6 November, 1967 in Paris. Has acted in a number of films, including: Clément (2001); Une pour toutes (1999); La Classe de neige (1998) La Divine Poursuite (1997); Ragazzi (1991). Has directed: Les Vacances (1997, 18 mins.) Short. Written by Emmanuelle Bercot and Marcia Romano. Cast: Catherine Vinatier (Mother); Isild Le Besco (Melody); with Olivier Marchal, Naguime Bendidi, Michaïl Fitoussi, Alejandra Flichman as Neighbour, Michael Flichman, Frédéric Niedermayer, and Béatrice Talman (Colleague). Le Choix d Elodie ( , 90 mins.) TV. Cast: Isild Le Besco (Elodie); Julie-Marie Parmentier (Anne); Charlotte Véry (Cécile);

81 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 83 Cyrille Thouvenin (Harry); Maria Pitarresi (Claire); Sabrina Seyvecou (Zoë); Avi Sadoun (Arthur). La Puce (1999, 40 mins.) Drama /Short. Cast: Catherine Belkhodja, Léonor Graser, Isild Le Besco (Marion); Jowan Le Besco (Boy); Kolia Litscher; Olivier Marchal (The man); Catherine Vinatier. Scénario sur la drogue (2000) Mystery /Short (segment La Faute au vent ). Directed by Bercot with Diane Bertrand. Cast: Sylvie Testud (segment Lucie ); Yves Verhoeven (segment La Faute au vent / Lucie ); Juliette Meyniac (segment Lucie ); Julie Messéan (segment Lucie ); Nicolas Simon (segment Lucie ); Thibault Rossigneux (segment Lucie ); Olivier Mazan (segment Lucie ); Anne Charrier (segment Lucie ); Stéphane Cottin (segment Lucie ); Samir Guesmi (segment Lucie ); Arianne Mallet (segment Tube d un jour ); Clio Lellouche (segment Tube d un jour ); Laurence Côte (segment Tube d un jour ); Milo Brutillot (segment C est presque terrible ); Michel Chays (segment C est presque terrible ). Clément (2001, mins.) D. and w. by Bercot. Shown in the Un Certain Regard series at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival, where it received the Young Cinema Award. Casting: Kris Portier Debellair; production designer: Eric Barboza; artistic advisor: Guillaume Schiffman. Cast: Olivier Guéritée (Clément); Emmanuelle Bercot (Marion); Kevin Goffette (Benoît); Rémi Martin (Franck); Lou Castel (François); Catherine Vinatier (Aurore); Jocelyn Quivrin (Mathieu); David Saada (Maurice); Eric Chadi (Julien); Yves Verhoeven (Patrick); et al. Summary: A boy in his early teens develops a crush on a grown woman old enough to be his mother, only to discover she is also attracted to him, in this controversial drama. Marion (Emmanuelle Bercot) is a headstrong and free-spirited woman in her early thirties who heads to the seacoast for a short vacation that coincides with the thirteenth birthday of her godson Benoît (Kevin Goffette). Benoît and his friends are just old enough to be enthralled with any conversation involving sex, and Marion humors them by joining in their talks on the beach about the mysteries of women. Marion soon gets to know one of Benoît s friends, Clément (Olivier Gueritee), and the interest between them becomes more than just friendly, and after the two share a kiss on the beach, Clément is obsessed with Marion. While she s unsure about starting a relationship with a boy less than half her age, Marion can t deny her feelings for Clément, and before long she and the youngster are lovers. One night, Clément appears at Marion s doorstep, announcing that he wants to move in with her; Marion isn t sure what to tell the boy, knowing the foolishness of such a move... and soon Clément is crestfallen, certain that Marion no longer cares for him. Mark Deming at allmovie.com.

82 84 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Bertrand, Diane (supplemental info to Pallister Guide 52) Assistant to the mise en scène of Le Bonnier à Romorantin and of Le Baiser de la veuve d Israël Horovitz. Has made several video-clips and advertising films. Golden Dream (co-directed with J. P. Junta) Côté cour (1986) Kankou Moussa (1988) 25 décembre 58, 1h36 (1990, 10 mins.) Synopsis: A child dies following a bicycle fall in a street in Montmartre. Un samedi sur la terre (1996; 95 mins.) Script: Bertrand and Guillaume Laurant; photography: Michel Amathieu; sound: Pierre Excoffier; music: Pascal Comelade; editing: Maryline Monthieux. Cast: Elsa Zylberstein, Eric Caravaca, Johan Leysen, Kent, Agathe Dronne. Bier, Suzanne Freud quitte la maison (1992) Open Hearts ( ) Synopsis: Joachim and Cécilie are engaged; Joachim steps out of his car, is hit, and paralyzed. He does not want Cécilie s visits. Ultimately she finds comfort with one of the doctors in the hospital the husband of the woman who hit Joachim. Birkin, Jane (singer) 3000 scénarios contre virus: segment Je t aime, moi non plus. Birot, Anne-Sophie Les Filles ne savent pas nager (Girls Can t Swim) ( , mins.) Cast: Lise (Karen Alyx); Gwen (Isild Le Besco). First feature-length film for Birot. Synopsis: Portrayal of the painful confusion of adolescence follows two fifteen-year-old girls as they struggle with the changing nature of their friendship, their families, and their emerging sexuality. A friendship develops between Lise and Gwen. But Gwen s rebellious disposition and sexual activity eventually cause a rift that leads to shocking consequences. Available from Facets. French synopsis in Journal français (July 2001: 29). Discussion of film in France-Amérique (8 14 June 2002: 26). Blaché (Guy-Blaché), Alice Before Méliès, she had the idea of using this newly discovered medium cinema to tell stories. She was also the first woman director in the world, and remained so for seventeen years.

83 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 85 French commentary at: not/aliceguy.htm Correction and supplement to Pallister Guide, 52: From Lepage s Lost Garden we learn that Blaché [ ] came to the U.S. in It is also quite clear that the Passion mentioned in Pallister Guide, 54 is not Blaché s Vie du Christ (1906, 30 mins.) B&W; silent, a historic fresco in twenty-five tableaux with a cast of three hundred. (See below.) Blaché acted in many of her own films (see IMDb). Below is a list of 238 French and American films directed by Guy (with dates in reverse chronological order). (Most are taken from the IMDb Guy entry, but reorganized.) French Films Madame a des envies (1906? 1908?, 5 mins.; B&W) (unconfirmed). A pregnant woman, overcome by irrepressible appetites and desires, begins to commit thefts and has all kinds of fantasies (due to her condition, of course!). La Marâtre (1908) (unconfirmed); Questions indiscrètes (1908) (unconfirmed); Fanfan la Tulipe (1907); La Fée Printemps (aka The Spring Fairy) (1906) (USA); Un soulier pour un jambon (1906); La Vie du Christ (aka The Birth, the Life and the Death of Christ; aka La Naissance, la vie et la mort de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ [France: complete title]; aka La Passion (1906). Esmeralda (1905); Rehabilitation (1905); Après lafête (1904); L Assassinat du courrier de Lyon (1904); Comment on disperse les foules (1904); Le Crime de la Rue du Temple (1904); Les Deux Rivaux (1904); Les Enfants du miracle (1904); La Gavotte de la reine (1904); La Leçon de pipeau (1904); L Oiseau envolé (1904); Paris la nuit (1904); Pierrot assassin (1904); Le Pompon malencontreux (1904); Les Apaches pas veinards (1903); Les Aventures d un voyageur trop pressé (1903); Les Braconniers (1903); Cakewalk de la pendule (1903); La Chasse au cambrioleur (1903); Comme on fait son lit on se couche (1903); Comment monsieur prend son bain (1903); Compagnons de voyage encombrants (1903); Enlèvement en automobile et mariage précipité (1903); Faust et Méphistophéles (1903); Le Fiancé ensorcelé (1903); Illusionniste renversant (1903); Jocko musicien (1903); Le Liqueur du couvent (1903); Lutteurs américains (1903); La Main du professeur Hamilton ou le roi des dollars(1903); Modelage express (1903); La Mouche (1903); Ne bougeons plus (1903); Nos bons étudiants (1903); Potage indigeste (1903); La Poule fantaisiste (1903); Répétition dans un cirque (1903); Secours aux naufragés (1903); Service précipité (1903); Les Surprises de l affichage (1903); La Valise enchantée (1903); Le Voleur sacrilège (1903); Les Chiens savants (1902); Les Clowns (1902); La Cour des miracles (1902); Danse excentrique (1902); Danse fantaisiste (1902); Danse mauresque (1902); La Dent recalcitrante (1902); En Faction (1902); Les

84 86 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Farces de cuisinière (1902); La Fiole enchantée (1902); Fruits de saison (1902); La Gavotte (1902); La Gigue (1902); Le Lion savant (1902); Les Malabares, acrobats (1902); Le Marchand de ballons (1902); Le Pommier (1902); Pour secouer la salade (1902); La Première Gamelle(1902); Quadrille réaliste (1902); Sage-femme de première classe (1902) ;Trompé mais content (1902); Une scène en cabinet particulier vue à travers le trou de la serrure (1902); A Peculiar Cabinet; akaun cabinet particulier [France: short title)]. L Équilibriste (1902); Charmant froufrou (1901); Danses basques (1901); Frivolité (1901); Hussards et grisettes (1901); Lavatory moderne (1901); Lecture quotidienne (1901); Pas de colombine (1901); Scène d amour (1901); Scène d ivresse (1901); Tel est pris qui croyait prendre (1901); Les Vagues (1901); L Angélus (1900); L Arléquine (1900); Arrivée de Pierette et Pierrot (1900); Avenue de l opéra (1900); Badinage (1900); Bataille de boules de neige (1900); Le Bébé (1900); Chez le Maréchal-Ferrant (1900); Chez le photographe (1900); Chirurgie fin de siècle (1900); La Concierge (1900); Coucher d une Parisienne (1900); Dance de l ivresse (1900); Dans les coulisses (1900); La Danse des saisons (1900); Danse du papillon (1900); Danse du pas des foulards par des almées (1900); La Danse du ventre (1900); Danse du voile (1900); Danse serpentine (1900); Déclaration d amour (1900); Départ d Arlequin et de Pierette (1900); La Fée aux choux, ou la naissance des enfants (1900); Gavotte directoire (1900); Guillaume Tell (1900); L Habanera (1900); Le Lapin (1900); Leçon de danse (1900); Little Tich et ses Big Boots (1900); Le Marchand de coco (1900); Le Matelot (1900); Mort d Adonis (1900); Pas de grâce (1900); Pas des éventails (1900); Pas du poignard (1900); Pas Japonais (1900); La Paysanne (1900); La Petite Magicienne (1900); Le Polichinelle (1900); La Poupée noire(1900); La Reine des jouets (1900); Retour des champs (1900); Le Sang d Adonis donnant naissance à la rose rouge (1900); Saut humidifié de M. Plick (1900); La Source (1900); Suite de la danse (1900); La Tarentelle (1900); Uneragededents(1900); Valse directoire (1900); Valse lente (1900); L Écossaise (1900); Au cabaret (1899); L Aveugle (1899); La Bonne Absinthe (1899); Le Chiffonnier (1899); Courte Echelle (1899); Le Crucifiement (1899); Les Dangers de l alcoolisme (1899); La Descente de croix (1899); Le Déjeuner des enfants (1899); Erreur judiciaire (1899); Monnaie de lapin (1899); Mésaventure d un charbonnier (1899); La Résurrection (1899); Le Tondeur de chiens (1899); Le Tonnelier (1899); Transformations (1899); Un lunch (1899); Le Chemin de croix (1898); La Crèche à Bethléem (1898); La Cène (1898); Déménagement à la cloche de bois (1898); L Entrée àjérusalem (1898); Les Farces de Jocko (1898); La Flagellation (1898); La Fuite en Égypte (1898); Le Jardin des oliviers (1898); Je vous y prrrrends! (1898); Jésus devant Pilate (1898); Leçons de boxe (1898); Scène d escamotage (1898); L Arroseur arrosé (1897); Au réfectoire (1897); L Aveugle (1897); Baignade dans le torrent (1897); Ballet libella (1897); Les Cambrioleurs (1897); Chez le magnétiseur (1897); En Classe (1897); Le Cocher de fiacre endormi (1897); Coucher d Yvette (1897); Danse

85 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 87 fleur de lotus (1897); Idylle (1897); Idylle interrompue (1897) ; Leçon de danse (1897); LePlantonducolonel(1897); Le Pêcheur dans le torrent (1897); Une nuit agitée (1897). La Fée aux choux (1896) Supplement to La Fée aux choux (20 mètres de pellicule en 60 millimètres; 1 minute 30) (See Pallister Guide, ) Synopsis: The first fiction film in the world, filmed at Belleville at the end of summer, A fairy appears in the vegetable garden and offers some newborns that she gets from the cabbages to a young couple, who choose one of them. Says Guy-Blaché herself: I would exaggerate if I told you it is a masterpiece, but the public wasn t sophisticated, the actors were young and nice, and the film was successful enough to permit me to continue making films. After a year or two, the success was such and the earnings so substantial, that the administrative counsel decided to have a studio constructed. (From Autobiographie.) La Mauvaise Soupe (date unknown) Les Méfaits d une tête de veau (date unknown) American Films Charlie Chaplin Festival (1938); Vampire (1920); Tarnished Reputations (1920) (as Alice Blaché); The Great Adventure (1918); Behind the Mask (1917) (as Alice Blaché); When You and I Were Young (1917) (as Alice Guy Blaché); House of Cards (1917) (as Alice Guy Blaché); A Man and the Woman (1917) (as Alice Blaché); The Empress (1917) (as Alice Guy Blaché); The Adventurer (1917). The Ocean Waif (1916, 5 reels, USA) B&W. Uncredited; yet some sources say Directed by Alice Guy-Blaché. International Film Service Company, Incorporated (Golden Eagle Features brand) production; distributed by International Film Service Company, Incorporated. Produced by Herbert Blaché. From a story by Frederick Chapin. Cinematography by John Haas, 1 November 1916, by International Film Service, Incorporated [LP10284]. 2 Released November 1916./Standard 35mm spherical 1.37:1 format. Cast: Carlyle Blackwell (Ronald Roberts); Doris Kenyon (Millie Jessop); William Morse (Hy Jessop); Fraunie Fraunholz (Sem); Lyn Donaldson (Beatrice); August Burmester, Edgar Norton. [Print exists in the Library of Congress film archive.] What Will People Say? (1916); My Madonna (1915) (as Alice Blaché); The Song of the Wage Slave (1915) (as Alice Blaché) ; The Vampire (1915/I) (as Alice Blaché); The Heart of a Painted Woman (1915) (as Alice Guy-Blaché); Beneath the Czar (1914) (as Alice Blaché); The Dream Woman (1914) (as Alice Blaché); The Tigress (1914) (unconfirmed); The Lure (1914); The Woman of Mystery (1914)

86 88 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS (as Alice Blaché); The Monster and the Girl (1914) (as Alice Blaché); Dick Whittington and His Cat (1913) (unconfirmed); The Little Hunchback (1913); The Pit and the Pendulum (1913); ATerrible Night (1913); Shadows of the Moulin Rouge (1913) (as Alice Blaché); The Rogues of Paris (1913) (as Alice Blaché). Matrimony s Speed Limit (1913, 14 mins.; uncredited) Cast: Fraunie Fraunholz and Marian Swayne. AHouseDivided(1913; uncredited); TheFaceattheWindow (1912); In the Year 2000 (1912); Mignon (1912); Phantom Paradise (1912); Playing Tramps (1912); A Fool and His Money (1912); Making an American Citizen (1912; uncredited); The Blood Stain (1912); Fra Diavolo (1912). Algie the Miner (1912) A late American film; uncredited. Cast: Billy Quirk. Synopsis: Algie Allmore has one year to prove he s a man in order to wed Harry Lyons s daughter. Canned Harmony (1911) (unconfirmed); A Child s Sacrifice (1911; unconfirmed); The Cure (1911; unconfirmed); The Doll (1911); Falling Leaves (1911; unconfirmed); Five O Clock Tea (1911; unconfirmed); His Mother s Hymn (1911; unconfirmed); The Little Rangers (1911; unconfirmed); Road Leads Home (1911; unconfirmed); Rose of the Circus (1911); The Sewer (1911; unconfirmed); The Violin Maker of Nuremberg (1911). For futher information on Guy, see the internet; there are many entries for her. Especially excellent coverage of Guy-Blaché on the internet: Texte et illustration de VAM; article publié dans les Cahiers du féminisme N 71/ ; illustration parue dans l Agenda Femmes d Europe 1992 Editions ACID. Blondy, Sophie Elle et lui, au 14ème étage. (1999, 1 hr. 26 mins.) B&W. Scenario by Sophie Blondy; photography: Renaud Chassaing; sound: Murielle Damain; music: Jam Ba; editing: Eric Armbruster; production: Le Poisson volant; distribution: Mondo Films. Cast: Sophie Blondy, Paul Tang, Guillaume Depardieu, Bass Dhem, Tara Römer, John Berry, Zoltan Mayer. Synopsis: Set in Amiens, lit by Christmas wreaths. Babeth is still in love with Rémi, who works at night for a local newspaper, paints during the day, and is very uncommunicative. Babeth loses her job: My life has to change, and where will I begin? Sabine, her best friend, falls in love with Rodolphe and drops Babeth. Then there is Michel,

87 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 89 the neighbor who never chooses: If there s no work, it isn t my fault. Babeth is considering leaving Amiens. She dreams of Paris as if anything is possible there. Arthur will try to keep her from going, but she will leave. From the French synopsis given in the 2000 Créteil catalog, 102. Boriès, Claudine Juliette du côté des hommes (1981, 52 mins.)16 mm color. Synopsis: Men speak of tendrness, which is usually something men want to hide. Portrait imaginaire de Gabriel Boriès (1984, 58 mins.) Synopsis: Revolves around the image of the director s father. Saint-Denis, roman (1987, 50 mins.) Synopsis: A writer moves into St. Denis, where he is inpsired to write a story. Bondy Nord, c est pas la peine qu on pleure (1994, 33 mins.) Synopsis: Life in a parisian suburb in the winter of See: 2d704.html?Num Auteur209 Bottaro, Caroline Wrote full length scenarios: C est la vie (2000) d. by Jean-Pierre Améris; Les aveux de l Innocent (1996) d. by Jean- Pierre Améris; Le Bateau de mariage (1993) d. by Jean-Pierre Améris. Director of: La Mère (1995, 15 mins.) Scenario: Caroline Bottaro. Production: Perla films Vente à l étranger: Perla films. Cast: Nathalie Baye, Claude Winter, Gérard Séty. Synopsis: A woman goes back home with her two little boys to live with her parents. Their life will always be topsy-turvy from now on. Boyer, Myriam (Sometimes credited as Muriel Boyer) Born on 23 May 1948 in Lyon, Rhône, France. Has acted in many films, most recently in: Jalousie (2001/I) (TV); Paranoia (2001) (TV); T aime (2000); La Mère Christain (1998), and notably in Un cœur en hiver (1992); Tous les matins du monde (1991); Trop belle pour toi (1989); Golden Eighties (1986); Le Vieux Pays où Rimbaud est mort (1977). She has been the producer or delegate producer for La Mère Christain (1998) and Le Voyage à Paimpol (1985). Boyer has made numerous guest appearances in TV movies. La Mère Christain (1998, 90 mins.) This film was presented at the fifty-fifth Mostra de Venise. Scenario, dialogues: Myriam Boyer; photography: Dominique Chapuis; music: Roland Romanelli; editing: Claudine Merlin, Marie de la Selle; sound: Henri Roux. Production: Ciné 9 Productions, Myriam Boyer, Canal. Distribution: Cipa.

88 90 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Cast: Myriam Boyer (La Mère Christain); Bruno BoÎglin (Riri); Marilyne Even (Margot); Clovis Cornillac (Ziquet); Lorraine Bouchet (Gigi); Philippe Vincent (Monsieur Jean); Gérard Mignot (Mignot); Michel Meyrieux (Le marinier). Synopsis: La Mère Christain is the name of the bistro in Ouillins, near Lyon where my father used to go in the 50s... My aim was to show the day-to-day life of people I d met in the past. Simple people dressed in floral smocks are often the object of ridicule: I wanted to give them back some beauty. Post-war France weighed down by its grief, bitterness and mysteries. A little out-of-the-way café, dilapidated but cozy, near a riverside port in Lyon. Its owner, Mère Christain, is a woman marked by her age and years of toil, oppressed by the unexplained death of her child: Who made her fall into the coal cellar, and why? And what if the killer were hiding among her customers... whom Mère Christain thinks she knows like the back of her hand? Tr. from the French of the following site. Synopsis in French at cine3/cornillac/97merechristain.htm. Brandström, Charlotte Un couple modèle The Necklace The Traveller (1982) Comedy. AFI Productions, Los Angeles. Un été d orages (1989) Une Ferrari pour deux D une femme à l autre (1993, 90 mins.) Cast: Carole Bouquet, Christopher Walken, Jonathan Pryce. Ils n ont pas vingt ans TV Film. Drôle de père (1997) Téléfilm. telef ilmsfrancaisd/droledepere.htm Le Papa de Léo (1998) TV Film. Braoudé, Guila Wife of Patrick Braoudé for whom she has served as assistant director on three films featured at VCU French Film Festivals. Mère agitée (aka Full-Time Job) (1998) Director Guila Braoudé; photography Philippe Pavans. Films Alain Sarde; Distributor: Frenetic Films. Cast: Elsa Zylberstein, Frederic Diefenthal, Patrick Braoudé and Alain Bashung. First feature-length work for Guila Braoudé. Filmed in Strasbourg. Synopsis: Mère agitée follows Eva, a twenty-four-year-old architect on the fast track with no time for a husband or family. After collaps-

89 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 91 ing at the juried design competition for a new hospital in Strasbourg, Eva finds herself caught between family and career when the project begins after a five-year funding delay. Synopsis in French: 93/6.html Je veux tout (1999, 1hr. 40 mins.) Dramatic Comedy. Cast: Elsa Zylberstein, Frédéric Diefenthal, Alain Bashung, Elisabeth Vitali, Sonia Vollereaux. Synopsis: Eva had never imagined a life with a husband and children. Yet today she is in the thick of it: she loves, she nurses, she pets, she cooks. And suddenly, a great professional challenge arises. But she doesn t want to choose: she wants everything : work, love, children, sex and all the rest. Synopsis in French at Same Synopsis: AlloCiné. Breillat, Catherine Born on 13 July, 1948 in Bressuire, Breillat moved to Paris when seventeen. From 1975 through 2002 she has written twenty-four and has acted in three films. In 1975, she directed her first film, Une vraie jeune fille, and the following year collaborated on David Hamilton s Bilitis. [She is the author of L Homme facile (May 1968), and also of Le Soupirail,orUne vraie jeune fille (Denoël: 2000). The latter has been made into a film. She is also the author of Le Soupirail.] Biography in French: Raphaël Gaillarde/Flach Film. Une vraie jeune fille (A Real Young Girl) (1975; 2000, 93 mins.) Cast Charlotte Alexandra. This first film was originally banned for twenty years in France. Available from Movies Unlimited; also from Facets. Synopsis: A young girl, home from boarding school, becomes bored and begins to focus on her sexuality, leading to an obsession with her father s employee. Facets Features (Winter, 2002: 6): Made in 1975, this first feature from Catherine Breillat... went unreleased for twenty-five years, considered too explicit for art film venues and too adventurous for the pornography circuit. A Real Young Girl walks a fine line between realism and voyeurism with this graphic portrayal of a teenage girl s sexual awakening. While often erotic, the film also explores uncomfortable aspects of sexuality and includes some unsettling montages. The film is the same, but public attitudes have advanced, Breillat said. Now we ll see if viewers dismiss it as porn, or go beyond the images to the emotions and reflection they provoke.

90 92 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS See Créteil catalogue 2001: 91 92; 94 for discussion in French and stills. Tapage nocturne (1979; mins.) Cast: Dominique Laffin, Marie-Hélène Breillat, Bertrand Bonvoisin, Joe Dallesandro, Dominique Basquin, Gérard Lanvin. Synopsis: Solange... a metteuse en scène and the mother of a little girl... lives with her husband with whom she no longer makes love except episodically. Attached to a bisexual actor, she continues to have one amorous experience after the other. Then at the home of some friends she meets Bruno, a director, with whom she falls in love. In a sordid maid s chamber they play at first time until the rupture which is not long in transforming this idyll into a desperate love story. 36 Fillette (supplementary information): aka Virgin (1988). Available at Movies Unlimited; also at Facets. A propos de Nice, la suite (Aux Niçois qui mal y pensent) (1995) Parfait amour (Perfect Love) (Supplementary information to Pallister Guide, 56) ( ; 113 mins.) D., scripted by Breillat; photography: Laurent Dailland; sound: Jean Minondo; editing: Agnès Gullemot. Cast: Isabelle Renauld; Francis Renaud; Laura Saglio; Alain Soral; Delphine de Malherbe, Coralie Gegenbach. Synopsis: Dunkerque, an austere and mysterious city, is a port that is propitious to love trysts. A love story about Fred, a thirtyseven-year-old divorcée with two children, and Christophe, twentyeight. At first Fred is surprised, but she winds up believing in their story. Then life takes over; another personality in the man springs to the surface; he is egotistical, tormented, somewhat à la dérive. She suffers from this; yet their relationship takes on an eternal quality. Créteil cat. 1997: 103. Available from Movies Unlimited. Si je t aime prends garde à toi (Breillat collaborated on scenario of this film.) Romance (1999; 1 hr. 35 mins.; Ebert: 103 mins.) Written by Breillat; photography: Yoros Arvanitis; editing: Agnès Guillemot; music: DJ Valentin and Raphaël Tidas; decor.: Frédérique Belvaux. Cast: Caroline Ducey (Marie), Rocco Siffredi (Paolo), Sagamore Stevenin (Paul) and François Berléand (Robert). Scenario has been published: Paris: Cahiers du Cinéma, Synopsis: The story of a young woman and her sexual fantasies. Explicit sexual imagery, says the Walter Reade Theater program. explicit is hardly the word! (jlp) See a quite negative review by Gérard Guillot, Romance, la chair

91 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 93 est triste au cinéma! France-Amérique April 1999: 17; but note that in his quote Guillot confuses Mallarmé with Rimbaud. See also interview in Journal français (October 1999): See Séquences 204 (September/October 1999): for a piece on Breillat and this film. See Ruth Hottell and Lynsey Russell-Watts, Catherine Breillat s Romance and the Female Spectator: From Dream-work to Therapy. Esprit Créateur (Fall 2002): Roger Ebert, in his review of Romance, treats the fantasy element at the heart of the film, emphasizing Marie s confusion about sex and her analytical approach to her relationships. He also recognizes that Romance is so analytical that you sometimes get the feeling Marie is putting herself through her sexual encounters simply to get material for her journal. (Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.: Re Romance see Salon.com, Salon Arts & Entertainment: Tainted Love by Cynthia Joyce at /09/17/breillat/ Amasœur! (Fat Girl) ( ; 93 mins.) D. & script by Breillat; photography: Yorgos Arvantis; editing: Pascale Chavance; sound: Jean Minondo; decor: François Renaud Labarthe; costumes: Catherine Meillan. Cast: Anaïs Reboux (Anaïs); Roxane Mesquida (Elena); Libero de Rienzo (Fernando); Arsinée Khanjian (la mère); Romain Goupil (le père); Laura Betti (la mère de Fernando); Albert Goldberg (le 7. A ma sœur. Catherine Breillat. Courtesy Catherine Breillat.

92 94 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS tueur). Prod. Jean-François Lepetit; dist. by Alliance Atlantis Vivafilm. Synopsis: Unpleasant tale of sexual power games between two adolescent sisters the elder, slender and promiscuous; the younger, overweight and sullen. Surprise ending said by Dominique Pellerin to be violent. See her review of A ma sœur! in Séquences 216 (November/December 2001): 44. Pellerin finds that the film suffers from a heavy didactic pretension. SeeMonicaHaïm, De retour de Rotterdam et de Berlin, Séquences 213 (May/June 2001): 30. See Jean Vallier, Dans l intimité de la sexualité adolescente, in France-Amérique (20 26 October 2001): 17. Gives résumé in French and very positive appreciation. See critiques at Internet Movie Database. Official French Site Toronto International Film Festival Profile. moviefone.com. In his review of this film, Roger Ebert stresses the pain and clumsiness that are often found in early sexual experiences and their manifestation in the film. He discusses the free will of the director in choosing a brutal conclusion, adding: perhaps only with this ending could Anais cold, hard, sad logic be so unforgivingly demonstrated. See Fat Girl for whole review by Roger Ebert in Chicago Sun- Times, November 23, Brève Traversée (2001, mins.) TV film: dans le cadre de la collection Masculin/Féminin sur Arte Directed by Breillat. Cast: Sarah Pratt (Alice); Gilles Grippon (Thomas). Synopsis: A brief love story between a thirty-year-old English woman and a fifteen-year-old French adolescent that unfolds during a short ferry crossing between Saint-Malo and Portsmouth. They spend the evening together. At the bar, Alice drinks a bit too much and begins to speak to Thomas in a provocative manner. They wind up spending the night together. After Alice has disappeared, Thomas meets her in a parking lot in the arms of her husband, surrounded by her children. Thomas, who has come to England to study English, discovers that Alice is his professor. French synopsis at: 2258&lang fr See also: hebdo_01.htm. SeX Is Comedy (2002, 92 mins.) Shown at the Cannes film festival, opened May 16, Synopsis and commentary: cyberpress.ca: SeX is comedy, l auto-

93 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 95 portrait de Catherine Breillat, by Marie-Thérèse Delboulbes (Agence France-Presse) Cannes: Jeanne is having lots of trouble instilling a little passion in her two actors, Grégoire Colin and the young Roxane Mesquida (À ma sœur!) who must kiss each other, stretched out on a beach, though it is freezing cold. No current passes through them. The directress is as apprehensive as they about the scene in which Roxane loses her virginity. To avoid a film flop, the actor is given a prosthetic penis of a sufficiently impressive size as to give the impression of a real erection. Pulver, The Guardian: Emotion is neither dirty nor obscene, exclaims Jeanne, the fictional film director in Catherine Breillat s latest offering, which opened the Director s Fortnight at Cannes. It s grace. Grace, pronounced with that flat French a, seems to refer to some ineffable state of overpowering holiness, in which all bourgeois pettiness must be swept away and modesty and reticence are frowned upon... Despite one or two moments of teeth-grinding pretension, Breillat keeps things fairly straightforward, avoiding the trap of the director-as-moody-sphinx that so many films of this type fall into. But... SeX Is Comedy... is pretty minor stuff compared with her more celebrated achievements. Review by Andrew Pulver: The Guardian (Saturday 18 May, 2002) Critique in French: internet: Anatomie de l enfer (aka Pornocratie) (2002) Catherine Breillat s latest film is a huis clos between a man (homosexual) and a woman. Cast: Rocco Siffredi and Amira Casar. This huis clos is the subject of a sexually explicit book by Catherine Breillat: Pornocratie (Paris: Editions Denoël, 143 pages, 89 francs/13,57 euros). Synopsis: In these places people are next to each other without meeting. Here the music dictates the pressure of bodies. He dances, his glance turned in on himself. He does not look at her; he is too busy melting his body into the primordial hydra made up of men s bodies. They are all beautiful; each aspires only to recognizing himself in the other s beauty. She is the girl; she is dressed in black so young and already dressed in mourning for herself. In the toilet, she takes a razor and cuts her wrist. That s when they meet. From then on she wields the power of victims over him. She will pay the price necessary for him to look at her, there where she is not to be looked at. For women s obscenity is the product of men s glances. She has chosen him because he does not like women. Out of this meeting, desire and the murderous hatred that accompanies desire are born. Hollywood (Zap2it.com): According to Variety, Breillat closed the Portugal set of Anatomie de l enfer in order to avoid any interference

94 96 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS by those concerned with her choice of themes. The film is Breillat s tenth feature. Production was set to wrap in February, with the film debuting at the Cannes film festival in NWCN.com (Production started on 11 December, 2002; Status Updated: 03 January 2003.) Discussion by M-C.H. at: article_gen_carticle html Information in French at: gen_cfilm html Use to obtain the scenario in French. Note: Catherine Breillat s Anatomy of Hell shared the best feature film award with Ferenc Toth s Unknown Soldier at the 2004 Philadelphia Film Festival. See: Deux films pour Catherine Breillat from Tournages,13 Février 2001 (AlloCiné): Catherine Breillat is very busy. The director of Romance... is working on two new films: Scènes intimes makingit and Pornocratie. See interview in French: Fabienne Boulineau, Catherine Breillat, sulfureuse et prédatrice. France-Amérique (22 28 November 2003: 14). There is an enormous amount of information regarding Breillat on the internet. Breitman, Zabou Born 30 October 1959 in Paris. A well-known actress (see Kurys, La Baule-les-Pins, and Serreau, La Crise). See the site, allocine.fr, for more biographic details. Se souvenir des belles choses (France, 2002, 106 mins.) Took three César awards in Cast includes: Isabelle Carré and Bernard Lecoq. Synopsis: Nathalie takes her sister, Claire, to a center for amnesiacs, called Aux écureuils. (Claire was struck by lightning and is suffering slight memory problems.) A few years earlier their own mother had been in this hospital, and died at an early age from Alzheimer s disease. There Claire meets Philippe, who lost his memory after an automobile accident. Philippe and Claire fall in love; she will give him a gift her memory. Official site: Breton, Pascale Has collaborated with Corsini on the writing of Les Amoureux ( ; 90 mins.); also wrote for Corsini s La Répétition (2001, 96 mins.). Best known for her excellent Short films.

95 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 97 Comment guérir? (2001) Full length film, produced by Les Films du Poisson. La Huitième Nuit (1995, 38 mins.) Prizes at Angers and Clermont- Ferrand; Grand Prix, Prix de la Première Œuvre au festival du courtmétrage (festival of Shorts) de Clermont Ferrand Photography: Pascale Sautelet; sound: Béatrice Pilorge; editing: Gilles Volta. Gloria Films Production. Cast: Arnold Barkus, Sarah Haxaire, Mohamed Nadif. Synopsis: Edwin, a young American in Paris, earns his living as a translator. Through a case of mistaken identity and with the promise of a big salary, he finds himself with a manuscript in Arabic to be translated within a week. He desperately looks for help. French synopsis at: rdoc/find?crita PILORGE&aur_offset_rec 2 La Réserve (1998, 35 mins.) Short. France/Collection Adami. Scenario: Pascale Breton; music: Batiscaphe; photography: Nils Decoster and Jean Charles Cameau; editing: Rose Evans-Decraene; production: Fidélité Productions, Olivier Delbosc, 13 rue Etienne Marcel, Paris, tél , fax Cast: Vincent Branchet (Klaus), Jean-Pierre Dougnac, Sarah Haxaire. Synopsis: Klaus, nineteen and penniless, gets a job in a business establishment. He soon has the feeling of belonging to a family. But one question remains unanswered: what is sold in this shop? Synopsis in French at: 98Reserve.htm. Critique in French: Libération du Article by Didier Péron fiybd at: La Chambre des parents I: Un ex-amour (2001, 7 mins.) Written by Breton. Cinematography: Emmanuelle Collinot; sound: Paulin Sagna. Cast: Samuel Perche, Juliette Poissonnier, Vincent Branchet. Synopsis: A girl catches her brother looking at a porno video. Les Filles du Douze (aka Les Filles du 12; Girls on the Other End) (2000, mins.) Nominated for a César for best Short (2002). Grand prix du festival de Brest, sélectionné à Belfort, Vendôme, Clermont-Ferrand, Pantin. Written by Pascale Breton. Cast: Catherine Hosmalin (Bea); Mélanie Leray (Plume); Marie-Pierre Neskovic (Rosen); Christelle Kerdavid (Cindy); Christine Vézinet (Mado); Alain Minier (Jean-Mich ); Samuel Dupuy (Sam); Cédric Hingouët (Yann); Gilles Tatibouët (Ben, le maître-nageur). Synopsis: A game of snakes and ladders around Lorient harbor, or how twelve lonely telephonists settle their scores with men. For the young Cindy, who has recently arrived from Paris, Plume is a model

96 98 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS of freedom, up until the day when she discovers that Plume protects herself so much from love because she has had her fingers burnt in the past. Cendrillon à l envers (2001; 5 mins.) Un nouvel amour (2002?) Brian, Eve Born in 1966; studied at the Arts Décoratifs in Nice while also studying literature. She has been a free-lance journalist and also worked on settings for the theater. She has scripted two television films. La Vie est brutale (1995, 18 mins.) A thirty-year-old man lives with his mother; they are suffocating one another. Then a motorcyclist comes into the mother s life. Buñuel, Joyce (Sherman) or Bunuel. Born in Correction: Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick give title Airport, ici de secours for Aéroport, issue de secours (1982). Silent Woman (1982) Dose mortel (1993) Sans mentir (France, 1996) Scenario: Emmanuèle Bernheim and Serge Bramly. Cast: Robin Rinks, Maria de Madras, Xavier Roth Mann, Cécile Auclert. Salsa (aka Salsa!. ) (1999; appeared 2000, 100 mins.) France/Spain. Written by Joyce Buñuel and Jean-Claude Courier; production: Vertigo M6 Films Universal Aïssa Djabri et al; scenario: Jean- Claude Carrière and Joyce Sherman; photography: Javier Aguirressarobe; music: Jean-Marie Senia. Cast: Croatian Gout (Natalie); Vincent Lecœur (Rémi); Alexis Valdés (Félipe); Elisa Maillot (Françoise); Aurora Basnuevo (La Goya); Estéban Socrates Cobas Puente (Barreto); Naím Thomas (Stéphane); Pierre-Arnaud Juin (Jean-Charles); et al. Synopsis: At age 24, Rémi Bonnet, brilliant pianist, abandons Chopin and Toulouse to play the music he has secretly loved for years Salsa! He heads for Paris, the salsa capital of Europe, only to discover to his great surprise, that nobody wants a white boy in a Latin band! Felipe, his Cuban friend, sets him straight: You don t have the Latino look, muchacho! Today, if you are not Cubano or Columbiano, you are out!. Undaunted, Rémi deliberately takes on the identity, accent and complexion of an unemployed alien in a city where most foreigners will do almost anything to become French. Barreto, seventy-five, the legendary Cuban composer, who is about to close down the once famous Casa Cubana, offers Rémi a job giving dance lessons to the locals. It is here that Rémi falls in love with Natalie. Her family s secrets and lies reveal parental links to Barreto. Do

97 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 99 these links explain why this shy beauty ought to be a bomb on the dance floor? Summary written by GMeleJr (IMDb). Single again (5 December 2001 shooting started). Une comédie romantique. Cast: Maria de Madras, Fanny Cottençon, and Assumpta Serna. Cabrera, Dominique Born 21 December 1957 in Relizane, Algeria. Documentaries and themes of Algeria. (Documentaries will be treated in the forthcoming guide to documentarians.) L Art d aimer (1985, 15 mins.) Co-directed with Michael Lonsdale. Synopsis: A meeting by a clerk and a young photographer in the Garden of the Tuileries. Raymond, very self-involved since his wife has left him, is able through the confidences he shares, to free himself from his past and to find love. French synopsis at: De l autre côté de la mer (1997, 89 mins.) Shown at MOMA, April, Cast: Claude Brasseur, Roschdy Zem, and Marthe Villalonga Synopsis: The painful relationships of Algerians, on the two sides of the Mediterranean Sea, caught in the torment of the postcolonial era. The story concerns Georges Montero, a pied-noir industrialist born in Algeria, who chose to remain in the country after the 1962 independence. He comes to France for the first time in his life to have a cataract operation; but the surgeon is a Beur (i.e., a North African born in France to immigrant parents) who has intentionally cut himself off from his Algerian roots and refuses to play the game of blind solidarity with his compatriots in exile. Cabrera comes from the school of documentary film. This first full-length fictional feature is a great success, dramatically very strong, thanks in particular to the acting of Claude Brasseur, who embodies the main role with an authenticity long associated with him. Taken from France-Amérique (18 24 April 1998): 15. Retiens la nuit (1998) TV Version of: Nadia et les Hippopotames (1999, 100 mins.) Synopsis: A realistic, almost documentary, slice of life from the November-December 1995 strikes..., the film portrays various points of view of the problems/issues. Additionally, the cast members (including Ariane Ascaride, made famous by Marius et Jeannette) perform admirably and naturally, giving the spectator the impression of having lived the month when Paris stood still along with the various players in that drama. (Hottell see bibliography). Le Lait de la tendresse humaine (2000, 95 mins. Release date: 19 September 2001). Cast: Patrick Bruel, Marilyne Canto, Bruno Salva-

98 100 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS dor, Antoine Bonnaire, Nour Gana, Dominique Blanc, Sergi Lopez, Mathilde Seigner, Olivier Gourmet, Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi. Synopsis: One day, overcome with panic, a woman named Christelle flees her baby and her home. Troubled, her husband looks everywhere for her, asking father, mother, sister, friends about her. Days go by and no one knows where she is. But Christelle is very near; a neighbor woman living beneath her has rescued her and is taking care of her. Cahen, Judith (supplement to Pallister Guide, 57) Born in Paris in She worked in theater, studied philosophy, made films in super- 8, documentary videos and finally decided to be a director. A pupil of FEMIS (France s National Film School), she has directed several Shorts as well as La Croisade. Féconder l invisible: trois donneurs de sperme (1990) Pour faire un enfant (1991) C est rien, c est mon père (1991) Narcisse (1992) Queue de poisson (1993) Strictement fotinguesque (1995) La Croisade d Anne Buridan (1994, 95 mins.) Synopsis: A film that is based on a survey style starts by asking questions regarding politics to try to see how young people feel; it slides progressively into desire and questions/answers that make up the view of the world of today s generation. Received several prizes at the Dunkerque Festival and also the Grand prize at the Poitiers Festival. (Créteil cat., 1997) La Révolution sexuelle n a pas eu lieu ( ) Written by Santiago H. Amigorena. Cast: Jean-Louis Loca, Judith Cahen, Alberto Sorbelli, Eva Husson. Synopsis: Nearly thirty years old, Anne Buridan does not have one minute to lose. Convinced that her life cannot continue like this, in tumult and confusion, she wants to put order in it. She goes into isolation in her home, so as to devote herself to her machine, manufactured from her computer. See discussion in French at: /htm/revosex.htm. See also Calle, Sophie Born in Faux Fuyants (1983) No Sex Last Night (1996)

99 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 101 Candas, Viviane L Estaque (1994) About modern painting. Les Baigneuses (2003, 1 hr.23 mins.) Long-métrage in which Ann Gisel Glass, the new heroine of France 3, plays a strip-teaser. Shown at Créteil Synopsis: Six women work in a peep show for a harsh boss and his cameras. One day a strange client arrives who claims to be the father of one of these women. Carrière, Christine Former student of FEMIS (France s National Film School), where she studied cinema. Prior to Rosine, several Shorts (fictional and documentary). Rosine (1994; 100 mins.) Listed in Pallister Guide, 57; further details provided here from Créteil cat. 1995: 107. See also cat. 1997: 95. D. & scripted by Carrière; photography: Christophe Pollock; editing: Raymonde Guyot; sound: Jean Mirondo. Cast: Eloïse Charretier; Mathilde Seigner; Laurent Olmedo; Christine Murillo; Aurélie Mérillon. Producers: Alain Sardo and Bernard Verley. Distributed by Les Films du Losange. Shown at Créteil, 1995; again in Synopsis:The fourteen-year-old Rosine wants to be a chanteuse. She lives alone with her young mother, Marie, who works in a factory and is only thirty. Marie is Rosine s obsession. She loves her deeply but too much. So the roles are reversed: Rosine, too mature, is the mother of the mother, who is too immature, tired, and fragile. Then one day Rosine finds a man in the house, who presents himself as her father. She bears the presence of the man because she loves her mother, but his presence will forever destroy the little girl s life. The environment is minutely described here: daily lives in a working-class city in the north of France where Carrière lived as a child. But for this director, the physical and social environment does not reveal everything about human relationships, especially the monstrous gesture of the father. The characters appear and disappear with their secret. Mais qui donc là-haut plume la lune? ( ) Often found under this title: Mais qui donc là-haut plume la lune?; but Créteil Cat. 2001: 107 gives: Qui plume la lune? (1999; 102 mins.) (As do Fitzpatrick and Fitzpatrick.) Cast includes Jean-Pierre Darroussin. Synopsis: This is the story of a family that tries to keep going, whatever happens. The story, spread over twenty years, involves people who love each other too much. Casabianca, Camille de Thérèse (1986)

100 102 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Après la pluie (1989) Le Fruit de vos entrailles (1989) Octavio (1991) Le Fabuleux Destin de Madame Petlet (1995, 90 mins.) D. & scripted by Casabianca; photography: Patrick Blossier; sound: Nicolas Naegelen and Jean-Paul Loublier; music: Jorge Arriagada; editing: Yann Dedet. Cast: Maïté, Richard Guedj, Eric Seigne, Michèle Laroque, Gérard Hernandez, Jean-Pierre Darroussin. Synopsis: Madame Petlet leaves her husband and goes to Paris, where she finds a job as nanny in the home of a television scriptwriter. The latter, out of ideas and badgered by her woman boss, finds in Madame Petlet a source of inspiration. Vive Nous (2000; 96 mins.) Stars Dieudonné, Michèle Bernier, Camille de Casabianca, Emmanuelle Devos and Daniel Prevost. Synopsis: Three friends remember their former lovers. Annette collects them, but today she is looking for a lasting relationship. Clara is looking for a lover and Valérie seems to be swimming in happiness. Synopsis in French in: France-Amérique (27 July 9 August 2002): 23. (Includes still.) Also found on the Internet. Chabrol, Elsa Born in 1960 in Ajaccio (Corsica). She has directed several Shorts, such as: Home Sweet Home Les Ailes du délire Caralba et Ritornu (Le Retour) Le Rire du bourreau (1998, 26 mins.) Distr.: Elsa Chabrol. Presented at Créteil 2000 in the Réalisatrices de la Méditerranée section. (See 1999 Créteil catalogue: 83). Champetier, Caroline Known as a photographer scénarios contre virus (segment Le Temps du bonheur ) Chazel, Marie-Anne Born in Actress in numerous films from 1978 on, e.g., Bronzés, Les Visiteurs, and Le Père Noël est une ordure. Le Cœur sur la main ( 2001, 10 mins.) Chosen for the international competition of Shorts at Créteil, Synopsis: Max and Olga, who dream of going to the sea, have decided to sell their house. No potential buyer seems to find the house to his liking, no one wants to make up his mind, until the day when a young couple comes to inspect it, very motivated, but not very rich. Description from French: For synopsis in French see 2002 Créteil catalogue: 51.

101 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 103 Chomienne, Caroline Incorrectly listed in Pallister Guide, 57 as Choumien. Fitzpatrick and Fitzpatrick erroneously cite Chomienne as director of only one film. Des lendemains qui chantent (1996, 70 mins.) Cast: Pierre Allio, Julien Gangnet, Alphonse Ghanem, Pascal Mathieu, Élodie Mennegand. Lettre à Ahmat (2001, 40 mins.) Documentary Freestyle (2001 2, mins.) Dramatic Comedy. W. by Chomienne and Ghassan Salhab; photography: Nara Keo Kosal; music: Faf Larage/ Scratches de DJ Rebel; production: Production GH Films/Altermédia; distribution: Movie DA Harpo Films; with Vertu, Rebel, Karim, Cash, Heidi, Mina, Abdel-Kader Attou. Cast: Sista Micky (Vertu); D.J. Rebel (Rebel); K-Rhyme Le Roi(Karim); Faf Larage (Cash); Heidi Becker-Babel (Heidi); Linda Tortoza (Mina); Abdel-Kader Attou(Membre Accrorap); Christophe Roser (Membre Accrorap); Habib Benziane (Accrorap). Synopsis: In Belzunce, a popular quartier of Marseille, rap is a religion. The children give themselves over to hip-hop in order to escape their not always very pleasant daily life. Among them Karim, Rebel, Cash, and their girl friend Vertu try to give a new dimension to their underground group, la Guest Clique. A concert is planned but the preparations are disturbed by Karim s situation. He is having trouble with a drug trafficker for whom he has passed out some drugs. Harrassed by this evildoer, Karim decides to disappear. His three firends go looking for him, in spite of their own personal problems. Based on the following site. Synopsis in French at: m/actualit%8es/sorties/free.html And additional information in French in (Cahiers du cinéma,june 2002: 88). See also: Sorties/free.html Citti, Christine Sister of Marc Citti. As an actress has appeared in many films, such as Madame Sans-Gêne (2002) (TV); Les Enquêtes d Eloïse Rome (2001) TV Series; Un coeur oublié (2001) (TV); L Amour sur un fil (2000) (TV); La Double Vie de Jeanne (2000) (TV); Le Cœur à l ouvrage (2000); L Envol (2000); Petite Sœur (2000) (TV); Victoire, ou la douleur des femmes (2000) (mini) TV Series; Mamirolle (2000); Ça commence aujourd hui (1999); Consentement mutuel (1994); La Vallée des espoirs (1989) (mini) TV Series; Pékin Central (1986); La Galette du roi (1986). Director of: Le Bateau de Lu (1991, 6 mins.) Short. Written by Christine Citti. Cast: Emmanuelle Béart as Lucie; Michel Piccoli as Un client. Rupture(s) (1993, 83 mins.) Written by Christine Citti and Alexan-

102 104 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS dra Deman. Photography: Jean-Yves Delbreuve; music: Claude Lance. Cast: Emmanuelle Béart (Lucie); Michel Piccoli (Paul); Nada Strancar (Clara); Anouk Aimée (Marthe); Laurent Grévill (Lucien); Marc Citti (Fred); Patrick Blondel (Thomas); Eva Ionesco (Anna); Guilaine Londez (Cordelia); Didier Flamand (Man with a dog); Jacques Weber (un clochard); Nathalie Schmidt (Marie). Synopsis: Catherine has committed suicide. Six months later her boyfriend and her friends try hard to be happy, but they cannot forget. With difficulties in their love life, amorous disillusionments, etc. each one tries to find the road to happiness. To make the problems of life seem lighter, they can, at the desired moment, give themselves over to a bit of madness. Between laughter and tears, life continues, without Catherine. Based on the following French synopsis. Synopsis in French at: films/r/ru/rupture.htm. Clément, Magali La Maison de Jeanne (1988, 87 mins.) Director: Magali Clement. Cast: Christine Boisson; Jean-Pierre Bisson; Marie Trintignant (Jeanne); Benoît Régent; Pascale Audret; Michelle Goddet. Synopsis: A woman shares her house and her life with her extended family. (allocine.com). Dieu que les femmes sont amoureuses (France, 1994, 90 mins.) Cast includes Catherine Jacob and Etienne Chicot. Synopsis: A mother meets the lover of her adolescent years, who tries to involve himself in her life. Colette (Supplement to Pallister Guide, 46, 47, 90.) Contributions to film: Assisted in filming of several of her novels: e.g., Minne; La Vagabonde. Wrote several original screenplays: La Flamme Cachée; Divine; wrote a film dialogue: Lac-aux-dames. Supplied French subtitles for German and American films: e.g., Maedchen in Uniform; Papa Cohen. Wrote a brief manual for scenario writers: Petit manuel de l aspirant scénariste. Published movie reviews for such publications as: Le Matin, Excelsior, Le Film, Filma. Assisted in Bellon s filmic biography of herself, writing the long central monologue; it is fascinating to view. (Available at Facets.) See also entry for Audry (above), and also see Stivale in the bibliography to this book. Colombani, Laetitia A la folie pas du tout (aka He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not.) (2001,

103 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS mins.) First feature film. Cast: Audrey Tautou (Le Destin fabuleux d Amélie Poulain), Samuel Le Bihan, Isabelle Carré. Synopsis: A young student falls in love with Dr. LeGarrec, who is married and soon to be a father. This triangle would appear to be banal, until the life of the doctor becomes a nightmare. Tautou portrays an indefinable character of a girl in love France-Amérique (17 23 Nov. 2001): 17. (indiewire: 5 June 2002) Samuel Goldwyn has acquired He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, in a deal that was initiated at this year s American Film Market. The film, directed by first-timer Laetitia Colombani, stars Audrey Tautou as an artist in love with a married cardiologist. It is set for release early next year. Audrey Tautou s performance is mesmerizing, commented Samuel Goldwyn, Jr. in a prepared statement. I m certain that American audiences will love this film. Goldwyn s Meyer Gottleib and Tom Quinn negotiated the deal with TF1 s Perrine Teze. The movie was produced by Dominique Brunner and Charles Gassot. This article was originally published in indiewire:daily the leading news service for independents since 1996 It can also be found at See also Cineinfo.Fr See: France-Amérique (8 14 February, 2003): 2l. Review in French and stills. Companeez, Nina Born on 26 August, 1937 in Paris. Director, actress, scriptwriter, editor. She is the daughter of screenwriter Jacques Companeez. Collaborated on the screenplays of numerous Michel Deville films in the 1960s and made her directorial debut with Faustine and the Beautiful Summer ( ). Faustine et le bel été (1972) Cast: Isabelle Adjani, Francis Huster, Jacques Spiesser, Isabelle Huppert. L Histoire très bonneettrès joyeuse de Colinot Trousse-chemise (1973) In Pallister Guide, 58 this is listed as Colinot Trousse-chemise (1973). For Brigitte Bardot s take on this film, in which she stars, see Séquences 187 (November/December 1996): 55. Comme sur des roulettes (1976; 95 or 99 mins.) D. & w.: Nina Companeez; Producer: Mag Godard. Distributor(s): Société nouvelle de cinéma Cast: Evelyne Buyle (Louise Jacynthe); Mathe Souverbie (Emilie-Mireille); Francis Huster (Juan); Marc Chickly (Joe); André Batisse (Jeannot); Eric Rascos (Jules); Roger Pierre (Dalida). Les Dames de la côte (1979) (Additional information taken from television programing. The film was shown in five episodes on TV5USA during November 1998.) Cast: Edwige Feuillère (d. Novem-

104 106 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS ber, 1998); Françoise Fabian; Francis Huster; Fanny Ardant; and Denis Grey. Synopsis: On the cost of Normandy during the summer of 1911, Clara Descourt manages the domaine of Feuillemorte, where horses are raised. Fanny, age seventeen, a distant relative of the Descourts, falls madly in love with Henri, the husband of Clara. But this idyll comes to an end. For spite, Fanny becomes engaged to Raoul, one of the sons of Henri and Clara. In August 1914, war breaks out. Raoul and his brother Marcel depart for the front. Clara and Fanny become volunteer nurses. While Raoul is on a leave he and Fanny marry, but when Marcel returns, she realizes it is he she really loves. The war over, their wounds healed, Marcel returns to Paris after having been a prisoner of the Germans. Blanche marries Monsieur Herault whose wife has died of the Spanish influenza. Will the love of Fanny for Marcel be overshadowed (assombri) by the memory of Raoul? Tom et Julie (1977) TV La Muse et la madone (1978) TV Je t aime quand même (1994) L Allée du roi (2001) In 2 parts. Cast: Dominique Blan, Michel Duchaussoy, Annie Gregorio, Didier Sandre, Valentine Varela. Synopsis: More than eighty years of age, the marquise de Maintenon, wife of Louis XIV, retreated to Saint-Cyr. She became fond of a little girl, Marie de La Tour, aged seven. Intended for her, she decides to write down the memories of her life Synopsis in French at: produits.php?groupe 1&id 16195&page; eq1&code_origine 1063 AE (AlloCiné) Un pique-nique chez Osiris (2001) This film won 2 nymphes d or one for the best miniseries and the other for best actress, Marina Hands. La Chanson du maçon (2002) TV. Cast: Jean-Pierre Cassel, Michel Duchaussoy, and Jacques Sereys. Synopsis: Tells the story of a young woman who inherits a house inhabited by three old homosexuals, who are among the main characters. To get the house back in shape she hires a mason. For further inforrmation see: detail/movie/ Comtet, Sophie Les Bruits de la ville (aka Noctambule: 1997 working title) (1998, 95 mins.) Drama. D. & w.: Comtet. Cast: Pierrick Sorin (Pier); Malika Khatir (Malika); Jean-Estelle Vaisset (Le chauffeur de taxi); Meyong Békaté (Le réceptionniste de l hôtel); Salladyn Khatir (Le commis de

105 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 107 cirque); Dalila Khatir (La prostituée); Elodie Mennegand and Soria Moufakkir (Copines de Malika). Synopsis: Film follows Pier s wanderingsafterhisreleasefrom prison. Corsini, Catherine Internet Bio: Catherine Corsini has made only four full length features in fourteen years. Her career has oscillated constantly between TV and cinema... Early in life she became interested in theater, and took courses in drama with the hope of becoming an actress. After several attempts at acting, she turned to writing and directing. She rapidly passed to directing Shorts, and became known with Poker (1987), her first full length feature. The film was a commercial flop and the director then decided to write scenarios. Bio. in French at: Drame français (1987) Cast: Caroline Cellier (Hélène); Pierre Arditi (Duke); Jean-Philippe Ecoffey (Stéphane); Jacques Mathou (Tonio); André Julien (Louis). From Tuesday 22 July :45 cinecinema Emotion. Poker (Supplement to Pallister Guide, 58) (1987, 85 mins.) Cast: Caroline Cellier (Hélène); Pierre Arditi (Duke); Jean-Philippe Ecoffey (Stéphane); Jacques Mathou (Tonio); André Julien (Louis). Synopsis: By day Hélène is a tour guide; but by night she plays poker in the world of professional card players. She seems to live only for her gambling passion and to protect her brother Stéphane, who is a bit marginal and appears to be implicated in certain terrorist activities. (Shown on TV5USA Sat. 8 May 1999; shown 1 January 2003 on Fr. TV). See: Poker Fatale Obsession ( ) TV detective film. Cast: Simon de La Brosse (Antoine); Anne Roussel (Catherine); Philippe Morier-Genoud (Reicher); Catherine Frot (Fabienne); Isabelle Renauld (Cécile). Shown on TV several times in Synopsis: Antoine, a young journalist, has just been hired by a big provincial newspaper. But just as he is going to celebrate the event, he accidentally kills a woman with his superb red car. She happens to be Elsa Reicher, the wife of an eminent surgeon. Mad with grief and thirsty for revenge, the widower vows to destroy the love life of Antoine by suppressing the woman he loves in the same fashion. Interdit d amour (1991; 86 mins.) TV Script: Dominique Lancelot and Jean-Louis Tribes; photography: Elisabeth Prouvost; music: René-Marc Bini; sound: Michel Picardot; editing: Marie-Louise Gessbert. Cast: Nathalie Richard (Sylvie Brémont); Maxime de Jode (Em-

106 108 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS manuel); Maxime Leroux (Jean); Christine Murillo (Monique); Manuella Gourary (Francine). Synopsis: A film about child abuse. The eight-year-old Emmanuel is locked in a black cupboard by his mother Sylvia, and here he must live and sleep. He will be placed in an institution. The film explores the repercussions on the immediate family, and especially the role of penal institutions and child protection agencies. Chronique française (1994) Cast: Nathalie Richard (Viviane); Pascal Cervo (Marc); Olaf Liubazenko (Tomek); Loïc Maquin (Ronan); Xavier Beauvois (l amant de Marc). Les Amoureux (aka Lovers) (1994; 90 mins.) (Supplement to Pallister Guide.) Written by Pascale Breton and Catherine Corsini. Cast: Nathalie Richard (Viviane); Pascal Cervo (Marc); Olaf Linde Lubaszenko (Tomek); Loïc Maquin (Ronan); Xavier Beauvois (L amant de Marc); Isabelle Nanty (Marylène). Synopsis: When Viviane comes back to her village in the Ardenne mountains, she represents an experience in freedom for her young brother. Through her, he becomes painfully aware of his homosexuality, encircled by the hypocrisy and ennui of the province, and frees himself in his turn. Tr. from Cinémathèque française at htm. Jeunesse sans Dieu (supplementary) (1995, 86 mins. For TV) Script: Alain le Henry based on the novel Jugend Ohne Gott by Odön von Horvath; photography: Agnès Godard; music: Ghedalia Tazartes; editing: Yann Dedet. Cast: Marc Barbé; Roland Amstuz; Nathalie Richard; Catherine Hegel. Shown at 1997 Créteil Festival. Denis (1997) TV. Cast: Pascal Cervo, Dominique Reymond, Naguim Bendidi. Synopsis: It is the morning of the exam for the bac (degree) in philosophy the only day of the year when Denis cannot be late for school. But his motorbike is out of commission. He jumps into the first car that shows up, that of Juliette, a faded thirty-year-old, married, a mother, who performs oriental dances. Denis gets the idea of getting a hold of her in order to suggest that they celebrate his bac (degree), before he even gets it. Juliette accepts. The boy keeps going back to her, drawn as if by a magnet. Unless he is the magnet. Tr. from the following site (MonsieurCinema): Synopsis in French at: MonsieurCinema.com Commentary in French: Stéphanie Thonnet; MonsieurCinema.com La Nouvelle Eve (The New Eve) (1999, 94 mins.) Written by Corsini with Marc Syurigas. Cast: Karin Viard, Pierre-Lous Rajot, Catherine Frot, Sergi López, Nozha Khouadra, Lauran Lucas. Dist.: Lions Gate.

107 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 109 Synopsis: Camille, thirty and single, a drug- and alcohol-fueled Parisian l anxieuse ultime is sports director at a swimming pool. She leads a busy life, what with dates, passing love affairs, her daily activities, etc., until one day when suffering from a spell of depression she is rescued by a stranger, Eric (an older married political activist), with whom she falls in love. She will decide to conquer him and will finally succeed. An avalanche of unexpected situations results. Available on DVD from Movies Unlimited. See: Pierre Ranger in Vues d ensemble, Séquences 208 (May/ August 2000): 57. He finds a number of faults with this film. Pas d histoires (2001) La Répétition (2001) Cast: Emmanuelle Béart (Nathalie); Dani Levy (Matthias) Sami Bouajila (Nicolas); Jean-Pierre Kalfon (Walter Amar); Pascale Bussières (Louise). Synopsis: Emmanuelle Béart stars as Nathalie, a theater actress. Pascale Bussières, a Canadian actor, plays the role of the old pal who wants at all costs to make Nathalie happy by getting her a role in a play being directed by a great metteur en scène [ i.e.,director]. Quoted from Première (August 2000): 24. Synopsis in French: MonsieurCinema.com Commentary in French: (Olivier Pélisson). MonsieurCinema.com See also: La Répétition continues to be shown at festivals: E.g., at the festival Jean Carmet in Moulins (10 17October 2001). Also Corsini presented her film at the Festival international du film francophone de Namur, Sunday, 30 September, See Edwin Jahiel, Diary: The 2001 Cannes International Film Festival. Facets Features (Summer 2001: 16). A few good moments but many indifferent, diffuse and uninvolving ones. The clever French title means both repetition and rehearsal. Jean Decock discusses the film in French:: Hétérosexualité et le 54e Festival International du Film de Cannes 2001 (Part II). French Review 75.5 (April 2002): 981. Mariées mais pas trop (2003, 1 hr. 38 mins.) Working title was Renée (Nov., 2002). Cast: Jane Birkin, Emile Dequenne, Pierre Richard, Clovis Cornillac, Jérémie Elkaïm, Amira Casar, and Piettre Richard. Synopsis: At twenty, Laurence is always ready to fall in love. Unfortunately she frightens her suitors as she s always in a hurry. So she s either cheated on or left. When her mother dies, Laurence decides to look for Renée, her grandmother (Jane Birkin),whom she has not seen since she was a child. Renée is not enthusiastic about seeing her granddaughter. Her naivete irritates her a great deal. To prove to

108 110 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS her that great love does not exist and that she will always be had by men, she proposes to teach her her own art of living... Laurence lets herself be modeled by this strange grandmother, but not without risks, for this duo from hell and for the men who cross their path. Tr. from French: For discussion in French: See internet: Corsini, Renée, Propos recueillis pour CineMovies par Reynald Dal Barco. venue.com/weblist/arc/corsini. For complete info on Corsini and La Répétition, including video excerpt: See also Denis Desjardins review in Séquences 217 (January/February 2002: 56). He finds this film hard to believe and less well done with less nuance than La Nouvelle Eve. Official site: New address : or addresses: corsini@listavenue.com or ccorsini@free.fr. Coscas, Brigitte Began career as actress in theater and cinema (La Puritaine; La Chouette aveugle; La Seconde). La Puritaine (The Prude) (1986 ) La Princesse acidulée (1989) Les Mères méditerranées (1991) Compositions agricoles (1994) Les Vampes (1994, 26 mins.) (Also wrote the dialogue) Summary: Sandy, accompanied by two female friends, plays at the bloody game of being a vampire. P.J. (TV Series... aka C.I.D. (International English title) ( aka P.J.: Police judiciaire ), (1998, 95 mins.) Sœur porteuse (1998) (TV) Mamirolle (aka Une saison working title) (1999, first shown 19 January 2000], 90 mins.) Cast: Lou Dillon, Sylvain Jacques, Elisabeth Kaza, Jean-Roger Milo. Synopsis: Delphine meets Manuel. Fragile and unreachable, the young man leaves the city to escape his illness: cancer. Delphine locates him. He rejects her. But she has chosen not to recognize his illness, and to love him without pity. Before the drama breaks up, they will know happiness and the pure joy of being together in the little village of Mamirolle. From mamirolle.htm French synopsis at: rolle.htm

109 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 111 See Brigitte Coscas sur Cineinfo.fr. at: Coscas&actp Brigitte Also: COSCAS Brigitte Cinéma at: 12k. Crèvecœur, Dominique La Dame à la licorne (1978, 16 mins.) Short. Written by Bernard Zitzermann. Cast features Michael Lonsdale. Une voix (1980, 29 mins.) Supplement and corrections to Pallister Guide, 59. Short. Written by Crèvecoeur. Cast: Suzanne Flon, Bernadette Le Saché, Frédéric Compain, Rebecca Pauly, Pascal Bonitzer. Contes clandestins Supplement and corrections to Pallister Guide, 59. (1983, 108 mins.) D. and w. Crèvecoeur. Cast: Rebecca Pauly (Emily); Daniel Mesguich (Daniel Aslan); Tchéky Karyo (Philippe); Jean-Louis Bauer (I) (Eric); Camille de Casabianca (La sœur de Daniel); Natacha Krastena (Natacha); Philippe Laudenbach (François Mascal); Pierre Londiche (Maxime Norpat); Maria Machado (Mara); Coralie Seyrig (Catherine); Sylvie Orcier (Maroussia); Pascal Renwick (L inspectuer); Wladimir Yordanoff (Degand); Luc Leclerc du Sablon (Le type au journal). Vol nuptial (1989) Short. Les Cendres du paradis (1999, 55 mins.) Written by Crèvecœur. Cast: Emmanuelle Devos (Ariane); Muriel Racine (Alice); Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi (Anna); Laurence Côte (Hélène); Irina Dalle (Lise); Florence Auffret (Prudence); François Caron (Joachim); Dominic Gould (Ivan); Hocine Choutri (The man); Roch Leibovici (Ferdinand); Claude Guyonnet (André); Jean-Pierre Marchand (The father); Xavier Beja (The tightrope walker). Synopsis: At thirty years of age, Ariane Fischer decides to end her days in a hospital. Alice, a night nurse, and Prudence, a social worker, will try to understand the reasons for this decision. So they start looking for reasons in the young woman s purse. The personal effects discovered there do not give any information, nor any real reasons for this tragic move. Seeing the notebooks and photos of this dead woman, Alice little by little loses herself in her own memories. Tr. from AlloCine. Cuau, Emmanuelle Circuit Carole (1994, 75 mins.) D. and scripted by Cuau; photography: Benoît Delhomme; sound: Patrice Mendez; editing: Isabelle Devinck. Cast: Bulle Ogier, Laurence Côte; Frédéric Pierrot; Bernard Cuau. Shown at Créteil festival in Synopsis: Marie, a woman of twenty, lives in Paris with Jeanne, her

110 112 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS mother, who keeps the two of them somewhat isolated. Right near her place of work, Marie discovers the Circuit Carole, a motorcycle race track. This violence rips her from her universe. She meets Alex, a young motard; the meeting draws her away from her home and from Jeanne. Jeanne s loneliness and isolation grow more intense. The discovery of the circuit terrifies her; she becomes immensely frightened for Marie. Jeanne is more and more withdrawn from the world; and Marie worries about her mother. De mère inconnue (France, 1998, 120 mins.) Scenario: Marie-Hélène Saller and Hélène Woillot. Cast: Julie-Anne Roth, Ariane Ascaride, Hervé Bellon, Laure Duthilleul, Olivier Cruveiller. Synopsis: Marie was adopted as a small child. She grew up without lacking love, but the death of her adoptive father plunged her into an identity crisis. Now it has become an obsession with Marie to find the woman who gave birth to her and then abandoned her. An agency gives her the address of a certain Isabelle Valence. Marie rushes to her home, but Isabelle, who has rebuilt her life, is not ready to welcome this grown girl who has suddenly materialized. Synopsis in French by Sophie Bourdais, Télérama 2758 (20 November 2002): 115. Dayan, Josée La Danse du Scorpion (1989) Plein Fer (1990) Le Retour (1990) Hot Chocolate (1992) Julie Lescaut: (Episode) Ville haute, ville basse (1993) La Rivière d Espérance (1995, 9 parts of 90 mins.) Cast: Manuel Blanc, Carole Richert, Claire Nebout, Pascal Greggory, Jean-Claude Drouot, Bernard Verley, Elisabeth Depardieu. Synopsis: Set in the nineteenth century, the saga of two families living near the Dordogne. (au fil de la Dordogne).... Part 1/9 L Eau de voyage; Part2 Les Feux de la Saint-Jean, etc. Le Comte de Monte Cristo [The Count of Monte Cristo] (1998, 480 mins; 8 hr. TV miniseries) Cast includes Gérard Depardieu, Jean Rocheford, and Ornelia Muti. Synopsis: Excellent adaptation of the Alexandre Dumas novel in which a man is unjustly imprisoned. Available from Facets. Zaïde, un petit air de vengeance (1999) France/Belgique, Téléfilm. Cast: Jeanne Moreau, Guillaume and Julie Depardieu, and Denis Podalydès. Balzac (1999, 3 1 /2 to 4 hours; elsewhere: 210 mins.) Telefilm; Cast Gérard Depardieu (Balzac); Jeanne Moreau (his mother); Fanny Ar-

111 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 113 dant (Countess Eva Hanska); Gottfried John; Virna Lisi (Madame de Berney); Claude Rich; Katja Riemann. Synopsis: The life and times of Honoré de Balzac come to life in this lavish French TV production. Balzac struggles with his demanding mother, romances Madame de Berney and the married Countess Eva Hanska, while he also creates his great epic, La Comédie humaine. The Alliance Française in San Francisco (Tel: ) may be able to give info. on how to rent. Available from Facets. Les Misérables (2000, 1 hr. 45 mins.) Téléfilm français. Cast: Gérard Depardieu, Charlotte Gainsbourg, John Malkovich, Christian Clavier. Synopsis: Jean Valjean played by Depardieu, Fantine played with sensitivity by Charlotte Gainsbourg, Malkovich as a rigid Javert and Jacouille as Thénardier. These Misérables are very tempting. Cet amour-là (2001, 98 mins.) Scenario: Yann Andréa, Josée Dayan, Gilles Taurand, based on the book by Yann Andréa; photography: Caroline Champetier; editing: Anne Boissel; music: Angelo Badalamenti; sound: Michel Kharat; decor: Sylvie Fennec. Producers: Christine Gozlan; Alain Sarde. Dist.: TVA International. Cast: Jeanne Moreau (Marguerite Duras); Aymeric Demarigny (Yann Andréa); Tanya Lopert (la femme de l ambassadeur); Justine Lévy (l employeé de l hôpital); Sophie Milleron (l infirmière). Synopsis: Cet amour-là depicts the aged and still sexual Marguerite Duras... near the end of her life. Visualized in flashes that seem tocompressthetimeframeofasixteen-yearrelationship,thefilm closely observes the author s stormy late-life affair with a worshipful young male dévoté, Yann Andrea.... The film wraps this bitter romance in a score by Angelo Badalamenti and spices it with strains of Edith Piaf and Billie Holiday. Stephen Holden, A Harbinger of Spring. The New York Times (Friday, 8 March 2002): B22 y. Synopsis in French found at Unifrance.org and also by Jean Vallier, Perspectives sur le cinéma français. France-Amérique (16 22 March 2002): 20. Synopsis in French: Journal français (January 2003): 25. See also: Séquences 220 (July/August 2002): 45, where Jeanne Moreau is interviewed by Francine Laurendeau with regard to this film. See also: Review of the film [article in French] by Laurendeau, Séquences 220 (July/August 2002): 44. Laurendeau suspects the film glosses over what must have been sordid moments in the daily life of this alcoholic writer, but she has high praise for Jeanne Moreau s interpretation. Excellent still accompanies article. See Journal français (December. 2002): 25.

112 114 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS See article in French by Fabienne Boulineau, France-Amérique (22 28 March 2003): 14. See review in French: Jean Vallier, Une histoire d amour. France- Amérique (12 18 avril) 2003: 16. Les Liaisons dangereuses (2002; TV film in three episodes). Cast includes Catherine Deneuve as Mme de Merteuil. New adaptation of Choderlos de Laclos s novel. See Les_liaisons edangereuses.htm In preparation: Adaptation of Jean Cocteau s Les Parents terribles. Will star Jeanne Moreau and Nicole Garcia. de Casabianca: See Casabianca Decaux, Françoise or Decaux-Thomelet, Françoise Director, actor, scriptwriter, director of décor, Françoise Decaux-Thomelet holds the DEA (diplôme théatral et cinématographique). She directed her first Shorts in 1986: and Les Rances, which have been shown at numerous international festivals. Two more Shorts, La Salle des pas perdus (1988) and La Grosse (1990), had the same system of diffusion. From 1993 on she began to work for television on a regular basis. Her first film, Les Enfants du faubourg, took the lauréat du prix Les Cent Premières Œuvres. Three other films for television followed. In 1996, she participated in the project est à réinventer, a program of ten Shorts dealing with AIDS, to which numerous directors contributed, including Pierre Salvadori, Philippe Faucon, Anne Fontaine, Nils Tavernier and Marion Vernoux. In this framework she filmed Enceinte ou lesbienne. (See /ftext/.) In 2000, she directed her first full-length film for cinema, entitled Du côté des filles. From: bio. in French at: html. La Taupe (1996) (TV) est à réinventer (segment Enceinte ou lesbienne?) (1996) (aka Love Reinvented [2002; USA: DVD title]; aka An Ordinary Night (1996). Scenario: Pierre Guiho; photography: Norbert Marfaing- Sintes; sound: Olivier Mauvezin; editing: Gérard Touratier. Cast: Bérénice Béjo, Marina Tomé and Gérard Touratier. Synopsis: A young girl tells her parents she is a homosexual. Tango, mambo et cha-cha-cha (1995) (TV) Du côté des filles (2000, 95 mins.) Shown at Créteil. Written by Françoise Decaux-Thomelet. Cast: Clémentine Célarié (Liza); Sophie Guillemin (Carole); Catherine Mouchet (Catherine); Edith Scob (Fa-

113 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 115 nette); Michel Vuillermoz (Marino); Marc Citti (Ricky); Cornélie Statius-Muller (Agnès); Charly Sergue (Le jeune routier); Antoinette Moya (Maman); Fred Personne (Le père de Liza); Christophe Hémon (Fabien); Aurélie Vérillon (Amélie); Thomas Derichebourg (Léo); Laurent Jumeaucourt (Fred); Valère Bertrand (Jules). Synopsis: After a quarrel, Liza s husband slams the door in her face. Carole, sixteen, runaway and pregnant, comes on the scene. The two women travel in flight across France. (A road movie in the vein of Thelma and Louise.) Synopsis in French at: _gen_cfilm html Deflandre, Sophie Passé simple (1986, 7 mins.) Short. Writing credits: Sophie Deflandre. Cast: Fred Personne Nuits blanches (1996, 86 mins.) Cast: Alexandre Arbatt as Thomas; Lola Gans as Marie; Marthe Keller as Julia; Matthieu Rozé as Johann; Julie-Anne Roth; Fred Personne; Suzanne Legrand; Nadine Darmon; Antoine Blanquefort; Max Morel (I); Jean-Luc Guitton; Guilaine Peyronne; Pierre Court; Sophie Jeney. Synopsis: A famous writer lives with the obsession of a past drama and, not able to write, wanders at night from bar to bar. One night he meets Marie, whose laughter suddenly resonates for him like an echo. Marie, not able to resist this man who troubles her, allows herself to be drawn into an adventure. Synopsis in French at allocine.com site. Delarive, Agnès Has contributed to the MAGUY TV series. Ils étaient tous mes fils (1972) La Violette (1974) Crapotte (1979) TV film. Cast includes Manuel Bonnet. La Dame aux Camélias TV w/corinne Corson Marc et Sophie? Fraggle Rock (1983) La Vie en panne (1988) TV film. Cast includes Claudine Ancelot et al. Feu sur le candidat (1990, 87 mins.) Scenario: Didier Van Cauwelaert; Music: Carlo Savina. Cast: Michel Galabru (Robert Cavaillon); Giuliana De Sio (Clara); Patrick Chesnais (Mazzetti); Françoise Dorner (Marie Diane); Bernard Le Coq (commisaire Tamard); Franck Lapersonne (David); Judith Magre (Hugette). Synopsis: Robert Cavaillon, king of cat food, is a candidate in the presidential elections. Helped by his communications counsellor

114 116 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Marie Diane, he continually climbs in the polls, to the point of upsetting the minister of the interior. Synopsis in French at: films/f/feusurlecandidat.htm (Available from Version Française.) Céremonie religieuse (1992?) C est mon histoire (1993) Cast includes Isabelle Sadoyan et al. La Bague au doigt Une Femme sous tension Mira la Magnifique (1996) Marcel [Marceeel!!!] (1997, 90 mins.) Cast: Michel Galabru, Philippe Clay, Darry Cowl, Isabelle de Botton. Synopsis: Simone and Marcel have been married for nearly fifty years, during which time Marcel has had to bear the incessant reprimands of his wife. One day Simone dies, and Marcel suddenly discovers a new life! But one evening, while he is on his way home, a cat crosses his path: it seems it is the feline reincarnation of Simone. Synopsis in French : France-Amérique (25 31 May 2002): 23. Shown June 2002 on TV5. Qui a peur des homosexuels? (2002) TV. Synopsis: The reformed and Lutheran churches of France propose a debate on homosexuality. A biblical, theological and humane reflection. Dom Juan (2002) TV filming of Molière s play. Mise en scène: Jacques Lassalle. de Laubier See Laubier de Latour See Latour Deleuze, Emilie Peau neuve (1999, 1 hr. 36 mins.) Dramatic Comedy. Cast: Samuel Le Bihan, Marcial Di Fonzo Bo, Catherine Vinatier, Claire Nebout. Synopsis: A tester of video games, a husband and a father, Alain suddenly dreams of change, though he doesn t know why. Still he persists. He takes a job as conductor of engins de chantier. Little by little, his egotistical desire is exhausted. His meeting with Manu will permit him a new departure. Synopsis in French at: cine-info Deliba, Fejria Principally an actress. Le Petit Chat est mort (1991, mins.). Short Direction and Script: Fejria Deliba. Cast: Fatima Chaiter, Linda Chaib. Synopsis: Mona has to learn a part for a play; she looks for some-

115 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 117 one who can give her the cues. First she tries her brother, then her mother who is busy making the meal. See for French: Catalogue du Festival du cinéma méditerranéen 2002: 68. See also: Also: Sara Buchanan (University of Minnesota): Le non de la mère dans Le Petit Chat est mort. (Paper delivered in Abidjan, CIEF conference, 28 May, 2002.) Delpy, Julie Looking for Jimmy (Original title: Looking for Jimmy) (2002, 1 hr. 26 mins.) Dramatic Comedy. D. Julie Delpy; scenario: Julie Delpy, Emily Wagner; Studio/Distributeur Accatone Distribution; official sites: France; USA. Cast: Julie Delpy, Emily Wagner, Billy Wirth, Donnie Ward, Bruce Ramsay. Synopsis: While V is celebrating her twenty-sixth birthday in the company of her friends, she decides to go into the streets of Los Angeles, accompanied by her best girlfriend Al, to find the latter s boyfriend Jimmy. de Medeiros, Maria Born on 19 August 1965 in Lisbon, Portugal. Her parents are Luis and Maria Jose and her sisters are Maria Conceicao Medeiros, Maria Bernadette Medeiros, and Maria Rosario Medeiros. makule/medhome.html. See also: Severine C Short. Fragment II After Samuel Beckett. Short. A Morte do Príncipe (aka La Mort du Prince (1991) Short. Directed by Maria de Medeiros; written by Fernando Pessoa (story). Capitaines d avril (aka Capitães de Abril; April Captains; Capitanes de abril; Capitani d aprile; Captains of April) ( , 124 mins.) France/Portugal Scenario: Maria de Medeiros and Eve Deboise; photography: Michel Abramowicz; sound: Jérôme Thiault; music: Antonio Victorino d Almeida. Cast: Stefano Accorsi, Maria de Medeiros, Frédéric Pierrot, Joaquim de Almeida, Fele Martinez. Sélection officielle, Cannes 2000 (Un certain regard). Prix du public, Festival d Arcachon Prix du public, Cinessonne Meilleur film, vingt-quatrième Mostra Internationale de São Paulo Synopsis: In Portugal, on the nights of 24 and 25 April 1974, the radio broadcasts a forbidden song: Grândola. It might be about the insubordination of a rebellious journalist; in fact it is the programmed signal of a military coup d Etat, which will change the face of this little country and the destiny of huge territories of Africa. At the

116 118 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS sound of the voice of the poet José Alfonso, the insurgent troops take the casernes. At three in the morning they will march on Lisbon. Not long after the sad military putsch in Chili, the Portuguese revolution is distinguished by its adventurous but also peaceful and lyrical character. Synopsis in French in: Créteil catalogue 2001: 101. See: Rencontre avec Maria de Medeiros, en plein Festival de Cannes at: V ,00.html 24k PTVip [Maria de Medeiros] Denis, Claire Born in Paris in Assistant director of Wim Wenders Paris, Texas (1984; 150 mins.) and Wings of Desire (1988, 130 mins.). Also first assistant director of Jim Jarmusch s Down by Law (1986, 107 mins.). For bilingual synopses and information on many of her films see: CDenis.html 6 Documentaries are treated in the forthcoming guide to francophone women documentarians. Chocolat (1988) See Pallister Guide, 61. Man No Run (1989; 90 mins.) Not a traditional documentary; a true homage to African culture. Keep It for Yourself ( ; 40 mins.) Cast: Sophie Simon, Sarina Chan, Michael James, E.J. Rodriguez, Jim Stark, Vincent Gallo, James Schamus, Sara Driver, Jim Stark, Michael Stun. Synopsis: Sophie lands in New York to join a fellow she had met a few months before. The man, overcome at the last minute with panic, has left the city, leaving the keys to his apartment with his proprietor and neighbor. Sophie, hardly able to speak English, is on her own, alone in an almost empty apartment. One evening, a young Puerto Rican, wrongly pursued by the police for the theft of a car, forces the door. Synopsis in French at Forum des images/festivals, internet site: keep La Robe à cerceau (1993, 24 mins.) Synopsis: Based on a text by Jacques Nolot. It is night. In a cafe, just after closing, the patroness gently shakes a man seated at the back of the room, drinking his drink, one of many. The woman puts out the neon lights and locks the door; the man begins to read the text written in a large student s notebook sitting in front of him. French synopsis at Forum des images/festivals at internet site: keep

117 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 119 S en fout la mort (No Fear, No Die): (See Pallister Guide 61) (1993, 97 mins.) Also stars Solveig Donmartin as the club owner s mistress. Boom-Boom (1994) Claire Denis, la vagabonde (1995) Synopsis: Denis speaks of her life and her conception of cinematography. Nice, very nice (1995, 10 mins.) Cast: Grégoire Colin, François Voisin, Thierry Saïd Bouibil; Jérôme Valdire, Jérôme Chabreyrie. This is Denis s contribution to the compilation A propos de Nice, la suite. Synopsis: A young man with a contract wanders into the carnival parade, then attacks an Arab. Synopsis in French at: (Forum des images/festivals) at internet site: keep A propos d une déclaration (1995; 2 mins.) Various directors (including Claire Denis) propose brief declarations of love. Duo (1995, 2 mins.) Synopsis: Denis, Atom Egoyan et al. compare their cinematographic art to pictural art. Claire Denis has chosen a watercolor by Loustal which takes life in the features of the actor Isaach de Bankolé. J ai pas sommeil or I Can t Sleep Corrections to Pallister Guide 61, q.v. for this film: (SFIFF, 1995) [I Can t Sleep ] (1995, 110 mins.) Synopsis: Dark portrayal of a Caribbean homosexual and transvestite who murders old women. Nénette et Boni (1996, 103 mins.) Script: Claire Denis and Jean-Pol Fargeau; photography: Agnès Godard; sound: Jean-Louis Ughetto; music: Tindersticks; editing: Yann Dedet. Cast: Grégoire Colin, Vincent Gallo, Alice Houri, Valéria Bruni-Tedeschi. Producer: Georges Benayoun. Synopsis: Alice Houri plays a pregnant teenager in Marseille s underworld. Locale is in fact Marseille, where sibling protagonists are among society s seeming losers (as is often the case with Denis). Boniface, or Boni (Grégoire Colin), is a nineteen-year old school drop-out who runs a pizza wagon, sells contraband fishing poles from Taiwan and has vivid masturbatory fantasies of fornicating with the baker s wife (Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi). Nénette (Alice Houri) is Boni s sour, darkly beautiful, heavily pregnant fifteen-year-old sister. They slowly edge together. See: Life after Chocolat: Claire Denis continues to court risk. France Today (January-February 1998): 9. Beau Travail ( ; mins.) Prix long métrage [full length]. Banque Laurentienne (Palmarès du 28e FCCM); Louve d or. Special Mention: Prix KNF (jury du Cercle des critiques de cinéma néerlandais at thirtieth international film festival in Rotterdam.) Based

118 120 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS 8. Beau Travail, Claire Denis. Internet:// beautravail. on Herman Melville s Billy Budd, the script is by Denis and Jean-Pol Fargeau. Photography: Agnès Godard; editing: Nelly Quettier; sound: Jean-Paul Mugel; music: Charles-Henri de Pierrefeu. Cast: Denis Lavant; Michel Subor; Grégoire Colin; Richard Courcet, Marta Tafesse Kassa, Nicolas Duvauchelle. Synopsis (from Facets cat.): This is a visually arresting depiction of male rivalry, insecurity and sheer masculine beauty. Denis Lavant... plays an officer in the Foreign Legion who feels his status is threatened by the arrival of a handsome and gifted young soldier (Grégoire Colin). He sets out to sabotage the career of the newcomer. Denis punctuates the story with scenes of military training, brilliantly choreographed for the camera to emphasize the physicality that is at the center of the film. a stunning work of beauty, mystery, contemplation, and grit (Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle). See Séquences 207 (March/April 2000): 39. See excellent discussion at : insideout.co.uk Copyright Review in French by Olivier Pélisson: Beau Travail Site with stills at internet: See treatment of the cinematographer Godard: editor@village voice.com (Published 5 11 April 2000 under title Sensation Show by Elisabeth Vincentelli).

119 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 121 See additional commentary on Beau Travail: Claire Denis E! Online Credits ,00.html. Worship guitars interview denis/index.html. Film & TV: Grace Notes (Newcity Chicago ): Chicago Reader Movie Review: archives/2000/0500/000526_2. Artificial Eye Beau Travail travail/press.html. See: ejohnson/critics/rosenbaum.html Trouble Every Day (2001; theatrical release 21 March 2002) D. by Denis; witten by Denis and Jean-Pol Fargeau; photography: Agnès Godard; lyrical score from Tindersticks. Caast: Shane (Vincent Gallo); June (Tricia Vessey); Dr. Leo (Alex Descas), Core (Béatrice Dalle). Distributor: Lot 47 Films. This film was shown at the 2001 Cannes Festival. Synopsis: Comprised of dark intersections between omnivorous desire and passionate love. Internet review by Guy V. Cimbalo (including synopsis): It is very possible that Trouble Every Day... is a great film. It is, without a doubt, a great B-movie. All the elements of the horror genre are here: Mad scientists cut brains open, sex-starved teenagers meet a nasty fate, and newlyweds find more than they bargained for in the City of Love.... In Trouble Every Day, Shane... is a newly-married geneticist arriving in Paris for his honeymoon. Shane s bride, June, soon discovers that their vacation will not prove the typical tour-book experience. Shane won t have sex with her, and in one particularly nasty moment, she discovers him frantically masturbating in the bathroom.... Shane does his best to avoid his virginal bride, who spends most of the film decked only in white. Shane s real aim in Paris is... to find Dr. Leo, a disgraced geneticist with marital problems of his own. Before he leaves his spooky stone fortress, Leo goes through an epic series of locks and bolts to keep his feral wife Core from getting loose. It is clear that Core is not in perfect condition; moving with predatory lust, she has already devoured (literally) a truck driver. But even the bolted shutters of her

120 122 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS dark bedroom cannot keep Core from luring a pair of neighborhood boys into the house... Shane, Leo and Core have met before, when they conducted shadowy experimental research on the human libido.... [W]hile the details are murky, the experience left Shane and Core afflicted with the urge to cannibalize their sexual partners at the moment of orgasm. Denis creates a brooding, nasty film. Trouble plays like primal scream and studied nihilism all at once. Denis easily straddles various genre and moods without ever compromising the complete rapture of the film. Excerpts of review: Love, Sex, and Cannibalism; Claire Denis Extreme Trouble Every Day by Guy V. Cimbalo (copyright: indiewire/28 February 2002) This article was originally published in indiewire:daily the leading news service for independents since 1996 It can also be found at See commentary in French: Jean Decock (in 54e Festival International du Film de Cannes 2001: L Ange du Bizarre. [Part I] French Review 75.4 [March 2002]: 803). Also see France-Amérique: Disturbing and strong. Béatrice Dalle gives herself over to some acts of sexual vampyrism which have little to do with the usual canons of the genre. From France-Amérique 26 May 1 June 2001: 17; article in French. See Edwin Jahiel [ Diary: The 2001 Cannes International Film Festival. Facets Features (Summer 2001): 16]. See also Dominique Pellerin in Séquences 217 (January/February 2002): 14. (Still). Vendredi soir (aka Friday Night) (Release date: 11 September 2002, 1 hr. 30 mins.) Photography: Agnès Godard. Cast: Vincent Lindon, Valérie Lemercier. Adapted from a novel by Emmanuelle Burnheim (Paris: Gallimard, 1998). Synopsis: The film, which takes place during one night in Paris, follows Laure, a woman who is in the process of moving in with her lover. Her plans become complicated, however, by a chance encounter with a mysterious stranger during the traffic jam caused by the December 1995 mass transportation strike. [Matthew Ross, Indie- Wire 7 October2002: This article was originally published in indiewire:daily the leading news service for independents since 1996 It can also be found at Synopsis in French in: Cahiers du cinéma, June See description by Jean Vallier in France-Amérique (5 11 October 2002): 16. His coverage of the New York Film Festival includes short résumé in French. Also see Vallier in France-Amérique (19 25 October 2002): 19. [Here he again discusses the New York Film Festival and Vendredi soir.]

121 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 123 See also Première (December 2002): 22. Cinéma de notre temps: Jacques Rivette ( Jacques Rivette le veilleur Part I: Le Jour.) Collection of films shown on Arte, from 4 July to 8 August ftext/ de Poncheville: See Poncheville Despentes, Virginie Born on 13 June 1969 in Nancy. Author of several novellas and novels: Future Kill; Les Jolies Choses; Les Chiennes savantes; Mordre au travers et autres nouvelles, and, of course, Baisemoi. She appeared on 9 October 1998 on Bouillon de Culture (of which report can be had). Baise-moi (Rape Me) (2000; 1 hr. 17 mins.) Punk movie. Codirected w/ Coralie Trinh Thi. Scenario: Despentes, based on her novel; photography: Benoît Chamaillard; prod.: Philippe Godeau; distr.: Pan-Européenne; Remstar Distribution. Cast: Karen Bach (Nadine) and Raphaëlla [also written Raffaella] Anderson (Manu) pornostars, as well as Delphine McCarty (la colocataire), Adama Niane, Christophe Claude Landry, Lisa Marshall, HPG, Estelle Isaac. Synopsis: A film in which two women express their hatred of everything, but especially of men, on whom they take livid revenge, with the motto: We re f... ing you, bande de cons. A great legal battle raged over this film that was closed down for its repeated explicit sex, for showing no effort to hide the erections, a hand in action, a rectum violently penetrated. Punk feminism or grim exploitation?? For the fate of this film in France and especially at the 2001 Créteil festival see: Ruth Hottell: Twenty-Third Annual Festival de Films de Femmes. Créteil 23 March-1 April The French Review 75.3 (February 2002): Also see Report by Olivier Joyard, X, le retour. Cahiers du cinéma 548 July-August 2000]: He sees the film couple as analogous to Thelma and Louise.) ReviewinFrenchbyStéhanie Lamome in Première (Summer 2000): 43; 70. We are f ing you, you band of [expletive].... In same issue see 70: Faithful to her promises VD has co-directed an X-rated film... Those over 16 will thus have the right to see a dozen penetrations, a lot of oral sex, sperm jetting over bottoms and teeth (depending) or even a revolver aimed at an anus. (Tr.) See: http. Also: quotidien.sciencesetavenir.com/culture/ See Elie Castiel in Séquences 211 (January/February 2001): 46.

122 124 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Also see discussion in English by *Sue Masterman: Rude Awakenings, ABCNews.com (July ); Copyright 2000 ABC News. French director Catherine Breillat has accused the Council of State of overstepping its role as protector of the constitution... in [a] petition signed by dozens of film persons. Les Jolies Choses: Fitzpatrick & Fitzpatrick list Les Jolies Choses (2001) as a Despentes film. However, MonsieurCinéma attributes differently: Les Jolies Choses by Gilles Paquet-Brenner (2000). From IMDb we learn that Despentes wrote the novel upon which the film is based: Les Jolies Choses (2001). Directed by Gilles Paquet-Brenner; Writing credits: Virginie Despentes (novel) and Gilles Paquet- Brenner. Devers, Claire Born on 20 August 1955, in Paris. Mother is Italian and a ceramics artist, father directs a discograph company. Devers studied philosophy at the University of Vincennes, graduating in She worked for the review Cahiers du Cinema, and in 1982 joined IDHEC. She has made several short films (See early films in Pallister Guide ) Chimère (1988) Second feature length film. Cast: Béatrice Dalle, Wadeck Stanczack and Francis Frappat. (Official selection at the Cannes Festival 1989). Sueurs froides (1988) TV Series (episode À la mémoire d un ange ). Noir et blanc Supplement to Pallister Guide, 62: ( , 89 mins.) Facets catalog calls this Devers s first critically acclaimed film; it tracks the sado-masochistic relationship between a bleached-out accountant and a black masseur to its horrifying climax. J étais Jack Mortimer (1993) Le Crime de Monsieur Stil (1995, 99 mins.) TV. Written by Alain Adijes and Claire Devers. Cast: Bernard Verley (Monsieur Stil); Jeanne Balibar (Charlotte); Jean-Michel Martial (Dialo); Michael Richard (I) (Bedavent); Peter Se Puma (Hi); Louis Niekerk Van Niekerk (Rodier); Ron Smerczak (Bécu); Aletta Bezuidenhout (Madame Genève). Mylène (1995, 90 mins.) Script: Claire Devers, Alain Adijes, Catherine Rihoit; photography: Dominique le Rigoleur; sound: Guillaume Sciama and François Groult; music: Jean-Claude and Angélique Nachon; editing: Marie Castro. Cast: Eloïse Charretier; Fanny Florido; Clément Sibony; Leslie Azzoulay. Synopsis: Didier has just died; among his high school comrades who attend the funeral Mass is Mylène, who is fifteen and not a believer, but who is moved by the funeral oration of Father Darier. Grief overtakes her, and something happens she would never have

123 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 125 imagined: an upheaval which seems to be a call to the unknown and unpalpable world. Créteil cat., La Voleuse de Saint-Lubin (1999, 81 mins.) Director: Claire Devers; producer: Gilles Sandoz; screenplay: Claire Devers and Jean-Louis Benoit; distributor: Mercure Distribution. Cast: Dominique Blanc (Françoise Barnier); Denis Podalydes (Lawyer); Michele Goddet (Judge Davray); Fanny Florido (Sandra Barnie). Synopsis: A poverty-stricken, single mother, Françoise Barnier, works hard at a cleaning job to support herself and her two daughters. As she is loath to go on welfare, she must struggle every day to feed her children and survive. At the supermarket one day, overwhelmed by the many products she cannot afford, she steals some packages of meat. Arrested for shoplifting, Françoiseisacquittedbyasympathetic judge, but faces retrial when the town causes an uproar over the judge s lenient treatment. (Paraphrased from Hollywood.com, Inc. at An excellent interview with Devers at the 2000 San Francisco International Film Festival can be found at the World Socialist Web site: Les Marins perdus (2003, 1 hr. 47 mins. Begun in 2001) Written by Devers and Jean-Pol Fargeau. Cast: Bernard Giraudeau; Miki Manojlovic; Sergio Peris-Mencheta; Marie Trintignant; Audrey Tautou; Moussa Maaskri. Based on the novel by Jean-Claude Izzo, Les Marins perdus (Paris: Flammarion) dedicated to Marseille. Synopsis: The Aldébaran is an old boat that has been docked in the port of Marseille for several months. Foreigners without any rights, and separated from their family, the sailors on the boat wallow penniless in the most total promiscuity and destitution. When they are enticed off the ship, only two of them remain on board: Abdul Aziz, the Lebanese captain, a hard though respected man, and Diamantis, his second in command, a Greek who is very indecisive and almost contemplative, a sailor by tradition and by choice. Synopsis in French at _cfilm%3d29247.html, Also see: de Van, Marina See Van Dommartin, Solvei An important actress, Dommartin has made the following Short: Il suffirait d un pont (aka If There Were a Bridge or It Would Only Take a Bridge) ( , 20 mins.) Produced by Sol, a company created by Dommartin and Antoine de Cazotte. Cast: Romane Bohr-

124 126 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS inger, Sylvie Chenus, Luis Régo, Catherine Frot, Georges Claisse, Laurent Petitgand, Sébastien Régnier, Gérard Mercier, Garance Clavel, Elli Medeiros, Ken Higelin. Locale: Paris Canal Saint- Martin. Synopsis: Four couples positioned at random look for a focus for their lives as a tourist barge passes by. Doniol-Valcroze, Diane (and Arthur Flam) Born in Paris. Acted in Rue du Bac (1991). The Waiting Room (1993) The Comb (1994) Fissure (1996) Kill by Inches (USA/France, 1999, 85 or 90 mins.) Doniol-Valcroze, with Arthur Flam. W. and produced by Doniol-Valcroze. Doniol- Valcroze acts in this film as A Customer. Cast: Emmanuel Salinger (Thomas Klamm); Myriam Cyr (Vera Klamm); Marcus Powell (The Father); Christopher Zach (The Repairman); Stephanie Schmiderer (Albert s Mother) ; Nicholas Tafaro (Albert); Lisa Altomare (Brunette Woman); Muriel Kuhn (Petite Old Lady); Anne Whittaker (Lady Measured); Vince Stefani (Old Man at Counter); Hélène Weintraub (Old Woman at Counter); Shirley Chovoski (Woman with Hair Up); Liza Fiorentino (A Customer); Simon Doniol-Valcroze (Surveyor 1); Marty Braga (Surveyor 2). Synopsis: After countless humiliations, a young couturier needing admiration undertakes to get revenge. First film (horror film and end of studies film) of the daughter of the founder of Cahiers du cinéma. Télérama 2787 (11June 2003): 138. French description: Télérama 2787 (11 June 2003): 138. Dress, Evelyne Born on 1 August, 1951 in Lyon. Author (Les Tournesols de Jérusalem, Paris: Plon, 2002), actress and director. Pas d amour sans amour (aka Y a pas d amour sans amour) (1992, 90 mins.) Cast: Patrick Chesnais, Evelyne Dress, Jean-Luc Bideau, Aurore Clément, Gérard Darmon, Dora Doll, Michel Duchaussoy, Martin Lamotte, Tanya Lopert, Cécile Pallas, Jacques Penot, Pascale Rocard, Thierry Rey, Coralie Seyrig,Valérie Steffen. Prix du Public du Festival de l Image au Féminin de Marseille 93; Sélectionné pour les Golden Globes 94; Grand Prix du Festival de Pardubice (République Tchèque) 94. (Roles are given at IMDb.) Synopsis: Single too long according to her gynecologist and her mother Eva, a faded forty-year-old, has been abstinent for three years. The man she loved has left her because she wanted a child and he did not. Ever since, she has been hunting for the male, the husband,

125 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 127 the right one. According to her, ça ne va pas être de la tarte! [This isn t going to be any piece of cake!]. Tr.from Eric Leguèbe, Le Parisien (3 November 1993). critiquefiimpasa See: site shows several stills in slide fashion. Synopsis in French: (Cited from Eric Leguèbe in Le Parisien, 3 November 1993.) Other reviews at this site, in French. Et maintenant que vais-je faire? (2001) Drevillon, Elizabeth Les Prisonnières de Kaboul (1999) Co-directed with Cécile Hue. Dual, Denise. An error in Pallister Guide, 63: This is not a person but a mistake for Denise Tual. This error Denise Dual is so listed in Kuhn, Women s Comp Dubroux, Danièle See Ecran Noir (internet) for details of Dubroux s life, philosophy, and career. ( rochelle/00/rochelle2000b.htm). She has a long list of credits as director, actress, and writer of scenarios. Add to Pallister Guide, 63: Sœur Anne, ne vois-tu rien venir? [Les Filles héréditaires] [1982]; and also Die Erbtöchter [1982]. Le Journal du séducteur or Seducer s Diary; or Diary of a Seducer (1995, 95 mins.) D. and scripted by Dubroux; photography: Laurent Machuel; music: Jean-Marie Senia; sound: Henri Malkoff; editing Jean-François Naudon. Cast: Chiara Mastroianni (Claire); Melvil Poupard (Grégoire); Micheline Presle (Grégroire s grandmother); Hubert Saint-Macary (Claire s shrink); Mathieu Amalric (slacker); Jean-Pierre Léaud (M. Icon) and Karin Viard. Synopsis: Claire, a young psychology student who falls under the spell of Grégoire, a troubled philosophy student who successfully seduces women by giving them a copy of Kierkegaard s Diary of a Seducer. The Parisian cast of characters also includes Claire s amnesiac shrink; an androgynous slacker who cons his way into Claire s house and her mother s bed; Grégoire s paranoid grandmother; his batty literature professor Mr. Icon; and a dead body in the refrigerator. Dubroux... appears in the film. (Facets catalog.) This film was shown at the Créteil festivals 1996 and Opinion: i found this a very bizarre, pseudo-intellectual film. (jlp) Counter-opinion: improves when considered in the context of

126 128 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS men s films from 1996, such as comment je me suis disputé... (ma vie sexuelle). (rh) L Examen de minuit (1998; 1 hr. 40 mins.) Scenario by Dubroux. Cast: François Cluzet, Julie Depardieu, Bruno Sermonne, Serge Riaboukine, Pascal Richou, Florence Giorgetti, Emile Durand, Danièle Dubroux, Christian Debruille, Jean-Christophe Bouvet. Distributor(s): Gemini Films (France/international sales) Synopsis: Serena is a city girl who wants a man to protect her. She moves to the country to marry an old count, but that falls through. Next she meets a farmer who falls for her and begins robbing banks in an attempt to keep her in style. She marries him, but embarks on an affair with an artist who locks her in his house to use as his muse. Synopsis in French: Je suis votre homme (filming finished September 2002; release: 2004, 100 mins.) Comedy. Cast: Isabelle Carré, Jeanne Balibar, François Berléand, Catherine Frot, and Melvil Poupaud. Synopsis: A historian helps an amnesiac husband get his wife back, the latter having set up housekeeping with a brilliant woman film critic. French synopsis at: cfilm html Dugowson, Martine Addition to Mina Tannenbaum (1994) (Facets gives 1993). Add to Pallister Guide 64: 128 mins. Portraits chinois (aka Shadow Play) (1996, l hr.50 mins., or in some versions 130 mins.; or in Sweden: 111 mins.) Directed by: Dugowson; screenplay Dugowson with Peter Chase; producer: Georges Benayoun; cinematography: Vincenzo Marano; music: Peter Chase; U.S. Distributor: Phaedra Cinema. Cast: Helena Bonham Carter (Ada), Romane Bohringer (Lise), Jean-Philippe Écoffey (Paul), Marie Trintignant (Nina), Elsa Zylberstein (Emma), Yvan Attal (Yves), Sergio Castellitto (Guido), Miki Manojlovic (Alphonse), Jean-Claude Brialy (René Sandre), Sophie Simon (Agnès), Emmanuelle Escourrou (Stéphanie), Katerina Mechera (Emilia), Mathilde Seigner (Fanny), Artus de Penguern (Gérard), Pierre Baillot (Monsieur Verdoux). Synopsis: Episodic film dealing with the lives and loves of a group of young professional Parisians. The film concentrates mainly on the on-off relationship between Ada and Paul and the effect that the young Lise has on both their personal relationship and Ada s professional career.... (Paraphrased from the internet: IMDb site) See Apollo (62/100) Review: Very negative appreciation in English

127 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 129 by Dan Jardine from /reviews.php See also the Review by James Berardinelli from ReelViews (2.5/4) at Also see Entertainment Weekly Online: Review by Lisa Schwarzbaum (Friday, 12 November 1999): Everybody wants the one they can t have in Portraits chinois, a light romantic do-si-do that happens to be French but (except for the proud smoking) could be an update of The Big Chill, an episode of thirtysomething, or... an exceptionally chic Sundance indie. The men in this me-oriented ensemble define themselves as writer, actor, producer, fashion designer; the women do similar stuff, only less confidently. And at one point or another, one character or another privately pines Je t aime, je t aime, je t aime over someone who doesn t reciprocate. Review by Mary Ann Johanson from The FlickFilosopher (internet) Flick Sex and the City (Portraits chinois) Bottom line: I found it mildly diverting and ultimately forgettable. Other Reviews as listed by Movie Review Query Engine: The New York Times; Salon (Charles Taylor); Harvey S. Karten film_critic@ compuserve.com; Empire Magazine [UK]; Film Journal International; Village Voice (Justine Elias); E! Online. Les Fantômes de Louba (aka: Les Enfants des photos working title; and as Les Yeux baissés prerelease title) (2001, 107 mins.) Writing credits: Martine Dugowson and Gianguido Spinelli (adaptation), Cast: Elsa Zylberstein (Louba); Camille Japy (Jeannie); Jean-Philippe Écoffey (Serge); Eric Defosse (Charlie); Bertie Cortez(Nathan); Jean Vergnet (Alexandre); Liliane Rovère (Paula); André Journo (Maurice); Julia Levy-Boeken (Louba as a teenager); Vahina Giocante (Jeannie as a teenager); Sylvain Jacques (Charlie as a teenager); Elisabeth Catroux (Rita, the host mother); Jean-Yves Duparc (André, the host father); Alice Montrobert (Louba, as a child); Claire Andréani (Jeannie, as a child). Synopsis: Louba, a fragile young woman, has suffered greatly. During the war she lost her parents because they were Jewish. She never knew her father and has a traumatic memory of her mother, lost in a car accident. In a foster family she makes friends with Jeannie, who betrays her. Twenty years later, Louba is hired as babysitter for Jeannie s child, though Jeannie doesn t recognize her. Little by little, Louba invents a personality... Jeannie suspects nothing. Synopsis in French (and commentary) at MonsieurCinéma. com. Dulac, Germaine (Supplement to Pallister Guide, 64 67) Gossette (1923) B&W, silent (This film has a running time of 3 hrs. 40 mins. in several episodes.) Based on Charles Vayre s novel.

128 130 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Synopsis: Philippe de Savières is accused of having assassinated a rich industrial whose wife he loves. Thanks to Gossette he gets out of this fix. Antoinette Sabrier (1927, 60 mins.) B&W, silent. Synopsis: Germain Sabrier adores his wife but leaves her. Courted by another man, she hesitates over deceiving her husband. An unexpected event gets her out of this dilemma. La Folie des vaillants (1926, 37 mins.) B&W, silent. Synopsis: The tragic story of the love of a young vagabond and Radda, daughter of the head of the gypsies. Ten films of Dulac several never before screened in the U.S. were presented at MOMA October Duvivier, Stéphanie Born 30 April 1974 in Morocco; studied in Paris (ESRA). Mariage blanc (Mariage en papier) (1999; release date 2001, 28 mins.) France. Prod. Centre Val de Loire. Cast: Cécile de France, Amid Ait Fana. Synopsis: In Limoges, Lise decides to marry Salim, for money in her case and for a resident card in his case. His grandmother comes for an extended stay with them, without Lise s prior knowledge. Things don t go as expected. Synopsis in French at: _gen_cpersonne html. More details at: ART4.htm Effenterre. See van Effenterre Escriva, Amalia Avec tout mon amour (France, 2001, 85 mins.) Cast: Jeanne Baliban, Bruno Todeschini, Dominique Raymond, et al. Synopsis: Set in Algeria in 1930, just after the insurgents of Maguerite, a village in which seven Europeans have been killed, Suzenica commits suicide despite the love she has for her husband. Why? Paraphrased from French synopsis: French synopsis found at html Esposito, Philomène Films presented in Cannes: Toxic Affair (1993); La Strada del sol (1988). See Philomène Esposito, a Calabrian girl (on the internet: www

129 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 131.sacal.it/rivista6/esposito_en.html). Esposito speaks about herself and her films: The best film is the one that still has to be shot. Mima (1991) There is considerable information on the internet, and much attention is paid to Virginie Ledoyen, who made her debut in Esposito s Mima (1991). (See Pallister Guide, ). (Internet address: Virginie Ledoyen Toxic Affair ( , 88 mins.) Supplement to Pallister Guide, Scenario: Philomène Esposito and Antoine Lacomblez; photography: Pierre Lhomme; music: Goran Brégovic; [production: Caméra One, France 2 Cinéma, Gaumont, Lilith Films, Canal Plus; distribution: Gaumont. Cast: Isabelle Adjani (Pénélope), Clémentine Célarié (Sophie), Sergio Castellitto (Mister Ray-Ban), Hippolyte Girardot (Georges), Michel Blanc (le type suicidaire), Fabrice Luchini (l analyste à la patience d ange), Mouss Diouf (le marabout), Michel Seydoux, Kim Kimberley, Armand Barbault, Emmanuel Fouquet, Katia Delagarde, Lydia Ewande, Sylvie Huguel. Synopsis: Pénélope, a hypochondriac, has just broken up with her lover. While Sophie, her friend, meets the man of her life, Pénélope twice tries to commit suicide. Then one day she meets an Italian, who follows her home. In the morning they leave for an excursion in the country. See the long account of this film by Anne-Claire Schlesinger Le Mas Théotime (1995, 1 hr. 45 mins.) Produced by Laurence Bachman; Philomène Esposito and Jacques Forgeas; photography: Emmanuel Machuel; music: Laurent Petitgand. Cast: Jean-Claude Adelin, Michel Galabru and Florence Thomassin as well as Raoul Billerey, Vittoria Scognamiglio, Marie Henriau, Cyril Lecomte, Jacques Spiesser, Didier Bourguignon, Jean-Michel Dunouau, Philippe Fretun, Richard Guedj, André Guidicelli, Marc Mougin, Hélène Palumbo, Serge Pauthe. Synopsis: Pascal lives in Provence on the lands his father has left him. He is obliged to counter the maneuvers of his cousin Clodius who wants to compromise the irrigation of the vineyards and contaminate the beehives. In this atmosphere of suspicion Geneviève, a figure out of a mysterious past, returns. Synopsis in French at: Le Secret de Julia (1996) Script: Philomène Esposito; photography: Emmanuel Machuel; music: Laurent Petitgand; produced by Laurence Bachman. Cast: Chantal Lauby, Julien Guiomar, Etienne Chicot with Agathe de La Fontaine, Jenny Clève, Vittoria Scognamig-

130 132 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS lio,laura Martel,Cyril Lecomte, Sylvie Herbert, Philippe Fretun, Michel Amphoux. See: fiche2.asp?idf 1926 Also: 39&recordID 2489fr Toni ( , 90 mins.) Scenario: Philomène Esposito, Patrick Laurent; music: Alexandre Desplat; photography: Emmanuel Machuel; montage: Nicolas Barachin; production: Galfin / P.F.A. Cast: Alessandro Gassman (Toni); Béatrice Dalle (Marie); Raf Vallone (Le Vieux); Venantino Venantini (Minelli); and also Elena Varzi, Martin Esposito, Roland Marchisio. Synopsis: Toni is a mob movie combined with an urban love story and reflections about one s roots. The protagonist, Toni, is a young man from a small village in the south of Italy who arrives at the Gare de Lyon (station) in Paris. He never questions the education he receives from his mob family or the rules to which he is always chained. He contacts a man called The Old Man, a strange character discarded by the family who is of help only from time to time. This man is supposed to communicate to Toni all necessary information for him to accomplish his mission. Toni plans to execute it in perfect calm. But things do not go according to plan. He meets Marie, a vulnerable journalist whose best friend has just committed suicide. Two doomed characters enter a mysterious relationship. Gönül Dönmez-Colin (allmovie.com) Mary Lester (also written Mary Leaster) (France 3, 1999; Telefilm) Actor: Laurent d Olce. Les Ritaliens (2000, 1 hr. 36 mins.) (TV 5 guide: 1999) (TV film) Stars Salomé Lelouch (as Anna), as well as Roland Giraud, Danièle Lebrun, Julia Maraval and several Italian actors, including Ennio Fantastichini. Co-production: Ellipse Programme/France 2/ France 3. Synopsis: In the 1960s, an Italian family moves to France; it must confront real estate promoters who exploit Italian workers. The film is seen through the eyes of Anna, the youngest girl of the family. La Vie des Fictions TV film for France 2. Based on a scenario by Gabrielle Borile at _hebdo_01.htm. Meurtre en retour (1999). La Cité des dogues (1999) Cast includes Jean-Baptiste Iéra, Sophie de la Rochefoucauld, Quentin Baillot, Denis Syevain, Jean-Paul Muel, Didier Sauvegrain. Le Premier Fils (2000) Signed by Gétévé pour France 2; music: Henri Helman; scenario: Gabrielle Borile; produced by Telfrance

131 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 133 Awarded. Cast: Danièle Lebrun, Jean-Claude Drouot, Michel Creton and Martin Esposito. Synopsis: Madeleine, in her fifties, is married and happy. The pregnancy of her daughter-in-law causes her to remember the loss of her child. Filmed in the area of Nîmes. Synopsis in French: Also in French: Sur tempo (2000) Cast: Ennio Fantastichini, Veronica Pivetti, Salomé Lelouch, Julia Maraval. (Part of Les Ritaliens, discussed above.) Synopsis: In 1955, an Italian family Francesco Rinaldi, his wife Vittoria, their daughter Pasqualina, and the grandmother, la Nonna moves to the south of France. In return for modest lodging, they must contribute to the upkeep of the property belonging to the Moreaus. Years go by. A second daughter, Anna, is born. The Rinaldis have managed to buy a piece of land on a hill overlooking the sea and they dream of building their own home. The childless Madame Moreau places all her affection on Pasqualina who is a brilliant student. She heaps her with gifts. The adolescent is very flattered, for she feels integrated. But her sister Anna is the opposite: happy, carefree and very close to her grandmother and her father. Paraphrased and translated from an article in French by Caroline Constant in Humanité (11 May 2000), reprinted at 11/ Le Gang des poupées (2001, 1 hr. 30 mins.) Shown on France 3 Nord-Pas-de-Calais Picardie. Cast: Florence Thomassin, Jeanne Marine, Jimmy Delmotte. TMC (2002?) TV Drama. Cast: Pierre Vaneck, Boris Terral, Wadeck Stanczak, Serge Hazanavicius. Broadcast on 28 June See films-tv Etchegaray, Françoise Sept en attente (1995, 90 mins.) D. & scripted by Etchegaray; photography: Sabine Lancelin et al.; sound: Pascal Ribier et al.; editing: Emmanuelle Poinsot. Cast: Clémentine Amouroux, Richard Bean, Gwenola Bothorel, Myriam David, Marpessa Dawn, Cécilia Pares. Synopsis: A last party at which seven people gather and then separate from one another. Each one seems to be expecting something. Galatée is waiting for a boy who will not come; Clémence is expecting a child; Milia is waiting for something to happen in her life; Eric and his girl friend are waiting to be able to love each other; Marie is alone, so she knows how to wait; Mathieu and his boyfriend are waiting for their life to be easier.

132 134 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Etienne, Anne-Marie Le Petit qui attend le facteur (1994) Un été après l autre (1990) Tôt ou tard (1999 or 2000) Written by Etienne. Stars her significnt other and favorite actor Philippe Torreton (father of her two children). This is her second feature film, and her first film with Torreton. Cast also includes: Amira Casar, Annie Duperey, and Jacques Weber. Took prize of Jeunes Lycéens de Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Synopsis: What does a young girl dream of? Meeting the man of her life. Seemingly trite plot is original and fresh. See: Laurence Haloche, Fragments d un discours amoureux. Le Figaro Magazine (Saturday, 15 July 2000): See also Première (Summer 2000): 52. Negative assessment: maladroit and full of dialogue clichés. Tout traine en longueur et en mièvrerie. Feret (Renée; René) NOTE: Créteil 2002 cites a film that Nathalie Baye starred in La Communion solennelle as being by Renée Feret. The catalog is wrong. The correct name is René Feret (a male director).] Ferran, Pascale (Supplementary information: see Pallister Guide, 71.) Born in Paris in 1960; graduated from IDHEC in 1983 and then made four Shorts. Her Petits Arrangements... has received considerable attention, including the Caméra d Or du Festival de Cannes Anvers (1980) Souvenirs de Juan-les-Pins (1983) Un Dîner avec Mr Boy et la femme qui aime Jésus (1989) Le Baiser (Festival de Créteil, 1990) Petits Arrangements avec les morts (1994, 1 hr.48 mins.) D.: Ferran; scenario: Pierre Trividic, Pascale Ferran, Arnaud Desplechin; photography: Jean-Claude Larrieu; editing: Guy Lecorne; sound: Jean-Jacques Ferran; music: Béatrice Thiriet. Cast: Didier Sandre, Charles Berling, Catherine Ferran, Sabrina Leurquin. Co-production: La Sept Cinéma/Eclipsa Films/Cinéa/Pan Européenne. Synopsis: All is calm on this sunny Breton beach. Only a man in his forties attracts attention. He is building a very beautiful sand castle. A child, who is observing him attentively, goes up to him and speaks to him. Elsewhere on the beach, seated on a bench, a young man stares at the scene intensively. Then a woman, stretched out on her chaise longue, turns to look in her turn. The three people are brothers and sisters; they watch each other without speaking. All three have been marked very young by the death of one near to them. Each has trans-

133 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 135 ferred onto the two others his/her feeling of guilt and shut inside him/ herself bitterness, jealousy, useless attempts to forget. On the sunny beach, the voice of the child seems to bring them together. French synopsis at: pplans/arte/ arte_3.html L Age des possibles (1995) Feature length. Filmed for and by the students of the Ecole du Théâtre National of Strasbourg. These ten young people, between twenty-five and thirty, speak of their existence, their aspirations, their loves, Synopsis: Agnès goes to bed with a stranger she met on the minitel, while Béatrice is attached to a handsome but silent fellow. Denise is conducting surveys in the street for a polling institute. She meets Ivan who has for a long time lived with Catherine; but he refuses to have a child with her. Denise and Ivan fall in love and the Ivan-Catherine relationship ends. Meanwhile, Jacques finds life has no value for him, and he is attached to nothing. At an age where all is possible, what will the people become? Synopsis in French at: cineclub/age%20des%20possibles/age.htm Ferraud, Maryel Photographer; actress (Irma Vep [1996], L Iguane); director. L Iguane (aka The Iguana 1995) ( , mins.) D. with Filip Forgeau; written by Filip Forgeau; editor: Alix Joe; musical direction/supervision: Rodolphe De Jesus Trindade; cinematographer: Denis Gravouil. Cast: Maryel Ferraud (The Girl); Filip Forgeau (The Addict); Bô Gaultier de Kermoal (The Bolivian); Fred Giminez (Fredo); Denis Imbert (The Dealer); Dominick Rongere (Frag). Distributed by L ENTREPOT. Synopsis: Set in a ghetto. In this nihilistic drama Fredo follows Frag, a man who wanders the nameless streets of nowhere in search of nothing. Along the way he meets a drug dealer, an addict, an everchanging beauty, and his own memories. Le Terminus de Rita D. with Filip Forgeau (1994 5). Rita et Cléopatre D. with Filip Forgeau (1998, 84 mins.) Road Movie. Cast: Filip Forgeau, Maryel Ferraud, Bernadette Lafont. Synopsis: Rita runs away from her humdrum life and pursues her dream. Ferreira-Barbosa, Laurence See Barbosa Fillières, Sophie Born in 1964 and belonging to the generation of female directors that emerged from France s National Film School

134 136 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS (FEMIS) in the early 1990s, Fillières collaborated with Xavier Beauvois on the screenplay of Nord, before making her Short, Des filles et des chiens, recipient of the 1992 Jean Vigo prize. She has collaborated on a number of screenplays, including Noémie Lvovsky s Oublie-moi and Philippe Grandrieux s Sombre. Des filles et des chiens (1991, 6 mins.) Stars the director s sister, Hélène. Synopsis: Two young girls play their favorite game in the street: What would you rather do?... Consult: desfillesfilm.html. Grande Petite (1994, 1 hr. 45 mins.) Synopsis: Bénédicte, who is twenty years old, lives with Henri. They get along well. One day, as she is trying to shake off Paul, a former lover, she finds in the couch of an apartment house a thick bundle of bills and a pistol. She is going to try to systematically do all she can with those two objects. Aïe (Ouch) (2000; 106 mins.) W & d. by Sophie Fillières; cinematography: Christophe Pollock; editing: Valerie Loiseleux; sound: Christophe Winding; sets: Antoine Platteu; music: Michel Portal; producers: Martine Marignac, Maurice Tinchant; production: Celluloid Dreams. Cast: André Dusollier; Hélène Fillières; Emmanuelle Devos; Gisèle Casadesus; Lucien Pascal; Lucienne Hamon; Alain Rimoux; Anne Le Ny; Jean-Baptiste Malartre; Olivier Cruveiller. Synopsis: Robert is a middle-aged man who goes with his sister to visit a friend who has just given birth. Robert already knows the woman: she is Claire, his ex-girlfriend! Robert s interest in Claire is rekindled; but simultaneously he meets a beautiful young model, Marie-Pierre, Aïe (the French expression for ouch ). They begin to date and, though at first they don t seem well-matched, soon Robert falls head-over-heels in love with her. Claire s understanding and restraint are in contrast with the mysterious and unpredictable Aië. Caught between the two women, Robert must choose one or the other? Which one will it be? See also _a/aieouch01.html Synopsis in French by Philippe Théophandis, in Séquences 211 (January/February 2001): 46. See also Journal français (December 2001) 29. Fontaine, Anne Director of Augustin and Les Histoires d amour finissent mal en général, q.v. in Pallister Guide, Nettoyage à sec (or Dry Cleaning) (1997, 97 mins.) Scenario: Gilles

135 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 137 Taurand and Anne Fontaine; Photography: Caroline Champetier; editing: Luc Bernier. Cast: Miou-Miou (Nicole); Charles Berling (Jean- Marie); Stanislas Merhar (Loïc); Mathilde Seigner (Marilyn). Took prize at the Mostra in Venice Festival for the scenario. Synopsis: A brother and a sister (Loïc and Marilyn) who work as transvestites in nightclubs form a strong contrast with the solid married couple (Jean-Marie and Nicole Kluntzer) who represent the institution of marriage and the nobility of honest work: they run a drycleaning establishment. Nicole s infidelities with Loïc upset the harmony of this scene. Synopsis in French: France-Amérique (14 20 March 1998: 35). See Elie Castiel, Dérâpages contrôlés, Séquences 195 (March/ April, 1998): Castiel sees the occupation of dry-cleaning as a symbolic way of participating in the purification of the individual. See commentary in French: Journal français (December 1998): 30. Augustin roi du kung fu (1999) Cast: Jean-Chrétien Sibertin-Blanc (Augustin [cf Augustin, 1995]), Maggie Cheung (Irma Vep); and Darry Cowl. Synopsis: Augustin learns kung-fu while listening to the sound tracks of films that he has recorded in the movie theater. But he realizes that that is not enough if he is to become a master in martial arts. To make progress, he moves to the Chinese quarter of Paris, where he meets René, the only Frenchman working in a shop that sells Chinese goods. from Canal Horisons, 87 (May 2000): 15. Comment j ai tué mon père (2001 2, 1 hr. 40 mins.). Scenario by Fontaine and Jacques Fieschi. Cast: Charles Berling (Jean-Luc), Natacha Régnier (Isa) and Michel Bouquet (Maurice). In appreciation of this film Fontaine received the prize for new talent in French cinema from the Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques. Synopsis: A psychological suspense film, full of tension. Jean-Luc, a Versailles gerontologist, lives with his ravishing wife Isa. His success has made a satisfied man of him. He is integrated into a small bourgeois world. But suddenly Maurice, his forgotten father, absent exiled for thirty years in Africa, reappears. He expresses no remorse, moves in on the daily life of his sons Jean-Luc and Patrick, and becomes friends with Isa. He evokes the past, reveals the present, causes the taboos to fall. A penetrating character study of father-son ties. See complete review in French in Journal français (12 August 2002): 25. See additional full page review with stills in Journal français (31August-6 September 2002): 20. See lengthy review in English by John Patterson (Synopsis of film

136 138 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS and study of characters included.) John Patterson at See Jean Vallier (France-Amérique, 7 13 September 2002: 21). Reviews at: Father /reviews.php Review in French by Charles-Stéphane Roy, Séquences 223 (January-February 2003): 54. For more information visit: Nathalie (title at release) (2003; released 01/ 07/ 2004, 1hr. 45 mins.) D. by Anne Fontaine; scenario: Anne Fontaine, Jacques Fieschi, François-Olivier Rousseau and Philippe Blasband; photography: Jean- Marc Fabre; sound: Jean-Claude Laureux; editing: Emmanuelle Castro; musique: Michael Nyman; decors: Michel Barthélémy; production: Les Films Alain Sarde, France [17 rue Dumont d Urville, Paris; fax: ], in which Vivendi Universal holds a controlling 49% stake, through StudioCanal. Distribution: Mars Distribution, France. Cast: Fanny Ardant (Catherine); Emmanuelle Béart (Marlène, Nathalie Ribout); Gérard Depardieu (Bernard); Wladimir Yordanoff (François); Judith Magre (la mère); Rodolphe Pauly (le fils); Evelyne Dandry (la patronne du bar). Synopsis: Nathalie is the name a Parisian prostitute assumes for a special mission or private investigation. She is engaged for this unusual, and secretive task by a professional, upper middle class wife who fears her husband is unfaithful to her. Nathalie has to seduce the clueless husband and regularly report all details of her relationship with him, including his most intimate sexual preferences in bed. Nathalie is stunning, charming and cunning. Can Nathalie and her reports to the mistrustful wife be trusted? Is the middle aged husband indeed unfaithful? Summary written by Luiza do Brasil IMDb French synopsis at: film html The filming of Nathalie Ribout (working title; aka Nathalie X) began in 2002; it is now entitled Nathalie. Emmanuelle Béart had assumed the role first intended for Vanessa Paradis in this new feature film by Fontaine. Paradis withdrew because she was pregnant with her son Jack, born 10 April Garcia, Nicole Born in 1946, in Oran, Algeria. As an actress appeared in (among others): Mon oncle d Amérique (d. Alain Resnais, 1980). 15 août (1986, 9 mins) Short. Cast: Nicole Garcia, Ann-Gisel Glass, Nathalie Riche, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Pierre Rochefort. Synopsis: The story of a young nanny, supposedly English, who refuses to answer when others speak to her in English.

137 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 139 Un Weekend sur deux (Every Other Weekend) (1989, 100 mins.) Cast includes Nathalie Baye. Summary: A once-famous television actress who gave up her children to pursue her career is now hoping to revive her relationship with her two young children in this tale of love, loss and the hope for a second chance. It s a triumph! A tender road picture that s dramatic and real, in a way American movies rarely are (Jeff Craig, Sixty Second Preview) quoted from Facets catalog. Le Fils préféré (1994) Place Vendôme (First appeared 30 Septenber 1998, 1 hr. 57 mins.) Co-scripted with Jacques Fieschi. Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Jacques Dutronc, Jean-Pierre Bacri, and Emmanuelle Seignier. Summary: The story takes place in the world of jewelry. Upon the death of her husband, Marianne, who has sunk into alcoholism, is able to find again the business world in which she once shone. She also finds the man she once loved, and who betrayed her. This film has enjoyed great critical and popular success in Paris. For her work in this film Catherine Deneuve took the Lion d argent d interprétation féminine at the Festival de Venise However, in France-Amérique (9 15 January 1999:14) the claim is that this film did not live up to its promises and had to be content with the sale of only 900,000 tickets. A Review in French by Jean Vallier pans the film. Les bijoux de Place Vendôme manquent d éclat (13). On this same page a beautiful still of Deneuve in Place Vendôme. France-Amérique (19 August-1 September 2000). Review article: Denis Desjardins, LesDiamantssontéternels: Place Vendôme. Séquences 201 (March/April 1999): Cites problems of plot and character overloading and of credibility. L Adversaire (2001 2, 129 mins.) With Daniel Auteuil, François Cluzet, Emmanuelle Devos, Géraldine Pailhas. Screened at the Cannes Film Festival, Film was inspired by a recent criminal event. Synopsis: Jean-Claude Romand passed himself off as a physician for eighteen years, until, about to be discovered, he killed his whole family. Synopsis in French at: Plurimédia; or Yahoo! Inc. (Yahoo.com). Article in French by Michel Estève: Le français dans le monde 324: 72. See also: Pierre Roger, Séquences 227 (September-October 2003): 52 For life and films in French see:

138 140 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Ghorab-Volta, Zaïda Born in 1966 in Clichy. Social studies. Souviens-toi de moi ( , 59 mins.) Script: Ghorab-Volta; photography: Emmanuelle Le Fur; sound: Benoît Lafferrerie; music: François Narboni; editing: Yvan Gaillard. Cast: Zahra Benaïssa; Salah Teskouk; Zaïda Ghorab-Volta; Thierry Lorent; Agnès Gomes- Saraiva. Synopsis: Mimouna lives with her young sister Salima and her oldest brother Hamid in their parents home. The latter are Algerian immigrants in a Parisian suburb. The father is a workman; the mother remains at home. Hamid is in conflict with his father. The mother watches her family fall apart. Mimouna does not flee but lies: she has her parents believe she works in a hospital and must often be on duty. Créteil cat., 1997: 96. Le Manège du métro Saint-Paul (1996) (co-directed with Gilles Volta) Dounia (1997) France/Algeria. Short. TV. Chantal! (1997) (co-directed with Marie Vermillard) On s aime, on se donne la main (1997) Laisse un peu d amour (1998, mins) Distribution: Agat Film et Compagnie. Scenario: Zaïda Ghorab-Volta; photography: Hélène Louvart; sound: François Maurel; decor: Philippe Jacob; editing: Gilles Volta. Cast: Aurélia Petit, Lise Payen, Michèle Ernou, Louise Vincen et al. Synopsis: Monique, fifty-seven, has been given a preretirement leave; these are her first days without work. She wanders about; her daughter Gisèle, a drama student, succeeds in entering the Conservatoire de Paris and it s a new life for her. Her other daughter Sandra leaves the hospital where she was staying after a suicide attempt and takes off for the sea with her friends. The film relates the life of these three women. For French plot see Quinzaine des Réalisateurs: Vattelot-sur-Mer (1999) Never Been to London? (1999) Jeunesse dorée (2001, 1hr..25 mins.) Scenario: Zaïda Ghorab-Volta; photography: Pierre Milon; sound: Paulo de Jesus; decor: Philippe Jacob; music: Areski Belkacem, Brigitte Fontaine. Cast: Alexandra Jeudon and Alexandra Laflandre. Synopsis: Gwenaëlle and Angéla are friends. They are seventeen and eighteen years old. They live in the same city, near Paris. They propose as their school project a trip around France to make photographs. An exhibit is organized for their return. They learn about life s many possibilities.

139 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 141 For synopsis in French see Quinzaine des Réalisateurs: (This site presents a still, Marina Obradovic.) Also see Charles-Stéphane Roy, Séquences 215: 35. Gleize, Delphine Carnages (2002; 130 mins.) Scenario: Gleize; distributor: Diaphana. Cast: Chiara Mastroianni, Angela Molina, Lio, Lucia Sanchez, Clovis Cornillac, Jacques Gamblin, Bernard Sens. Synopsis: The story of a little five year old girl who thinks animals are better than she. The story of a supermarket clerk, a torero, a taxidermist, a teacher, an attempt at parricide, an adultery, an attack of convulsions, a German dog, quintuplets, scars, while a 475 kilo bull gets out of the slaughterhouse and takes a stroll.... It s the story of this voyage. Synopsis in French: IDfilm 586 IndieWIRE: 2 December 2002: The thirteenth Stockholm International Film Festival concluded last week in Sweden. The award for best screenplay was given to Dephine Gleize for Carnages. Godet, Fabienne Un certain goût d herbe fraîche (1994, 18 mins.) Le Soleil a promis de se lever demain (aka The Sun Will Rise Tomorrow) (1995, 23 mins.) Short. Written by Fabienne Godet (dialogue); photography: Matthieu Poirot-Delpech; editing: Marion Monnestier; produced by Lazennec Tout Court. Cast: Valérie Du Peloux, Christian Bouillette, Nathalie Richard. Synopsis: Feeling lost when his grandmother dies, Little Bus decides to look for his mother, whom he has never known. Might she live in Pornic? Godillot, Bunny See Schpoliansky, Bunny Guien, Alice Born in Studied scriptwriting at FEMIS (France s National Film School). In 2000, she was in charge of production at Sparx. Le Temps des Cerise (1998, 14 mins.) (Co-directed with Christie Molia; scenario: Gaïa Guasti, Alice Guien, Christie Molia, Mathieu Laemlé and François-Xavier Molia, from a short story by F.X. Molia; photography: Thierry Deschamp; music: James Sadras; sound: Christophe Penchenat; editing: Soazic Veillon; production and distribution: FEMIS. Cast: Catherine Oudin, Alain Frerot. This film, made at the

140 142 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS end of her studies at FEMIS, was chosen for the international competition of Shorts at Créteil, Synopsis: Auguste Cerise suffers because he doesn t feel close to his wife anymore. Theirs is the life of monotony; negligence and old age have caused them to grow apart. Now he is trying to win back his wife. See synopsis in French: Créteil catalog, 2000: 49. Guignabodet, Valérie Guignabodet wrote the scenario for the thriller En face (2000, 90 mins.) d. by Mathias Ledoux. and for Avocats & associés (1998; TV Series). Monique (2001, 92 mins.) Cast: Albert Dupontel, Marianne Denicourt, Philippe Uchan. Synopsis: Alex, a photographer in his forties leads a peaceful but monotonous life with his wife and their son. He has everything needed to be happy, and yet he is sinking little by little into a depression, until one day when he meets Monique. Only hitch: Monique is made of plastic. Well, almost! A dream body, always ready, never any headaches, never any tears, never any scenes, Monique will overturn the life of Claire and Alex. Commentary in French at: MonsieurCinéma. See also Val%E9rie Director (IMDb.) Guy-Blaché, Alice See Blaché Hänsel (or Haensel), Marion French in origin, having been born in Marseille in 1949, Hänsel has spent her whole professional life in Brussels. She was only fourteen when she decided to become an artist. She studied at two schools in Brussels, at the Strasberg Actors Studio in New York, as well as with the Fratellini Circus in Paris. She was an actress before taking up directing. On stage she performed in Brussels and New York; she also played in a number of films for cinema and television: La Belle Affaire, Ressac, Berthe, De guerre lasse and L Une chante, l autre pas. She founded her own production firm Man s Films in She has maintained close connections with Spain, and in 1991 directed Carmen Maura in Entre el cielo y la tierra, a film about maternity. Before making her first feature film, Le Lit (The Bed), she produced and directed industrial documentaries that were mainly shot in Africa. In 1987, Hänsel was named Belgian Woman of the Year. Many film festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival, have shown her films, and several of the films received a nomination or a prize.

141 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 143 Noces barbares Correction to Pallister Guide, 76: The entry stated: A mother is murdered by her son, after he has been brutally raped. Change he to she. Le Lit (The Bed) (1982; 80 mins. color) Supplement to Pallister Guide, 76: Based on novel by Dominique Rolin about whom a documentary exists (Dominique Rolin, l infini chez soi; Production R.T.B.F. CPB FR3 Océaniques Sodaperaga En Toutes Lettres Entretien et réalisation: Jean Antoine 1992; 53 mins.). Equilibres (1977, 12 mins.) (Early Short) Directed and written by Marion Hänsel. Photography: François Charlet; sound: Henri Morelle; prod.: Man s Film and Hélène Films. Cast: Valérie Valère, Marie- France Manuel. Synopsis: This Short would have been lost forever if the crew of Court Toujours had not found a badly deteriorated negative in France. Equilibres was filmed in Paris with Valérie as the main character: She is an adolescent seeking her equilibrium. See discussion in French: Internet: Cinergie ; by Philippe Deprez: Li (1995, 92 mins.) Drama. Belgium/France/England. Supplement to Pallister Guide 77: Script: Hänsel et al; photography: Bernard Lutic; music: Wim Mertens; sound: Henri Morelle; editing: Susana Rosenberg. Cast: Stephen Rea, Ling Chu, Adrian Brine, Maka Kotto, Mischa Aznavour; Lo Koon-Lan. With the voice of Jane Birkin. (Créteil cat., 1996). Grand Prix des Amériques at Festival des films du monde de Montréal (ex aequo with Vollmond). Also for the music of this film Takashi Kako took the Prix de la meilleure contribution artistique at the Festival des films du monde de Montréal. Synopsis: A sailor is brought back to life by the friendship of a young girl. Description from Version Française Catalog: An old cargo ship arrives from Hong Kong. The crew will have to wait a week, perhaps more, before their destiny will be decided. Among these seamen is Nikos, the Greek radioman, opium addict, solitary, wounded, and living on the edge, and Li, a young Chinese girl living on a sampan, whose work is to clean the boats while they are ashore. This is the story of the meeting of a lost man and a child who might have been lost, but who remains luminous thanks to her innocence, her wisdom, her faith and her tenacious strength in the face of a brutal life. Interview about Li (1995): Sébastien McQuade, Club-Culture Of prime interest. At: The Quarry (La Faille) (9 September 1998; mins.) Directed and scripted by Marion Hänsel, after the novel by Damon Gal-

142 144 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS gut; photography: Raymond Fromont; music: Takeshi Kako. Prod.: Man s Films Productions, Tchin Tchin Production, Wanda Films, Studio Nieuwe Gronden, RTBF (Radio Télévision Belge),with the support of Eurimages, le Centre du Cinéma et of l Audiovisuel de la Communauté française de Belgique, Fonds Film in Vlaanderen, Nederlands Fonds voor de Film. With Catalyst Films (South Africa). Cast: John Lynch, Jonny (Jonathan) Philips, Serge-Henri Valke [Valcke], Oscar Petersen, Sylvia Essau, Jodi [Jody] Abrahams. Prizes and Selections: Montréal World Film Festival (1998): Grand Prix des Amériques and Best Artistic Contribution. Selection at the Festival International de Films de Femmes de Créteil (1999), and at the Festival d Istanbul (1999). Dialogue is not in French, but English, Afrikaans. Synopsis: On a lonely stretch of road near a small coastal town a murder is committed. There is no one to witness the act and no one who could predict the bizarre repercussions which must inevitably follow. In taking on the identity of his victim, the murderer cannot foresee the sequence of events which, once set in motion, are inescapable, not only for him, but for all the town s inhabitants from the light-fingered Valentine, who unwittingly leads them to the body, to Captain Mong, who cannot rest until he gets his man. from: Review of The Quarry (La Faille intérieure) in French by Marceau Verhaeghe at: Incompetent review from Christian Science Monitor: Friday,14 January, See also synopsis in French at ECC Eurimages: The Quarry Nuages (Clouds) (2001, 75 mins.) (subtitle: Lettres à mon fils) Man s Film Productions, A Co-production: Belgium and Germany. Cast: Catherine Deneuve (voice-over), Charlotte Rampling (voice-over). Synopsis: A poetic contemplation of the clouds; the sky being the biggest screen in the world on which day after day a fascinating spectacle unfolds, never the same, and endless. Hänsel says: I set this composition against letters written to my son since his conception. Love letters, with little intimate touches, tender, sorrowful and happy. Helia, Marie Born in Marseille. Monette (1999) Distribution: Epicentre films. Chosen for the international competition of Shorts at Créteil, (Créteil catalog, 50). Herry, Dodine (Dodine Herry-Grimaldi) Elle voulait faire quelque chose (1994) Cast: Brigitte Bemol, Vincent Cassel, Mathieu Kassovitz, Dodine Herry.

143 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 145 Les Fleurs de Maria Papadopylou (1995) Je n en ferai pas un drame (I Won t Make a Scene) (1996) Cast: Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Wolfgang Wimmer, Bernard Schmitt. Hibbs, Katherine L Anniversaire (1989) Huppert, Caroline Born 28 October On ne badine pas avec l amour (1977) (TV) Madame Sourdis (1979) TV (Date correction: Pallister Guide 79, gave 1976.) Le Bonheur des tristes (1980) Elle voulait faire du cinéma (1983) Concerns the life of the great film maker, Alice Guy-Blaché, played by Christine Pascal. Signé Charlotte (aka Sincerely Charlotte) (1985) (See Pallister Guide 79) Marie-Antoinette reine d un seul amour (1989, 90 mins.) Le Train de Vienne (1989, 1 hr. 30 mins.) France/Suisse; Téléfilm. Scenario by Jean-Pierre Sinapi, Daniel Tonachella and Caroline Huppert; music: Michel Portal. Cast Roland Blanche, Thérèse Liotard, Christophe Odent, Jean-Yves Bertheloot, Marie Matheron, André Oumansky. Bonjour la Galère (1990) TV Cast includes Guy Marchand. Julie Lescaut (1992) TV Series (episodes: Harcèlements, Police des viols, Rapt ) Charlotte dite Charlie ( ) Un pull par dessus l autre (1995) TV L Ile aux mômes (1994) TV Viens jouer dans la cour des grands (1997, 1 hr. 40 mins.) Adaptation and dialogues: Caroline Huppert, Catherine Breillat, and Isabel Sébastien; original music: Alexandre Desplat; photography: Elizabeth Prouvost; sound: Dominique Levert; editing: Aurique Delannoy. Coproduction, Raspail & Associés, TF1, Canal Plus, TF1 International, Cast: Isabel Otero, Isabelle Carré, Didier Flamand, Robert Plagnol, Bob Swaim and Georges Wilson. Synopsis: Having spoken the truth about an abusive superior, a petulant secretary accepts working for the son of the PDG (Présidentdirecteur général) of the business. The latter, surprised by the sharp financial fall in the business, discovers embezzlements implicating several CEOs. Un silence coupable (in the séries Un homme en colère) (1998). L Inventaire (France, 1998)(Téléfilm) Cast: Macha Méril, Ludmila

144 146 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Mikaël, Jean-Yves Gautier, Didier Bezace, Florence Hautier, Marie Albe and Monica Noto Sigrist. Deux femmes à Paris (2000, 1 hr. 38 mins.) W. and d. by Huppert. Cast: Romane Bohringer (Maya); Julie Depardieu (Maud), Samuel Tasinaje (Aldo) and Olivier Granier (Marcel). Synopsis: Maya and her husband Aldo, Tunisian Jews, encounter anti-semitism in Paris. Synopsis in French: (France-Amérique, 27 avril-3 mai 2002: 27). La Liberté de Marie (2002, 180 mins.) Crime. Romance. Directed by Caroline Huppert; written by Caroline Huppert, based on the novel Thérèse Raquin, by Émile Zola. Septembre Productions. Cast: Didier Bezace (Michel); Alexandre Brasseur (Olivier); Manoëlle Gaillard (Evelyne Renard); Benoît Giros (Jean-Louis); Olivier Granier (Mathieu Renard); Justine Heynemann (Vanessa); Danièle Lebrun (Catherine); Julia Maraval (Marie); Jacques Mathou (Galibier); Sagamore Stévenin (Vincent). Le Porteur de cartable (2002, 90 mins.) Production: Ego Production; producteur délégué: Pascale Breugnot; director of production: Pascal Wyn; scenario: Caroline Huppert, based on the novel of Akli Tadj; Chaîne France 2; casting : Nora Habib. On TV, there is also a mini-series directed by Caroline Huppert, and starring Emily Dequenne. (2002, two 90-minute episodes). Isserman (or Issermann), Aline Born in César 1984 for Best New Director of a Feature Film (Meilleure première œuvre). Le Destin de Juliette (1983; color). Supplement to Pallister Guide 79: Written by Michel Dufresne and Aline Isserman. Cast: Etienne (Didier Agostini); Antoine s boss (Michel Amphoux); Marcel (Richard Bohringer); Veronique, young girl (Camille Cotte); Man in the stairs (Michel Dufresne); Juliette (Laure Duthilleul); Ferdinand (Pierre Forget); Pierre (Hippolyte Girardot); Renée (Véronique Silver). L Amant magnifique (1986; 100 mins.) Supplementary Info: D. Aline Issermann; written by Michel Dufresne and Aline Isserman. Cast: Didier Agostini (Luc); Hippolyte Girardot (Vincent); Isabel Otero(Viviane); Robin Renucci (Antoine). Carrie Tarr (French Studies Liv.2, 2000: 257) wanted mention in Pallister Guide 79 of the film s obsessive study of heterosexual sex, though in her review she got the names of the stars and moreover of other directors wrong. (E.g., Marion Hanson for Marion Hänsel.) The Guide reads: L Amant magnifique: Having fallen head over heels in love with a man, the heroine gets rid of her current boyfriend. Stars Didier Agostini and Michel Fortin. (Version Française cat.) See Lejeune,

145 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 147 La Vallée des anges (1987) Cast includes Jessica Forde. (Available: Amazon.com.) Secret de famille (1992) Cast: Josiane Balasko (Available: Amazon.com). L Ombre du doute (aka A Shadow Of Doubt subtitled version) ( ; mins.) Color; Dolby sound. Written by Aline Isserman. Cast: Mireille Perrier (Mother); Alain Bashung (Father); Sandrine Blancke (Alexandrine); Emmanuelle Riva (Grandmother); Michel Aumont (Grandfather); Luis Issermann (Pierre); Roland Bertin (Judge); Dominique Lavanant (Teacher); Thierry Lhermitte (Alexandrine s Lawyer); Jean-Pierre Sentier (Jean s Lawyer); Féodor Atkine (Therapist); Isabelle Petit-Jacques (Therapist); Cynthia Gavas (BPM Inspector); Eric Franklin (BPM Inspector); Simon de La Brosse (BPM Inspector). Synopsis: Film deals with incest, but the story is told with grace and subtlety. Dieu, l amant de ma mère et fils du charcutier (aka God, My Mother s Lover and the Butcher s Son (1995; 90 mins.) Written by Aline Isserman and Laurence Weisbrot. Cast: Richard Bohringer; Francis Huster; Luis Isserman; Marie Isserman; Jean-Pierre Kalfon; Lio. Synopsis: The mother of three children seems to become romantically involved with a man playing Don Juan in the same local countryside theater where she is acting. The children decide to try to poison the man who is threatening their family life. The real life and the stage roles get intertwined. Summary written by T.J.A. [ Une femme en blanc (mini) (1997) Cast: Sandrine Bonnaire (Margaux Dampierre); Christian Brendel (Daniel Roux); Jean-Claude Adelin (Bernard); Jérôme Hardelay (Eric); Laure Killing (Delphine); François Perrot (Maxime de Montpensy); Victor Garrivier (Félix); Daniel Rialet (Régis); Laurence Masliah (Marie); Gérard Rinaldi (Levaillant); Martine Sarcey (Mlle Jeanne); Karine Silla (Lili); Jessica Forde (Claudine); Gilles Gaston-Dreyfus (Rémi). (Amazon.com) Synopsis: A young surgeon (Sandrine Bonnaire) returns to her hometown to work. La Kiné (1998; 90 mins.) [TV-Series] D. by Isserman with Daniel Vigne. Cast: Charlotte Kady and Anne Belfond. Amazon.com Décollage immédiat (1999, 52 mins.) [TV-Series] Written by Jean- Luc Estebe and Vincent Lambert. Cast: Alain Sartey (Christian Brendel, an actor); Sophie Delauney (Laure Marsac); Désirée Nordmann (Sabine Haudepin). Jaoui, Agnès Clarification: Un air de famille (1996, 1hr. 47 mins.) Directed by Cedric Kapisch; Jaoui plays a role in it. Released in the USA

146 148 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS June Also: On connaît la chanson (Same Old Song) (1997; 120 mins.) Directed by Alain Resnais; Jaoui plays role in it. Le Goût des autres (1999, 1 hr. 30 mins.) First full-length feature film. Winner of the Grand Prix des Amériques (ex aequo). Scenario: Jaoui in collaboration with Jean-Pierre Bacri. Cast: Jean-Pierre Bacri, Alain Chabat, Anne Alvaro, Gérard Lanvin, Agnès Jaoui. Academy Award Nominee for Best Foreign Film (2001), but it went to the Tiger/Dragon film. Won several Césars in 2001, including Best Film. From Facets Fast Forward (April/May 2002: 3): Jaoui made a wonderful directorial debut with this thoughtful consideration of romantic longings. Bacri plays a wealthy, middle-aged man in an unsatisfying marriage who is drawn to an actress. Meanwhile, his bodyguard and driver compete for the attention of a sexy bartender and drug dealer (Jaoui). An affectionate portrait of a cross-section of humanity, says Robert B. Butler in The Kansas City Star. [l amour en chaînes à la racine; goût en chaînes aussi. jlp] Synopsis from Pariscope in French: Le Pariscope (Cinéma) 12 July 2000: 80. Synopsis and discussion in French: Journal français 23.4 (April 2001):29. See Jean Vallier, La France en tête... [38e Festival du film de NY]. France-Amérique (30 September-6 October, 2000): 14. See interview w/ Claude-Léna Kadouch: Deux millions de spectateurs (A.J. a su toucher avec Goût des autres) in Journal français (February 2001): 24. See Philippe Théophanidis: Le Goût des autres: un spectacle burlesque. Séquences 210 (November/Decembeer 2000): 60. See article by Jean-Luc Wachthausen, Césars: triomphe des femmes. France-Amérique (3 9 March 2001): 13. Comme une image Film was completed in 2004, and will be treated in a later guide. La Maison des enfants (2002, 115 mins.) Stars Sandrine Bonnaire. 24 Heures de la vie d une femme (2002?) Based on novella of Austrian Stefan Zweig. Une cuvée modeste et inégale by Jean Vallier. France-Amérique 8 14 March 2003: 17 Jouannet, Irène [not Joinet] L Intrus [Supplement to Pallister Guide, 79 80: (1984; Fujicolor) Written by Jouannet. Cast: Marie Dubois; Richard Anconina; Christine Murillo. Synopsis: Pursued by the police, a man using threats takes ref-

147 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 149 uge in the apartment of a woman. She does not denounce him when she gets the opportunity. He tries to understand her secrets. Final (1990) L Autre Célia (1992) Dancing Nuage (1995; 88 mins.; Color) (TV). Written by Jouannet from the novel of Georges-Paul Cuny. Cast: Mireille Perrier (Madeleine); Pierre-Quentin Faesch (Simon); Sebastien Lesgent (Nicolas); Myriam Mézières (Marcelle); Chantal Neuwirth (Christiane); Assia Barge (Marie Claire); Katia Bartoli (Denise); Antón Camacho (Kévin); Manuela Gourary (Edith); Delphine Jouannet (Alice); Jérôme Le Paulmier (Roger); Thierry Liagre (Bernard); Jean-Louis Loca (Kamel); Fréderic Mangenot (Rémi); Hélène Rodier (La Concierge de l école); Dominique Rousseau (L Institutrice); Esther Rozenblum (Vanessa); Tansou (Gilles). Synopsis: The day the cops inform Madeleine that her boyfriend has been arrested for theft they also threaten to drive her out of her caravan, baptized Dancing Nuage. She takes her belongings, and with her child under her arm, goes to knocking on doors. Madeleine in begging does not think about the consequences for her little boy. Commentary in French at Télérama: syrphe/madeleine/connus.htm Dancing%20Nuage Dormez, je le veux! (1998; 98 mins.) Written by Jouannet from Marie Nimier (novel); produced: Catherine Dussart; original music: Faton Cahen; cinematography: Sacha Vierny; editing: Dominique Roy. Cast: Céline Milliat-Baumgartner(Cora); Féodor Atkine (Katz); Jean-Louis Loca (Pedro); and also François Berléand and Catherine Frot. Distributor(s): Les Acacias (France). Synopsis: Cora is an idealistic and passionate teenager. Her absolute quest runs headlong into her parents misunderstanding and makes her flee her contemporaries. An essay on hypnosis falls into her hands by chance. She throws herself into the study of this science, from which she expects miracles, and practices with a certain success her new powers of suggestion on all comers. She then meets Katz, an artist, who will become her tutor, her spiritual guide and more. Her meeting with Katz, the king of hypnosis, will be determinant and will make Cora move to the other side of the mirror. Paraphrased from Hollywood.com. Synopsis in French at: Joxe, Sandra Les Femmes et les enfants d abord (1994, 90 mins.). Cast: Anna Galiena, Fedodor Atkine, Roger Ibanez, Javier Alkbala, Mapi Galan.

148 150 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Synopsis: The metamorphosis of a young woman portrayed through a tender comedy. Rose, thirty-five, with a husband and three children, leads a colorless, boring life as a housewife when one day her husband leaves her. Kaplan, Nelly (supplement to Pallister Guide, 80 81): Magirama (1956) La Nouvelle Orangerie (1966) Les Années 25 (1966) Le Regard Picasso (1967) Karina, Anna Birth name: Hanna Karin Blarke Bayer. Born on 22 September 1940 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Came to Paris in 1958, having worked as a model and appeared in one Short in Denmark. Became the darling of New Wave filmmakers (especially Jean-Luc Godard, her first husband). As well as her films with Godard, Karina has worked with many important directors including Rivette, Fassbinder, Visconti, Ruiz, Delvaux, Delville, Cukor, Vadim, Schlondorff, and Tony Richardson. She starred in a musical written for her by Serge Gainsbourg. Karina directed and starred in Vivre Ensemble but thereafter chose to remain in front of the camera. As an actress Karina was outstanding in the role of the prostitute in My Life To Live (1962) and of the petty criminal in Band of Outsiders (1964). She also starred in Jacques Rivette s La Religieuse (The Nun) (1966), and continued to appear in international features. Paraphrased from Hollywood.com. Recently Karina has had success with a CD, Une histoire d amour, and a concert tour. Vivre Ensemble (aka Living Together) (1973, 92 mins.) Karina wrote, directed, and starred in this but thereafter chose to remain in front of the camera. Distributor(s): Société nouvelle de cinéma Imperial Films. Cast: Anna Karina (Julie); Michel Lancelot (Alain); Monique Morelli (Sylvie); Raphael Mattei (Bruno); Viviane Blassel (Vera); Bob Asklof (Jacky). Synopsis: The stodgy life that schoolteacher Alain led before he met Julie was all that kept him together. When they become lovers, she induces him to loosen up and introduces him to her drug-using, hippie friends. At first he cannot get along with them, but eventually he loses his job and gives himself over to drugs and drink. She tries increasingly and frantically to keep him with her, but he finally walks out on her. By that time, they have had a baby. Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide at 0,7286,VID-V ,00.html?.

149 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 151 Kermadec, Liliane de La Piste du télégraphe (1994; 116 mins.) A road movie) D. & scripted by de Kermadec; photography: Iouri Liubchin; music: Antoine Duhamel; sound: Bernard Aubouy; editing: Aurique Delannoy. Cast: Elena Safonova, Christopher Chaplin, Cong Shan, Miki Manojilovic, Mylène Demongeot, Alexandre Arbatt. Shown at Créteil Festival, 1995 in original American version with Fr. subtitles. Synopsis: Lindbergh has just crossed the Atlantic. In the New York of 1927, a woman abandons her American home to seek her identity in her birthplace, Siberia. She travels on foot, sleeps out of doors, experiences hunger, cold, fear, loneliness. (Créteil Cat., 1995: 100.) Krim, Rachida (Algeria/France) Born in 1955 in Alès France.A sculptor. Studied plastic arts, drawing, and painting and exhibited her works in Got into filmmaking through writing Shorts (L Impasse; Adieu Galère, 1989) and then directed her first film which was distributed in several cities in Algeria. El Fatha (1992, 18 mins.) Fiction. D and script: Kim; photography: Pierre Nouion; sound: Michel Cassang; music: Cheb Massarah; editing: Eric Atlan. Cast: Myriam Berrabah, Magid Bouali. Synopsis: The third day of a traditional marriage in the Algerian West, a test which seems difficult to live through is put to the very young bride. Pourquoi pas? (1992) D. and written by Krim. Video. Sous les pieds des femmes (26 November 1997, 85 mins.) Fiction. Cast: Claudia Cardinale, Fejria Deliba, Nadia Fares, Mohamad Bakri, Yorgo Voyagis, Hamid Tassili, Carim Messalti, Bernadette Lafont. Synopsis: It s An Algerian couple, Aya and Moncef, have been living in the south of France for forty years. Both participated actively in the Algerian war of independence under the command of Amin, the local leader of the revolutionary F.L.N. who is coming to visit them. Aya s memory is jarred by long-faded images. The last time Amin came to her home, it was in 1965 when a secret romance between Aya and Amin broke all laws, exposing them to a sure death if caught. Amin promised to take Aya to Algeria after the war. Amin s visit forces everyone to take a clear look at their choices and responsibilities. from Hollywood.com For discussion in French see Olivier Barlet at cultures.com/revue_africultures/articles/affiche_artic le.asp?no 216 Also see: La Femme dévoilée (1998, 12 mins.) Fiction. Co-directed with Hamid Tassali.

150 152 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Synopsis: A prank played on a veiled woman by a band of adolescent boys roaming the streets of Oran goes against them. Kurys, Diane Born on 3 December 1948 in Lyons. Began as an actress with Jean-Louis Barrault s company. With a government grant, Kurys wrote a screenplay which developed into her first directorial effort: Peppermint Soda (Diabolo Menthe, 1977). This, like several subsequent films, dealt with autobiographical issues. (See Pallister Guide, ) La Baule-les-Pins (1990) Pour Sacha (aka For Sacha) (1991, 114 min.) Kurys was producer, not director (Alexandre Arcady Producer/Screenwriter/ Director). A la folie (Six Days, Six Nights) (1994, 96 min.) Screenwriter/Director: Kurys and Antoine Lacomblez; producer: Alexandre Arcady and Robert Benmussa; cinematographer: Fabio Conversi; composer (Music Score): Michael Nyman; editor: Luc Barnier; production designer: Tony Egry; associate producer: Philippe Lievre; Mmusical direction/supervision: Pierre Befve; costume designer: Mic Cheminal; sound: Claude Villand; casting: Pierre Amzallag; produced by France 3 Cinema/ Lumiere Pictures/New Light Films. Cast: Anne Parillaud (Alice); Béatrice Dalle (Elsa); Patrick Aurignac (Franck); Bernard Verley (Sanders); Alain Chabat (Thomas); Jean-Claude de Goros (Raymond); Marie Guillard (Betty). Synopsis: A ménage-à-trois [comprised of] rival sisters and a boyfriend provides the dramatic focus of this film. The sisters Alice and Elsa have been apart for two years. Alice, a painter, lives in Paris with her lover Franck. Problems for the happy couple ensue when Elsa suddenly appears at their door after leaving her cheating husband and two children. Elsa immediately begins trying to dominate their lives. Alice wants the out-of-control Elsa to leave, but then suddenly changes her mind. To thank her, Elsa destroys her art studio, has sex with Franck, convinces him that Alice is unbalanced, and then ties Alice up in her apartment. Sandra Brennan on the internet. Les Enfants du siècle (2000; 135 mins.) (aka The Children of the Century) Producer/screenwriter/director: Kurys; producer: Alain Sarde; screenwriters: Murray Head and François-Olivier Rousseau; cinematographer: Vilko Filac; composer (music score): Luis Enriquez Bacalov; editor: Joëlle van Effenterre; production designer: Bernard Vezat; art director: Maxime Rebiere; associate producer: Christine Gozlan; executive producer: Robert Benmussa; costume designers: Christian Lacroix and Anais Romand; first assistant director: Marc Baraduc; sound/sound designers: Vincent Amardi, Laurent Kossayan, and Jean-Louis Ughetto; casting: Gerard Moulevrier. Produced by

151 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 153 Alexandre Films /France 2 Cinema /Les Films Alain Sarde/ Odeon Films. Cast: Juliette Binoche (George Sand); Benoit Magimel (Alfred de Musset); Stefano Dionisi (Pagello); Robin Renucci (Buloz); Karin Viard (Marie Dorval); Isabelle Carré (Aimee d Alton); Arnaud Giovaninetti (Tattet); Denis Podalydes (Sainte-Beuve); Olivier Foubert (Paul); Marie-France Mignal (Mme de Musset). Distributed in the US by Empire Pictures. Synopsis: While pioneering pre-feminist author George Sand has been the subject of several film biographies focusing on her ten-year relationship with Frederick Chopin, Les Enfants du siècle looks at an earlier period in Sand s life, in particular her stormy romance with poet Alfred de Musset. In the early 1830s, Baroness Dudevant has abandoned her husband and arrives in Paris with her children in tow as rioting divides the city. The Baroness decides to pursue a career as a writer; she renames herself George Sand, begins penning manifestos denouncing marriage and affirming a woman s right to sexual satisfaction. Alfred de Musset finds her brash nature fascinating, and they become lovers, as he helps her craft her literary efforts. The couple heads to Venice in search of escape and inspiration, but Alfred prefers the city s brothels to George s company, while George makes the acquaintance of an Italian doctor, Pagello, with whom she has a passionate affair. Alfred returns to France. Eventually, George leaves Pagello and gives Alfred another chance. Paraphrased from Mark Deming for allmovie.com. See: Children of the Century: George Sand s Explosive Affair, by Andrew Sarris (New York Observer): Excellent long critique of this film at: Labrune, Jeanne In Pallister Guide, 84, under De Sable et de sang [Sand and Blood] the name of the late actress, Maria Casarès ( ), should have appeared. One might add that the film contains gory scenes of the bullfight and the abattoir; and that the two men (homosexuals) and their professions are set in violent contrast in this passably interesting film. Its plot, nonetheless, is rather décousu, the whole issue of Manuel s brother having been dropped midstream and not reprised. (Available at Movies Unlimited and from Facets for sale or for rental.) Ce même corps qui m attire (1980) Jules et Jim (1994; 96 mins.) [Remake of 1961 Truffaut film] D. and scripted by Labrune based on novel of Henri-Pierre Roché and the Notebooks of Helen Hessel; photography: Roger Dorieux; music: Serge Franklin; editing: Catherine Delmas. Cast: Anouk Grinberg; Charles Berling; Bruno Todeschini; Olivia Brunaux.

152 154 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Synopsis: Two men meet by chance and become friends; they are both in search of a great love and find it, unfortunately in the same person, Claire, a woman who will go with them, tragically, to the end, even to suicide. Labrune says the story is a modern tragedy par excellence. Si je t aime prends garde à toi (1998) Synopsis: A film that makes no concessions.the camera even films an erect penis, Samuel s (Daniel Duval), who is overcome with a passion for an independent woman (Nathalie Baye) who gives in to physical desire without giving up her freedom. Synopsis in French: Journal français (December 1998: 30). Jean Decock: A huis-clos between Baye and Duval, a struggle between the two to see who will prove the strongest. (Decock in The French Review [April 1999]: 959). Ça ira mieux demain (1999; 80 mins.) D. and written by Labrune. Cast: Nathalie Baye, Isabelle Carré, Jeanne Balibar, Danielle Darrieux, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Didier Bezace, Sophie Guillemin. Distributed by TVA International. Review with still by Dominique Pellerin in Séquences 216 (November/December 2001): 57. Finds a touch of the incongruity and magic that characterize Woody Allen s work. C est le bouquet! (2002, 99 mins.) Cast: Dominique Blanc, Jean- Claude Brialy, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Sandrine Kiberlain, Hélène Lapiower. Synopsis: An unexpected phone call from M. Kirsch sets off a crisis between husband Raphaël (Jean-Pierre Darroussin) and wife Catherine (Sandrine Kiberlain). A slave is rebelling and freeing himself but he lacks flexibility. A businesswoman makes Kant her ally. A passerby confuses China with Cambodia. A couple undergoes a crisis. A young middle-class woman can t stand glutamate. A host of little events that reveal the madness of our contemporary world. C est le bouquet! Lacalmontie, Muriel Born in Several music clips and films about fashion. Printemps (1993), about Tienanmen. Triptyque (1999, 13 mins.) Scenario: Muriel Lacalmontie; photography: M. Poirot-Delpech; editing: Claire Schnee; production: Caroline Production. Cast: Myriam David, Elisabeth Kaza, Féodor Atkine. Chosen for the international competition of Shorts at Créteil, Synopsis: A woman in an armchair, a man in front of a mirror, an-

153 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 155 other woman heating water are the characters in this game, evolving from reflections of the body. Synopsis in French: 2000 Créteil catalogue, 49. Lang, Samantha L Idole (2002, 1hr. 50 mins.) Cast includes Sandrine Bonnaire. Synopsis: In an old Parisian apartment house, an old Chinese, Zao, crosses paths with a young Australian actress, visibly preoccupied. Sarah has just moved in opposite him. When she reveals to him her plan to commit suicide, he proposes a pact. He will cook Chinese dishes for her on the specified day. Thus a strong, ambiguous, and subtly erotic relationship develops between the two, beneath the inquisitive and envious glance of the other inhabitants. Lanoe, Annick Les Mamies (aka God save mamies) (1992) Cast: Danielle Darrieux, Sophie Desmarets, Odette Laure, Paulette Dubost, Jackie Sardou, Marthe Villalonga, Catherine Rouvel, et al. Synopsis: Seven mamies [friends; cronies] depart for Portugal, on the track of a runaway grandson. Lapiower, Hélène Petite Conversation familiale (1999, 1 hr. 5 mins.) Long documentary. Synopsis: Lapiower films her family: her parents, her grandmother in Brussels, uncles, aunts and cousins in the U.S. Differing points of view in this Polish Jewish family. Latour, Eliane de Bronx-Barbès (2000, 110 mins.) First fiction film by this wellknown documentarian. The film uses nonprofessional actors to depict life in Abidjan s poor districts. Synopsis: Responsible for a murder, two adolescents try to survive in the heart of the ghettos of a city in Ivory Coast. (Well received by Ivoirians in France.) Discussion in French by Louis Guichard for Télérama 2758 (20 November 2002): 153. Film was shown on ARTE, 27 November Laubier, Marie de Born in 1960 in Mali. Veloma (2001, 100 mins.) Scenario: Marie de Laubier, Jean-Pol Fargeau, Alexis Galmot; photography: Emmanuelle Collinot; sound: Jacques Ballay; editing: Paul de Laubier; production : Lancelot Films

154 156 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS (Paris); distribution: Lancelot Films (Paris). Cast: Julie Depardieu, Patrick Pineau, Thibault Patell, Hery Ranaivo Rajanoa, Guy-Auguste Boleat. Synopsis: When Philippe finishes dead last in an around-theworld solo sailboat race, he finds it more difficult than he expected to readapt to life on land with his partner, Lucie, and their six-year-old son. He returns to sea and disappears, but Lucie doesn t believe for one minute that he is dead. High Falls Film Festival description: Also: Philippe has run a sailing race. He has come in last, and, when he goes back to Lucie in Paris, he can t forget his disappointment. One day, he decides to sail out to sea and he disappears. Laurent, Christine Born in (Fitzpatrick says 1948.) Transatlantique (1997, 110 mins.) France/Portugal. Directed by Christine Laurent; written by André Téchiné. Cast: Julio Calcagno; Luis Miguel Cintra; Laurence Côte; Evelyne Didi; Osvaldo Fattoruso; Marana Ingold; Monique Mélinand; Marcelina Núñez, Joaquin Olarreaga, José Oliveira (I), Carlos Quintana (I), Héctor Spinelli. Synopsis: In this French-Portuguese film French vocalist Laure Constant (Laurence Côte) goes to Montevideo, Uruguay, to see her old lover Colossus (Jose Oliveira), but when he s a no-show, she becomes involved with several other men, while listening to advice from some older French women who are costume designers. Bob Stewart allmovie.com Lefebvre, Geneviève Supplement to Pallister Guide, 85: ([Kuhn writes Lefèvre [166]); Séquences places no accent on last name.) Born in Lens, Le Jupon rouge (1987, 90 mins.) Synopsis: On the destiny of three women, each of a different generation. See Lejeune, 166. Carrie Tarr (French Studies Liv.2, 2000: 257, reviewing Pallister Guide 85) suggests that one should mention here the lesbian relations. Therefore, the following from Facets catalog may be useful: In this lesbian ménage-à-trois drama, shifting attractions are played out between three women of different ages. The eldest, Bacha (legendary Italian actress Alida Valli), is a human rights activist and concentration camp survivor. Her younger fashion designer friend Manuela (Marie-Christine Barrault) is her primary emotional support. When Manuela meets the beautiful Claude (Guillemette Groban) the two begin a relationship that incites Bacha s intense jealousy. Le Ciel sur la tête (aka The Sky Overhead) (2000, 106 mins.) D.

155 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 157 Lefebvre wih André Melançon; script: Lefebvre and Marcel Beaulieu. Cast: Arianne Maheu, David Boutin, Serge Dupire, Céline Bonnier, Marc Messier (Gaby), Maka Kotto (Cure Florent); Nathalie Breuer (La Belle Hélène); Daniel Fanego; Rosa Zacharie. Dist. Christal Films. Produced by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation / Canadian Television Fund / Productions Thalie / Sodec / Telefilm Canada. Synopsis: While the heroine loses her sight her heart opens to love. See Alexandre Laforest s unflattering review in Séquences 217 (January/February 2002: 49). Still. Suggests that the theme of blindness, which seems to have surfaced in several films lately, is perhaps a metaphor for an era overdosed on images. Lemercier, Valérie Born 9 March 1964 in Dieppe. Is an important actress; appeared, for example, in Jean-Marie Poiré s Les Visiteurs (1992); in Vendredi soir (2002); in Le Derrière (1999); in Quadrille (1997); in Sabrina (1995); in Casque bleu (1994); in La Cité de la peur: une comédie familiale (1994); in Les Enfoirés chantentstarmania (1993)(V) as Herself; in Sexes faibles! (1992); in Le Bal des casse-pieds (1992); in L Opération Corned-Beef (1991); in Après après-demain (1990); in Palace (TV Series, aka Ça c est palace) (1988). Quadrille ( ) Fri-Fri ( ) Lemercier stars in this film, along with Claude Rich and Marthe Keller. Le Derrière (aka From Behind) (1999, 102 mins.) Scenario: Lemercier and Aude Lemercier. Cast: Claude Rich, Valérie Lemercier, Dieudonné, Marthe Keller, Patrick Caalifo, Didier Brengarth. Synopsis: A bittersweet comedy on the effort of a woman to disguise herself as a man in order to seduce her homosexual father. See Séquences for unflattering discussion in French: ( P.R. ) 209 (September/October 2000): 55. Leherissey, Christine On this prolific director of TV films, consult the internet, where there are many entries. Goal (série de 13 épisodes)(1992) Goal (2ème série de 26 épisodes) (1993) (Several directors) La Basse Cour (1996) Docteur Sylvestre (1994; 1997) Marie Lester(1999) Men Fall (2000) Une Maison dans la tempête (2002) Lévy, Sara (or Levy) Du bleu jusqu en Amérique (1999, 100 mins.) Cast: Samuel Jouy

156 158 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS (Camille), Marion Cotilard (Solange), Albert Dupontel (Professeur Helpos). Synopsis: Victim of a terrible accident, Camille Balaise is thrown into another world: that of a Rehabilitation center. What he was before doesn t count; what he will become he doesn t know. He must adapt to the unreal universe of corridors, basements, and dark galleries in this strange hospital ( as big as a city), under the direction of Professor Helpos. Lipinska, Christine Additional Information see Pallister Guide, Je suis Pierre Rivière (1975) Cast: Jacques Spiesser, Michel Robin, Thérèse Quentin, Isabelle Huppert. Folie suisse (1985)Director of Photography: Jean Boffetty; screenplay: Christine Lipinska; music: Armande Altaï. Cast: Jean-François Balmer, Richard Bohringer, Daniela Silverio, Marie Riviere. Papa est parti maman aussi (1988, 104 mins.) Comedy. Cast: Sophie Aubry, Jerome Kircher, Anaïs Subra, Benoît Magimel. Synopsis: A young girl takes charge of her siblings after their parents leave them. Le Cahier volé (Stolen Diary) (1993, 105 mins.) Drama. Cast: Elodie Bouchez, Edwige Navarro, Benoît Magimel. Synopsis: In the course of one day, a girl discovers that three different people are in love with her. There are many entries regarding this film on the internet. Lopes-Curval, Julie Bord de mer (2002, 88 mins.) Cast: Bulle Ogier, Ludmila Mikaël, Hélène Fillières, Jonathan Zaccaï, Patrick Lizana, Liliane Rovère. Awarded the Caméra d or at the Cannes Film Festival. Synopsis: Marie, a woman with a tendency to dream, is suffocating between the awkward love of her friend, Paul, and her job at the factory. She remembers the dreams of her youth. Synopsis in French at: Also see: frenchculture.org for Information and reviews of this film. Also: fr.movies.yahoo.com/agenda/cinbanlieuesean html And: fr.movies.yahoo.com/agenda/cinhachettefilm html And: See: Le Monde.fr: Bord de mer : 0,5987, ,00.html

157 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 159 Long review by Erica Abeel at: movies/movies_030805bord.html Loridan-Ivens, Marceline d (Supplement to Pallister Guide, 86) La Petite Prairie aux bouleaux ( 2002, 90 mins.) Writers: Jean-Pierrre Sergent, Elisabeth D. Prasetyo, Marceline Loridan-Ivens and Jeanne Moreau. Cast: Anouk Aimée, August Diehl, Marilu Marini, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Claire Maurier, Monique Couturier, Nathalie Nerval, Elise Otzenberger, Karen Marciano. Loridan-Ivens s feature-film directing debut. With this film she hoped to save from oblivion the memory of the times of extermination. Synopsis: Myriam, the heroine of the Franco-Polish film Clearing in the Birch Wood, is a French Jewess, reporter and film director. She comes to Poland to grapple with her horrific memories. During the war, together with her father, she had been sent to Auschwitz. The father did not survive, but she returned to France. At Auschwitz, Myriam met a young German photographer. His grandfather had built the camps, and the grandson wanted to show the world photographs of the barracks and crematories behind barbed wire. During the war, Marceline Loridan-Ivens was in Birkenau together with 75,000 other prisoners deported from Drancy. Only 2,500 returned home. She makes no secret of the fact that the screen Myriam is in fact herself, that she is telling about the shock she experienced when many years after the war she again went to Birkenau and found herself among the familiar barracks. Primo Levi wrote a book, Is that a Human? one year after returning to Italy. More than half a century later Loridan- Ivens set about writing a screenplay for her film, together with Jean- Pierre Sergent and Elisabeth D. Prasetyo. Lovisone, Virginie Born in Has made several films for television. For Canal, C est pas le 20 heures ( ) and Le Grand Flip (1999). Spartacus (2001, 7 mins.) Scenario: Virginie Lovisone. Production: Les Films en Hiver (Paris). Chosen for the international competition of Shorts at Créteil, Synopsis: A young woman who is demonstrating outside a department store suddenly enters the store and grabs the microphone of the woman announcing sales (the animatrice ). Those in charge panic and try to get the microphone out of the hands of this somewhat special substitute animatrice. Synopsis in French: 2002 Créteil catalogue, 52

158 160 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Lvovsky, Noémie Born La Belle (1986) Une visite (1987) Dis-moi oui, dis-moi non (1989) Embrasse-moi (1990, 11 mins.) Short. Written by Noémie Lvovsky. Cast: Emmanuelle Devos, Camille Japy. Oublie-moi (1994, 95 mins.) D. and scripted by Lvovsky; photography: Jean-Marc Fabre; music: Andrew Dickson; sound: Ludovic Hénault; editing: Jennifer Augé; Cast: Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi; Emmanuelle Devos; Laurent Grevil; Emmanuel Salinger; Philippe Torreton; Olivier Pinalle. Synopsis: Nathalie is unhappy; the man she loves doesn t love her anymore. She cannot reconcile herself to this fact. Les Années lycée (1997, 90 mins.) (TV) W.: Lvovsky. Cast: Ingrid Molinier (Inès); Julie-Marie Parmentier (Stella); Camille Rousselet; (Marion); Magalie Woch (Emilie); Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi (Emilie s Mother). La Vie ne me fait pas peur (1999, 111 mins.) (France/Switzerland) Written by Noémie Lvovsky and Florence Seyvos. Distribution: Pathé. Cast: Magalie Woch (Emilie); Ingrid Molinier (Inès); Julie- Marie Parmentier (Stella); Camille Rousselet (Marion); Valeria Bruni- Tedeschi (Emilie s Mother); Jean-Luc Bideau (Emilie s Father); Marina Rodriguez-Tomé (Inès s Mother); Luis Rego (Inès s Father), et al. Summary: We follow four ordinary little girls as they grow up, learn about life, love and all that sort of thing. The film is an elaborate patchwork of scenes showing the girls as they become adults, conscious of what they are and of what they love. Many scenes, particularly those involving their relationships with boys, are funny and true. The soundtrack and the many fantasy/musical scenes help a lot too. Based on: Les Sentiments (Filming, fall 2002; release date: 05 Novembre 2003, 1 hr. 34 mins.) Cast: Nathalie Baye, Melvil Poupaud, Jean-Pierre Bacri, Isabelle Carré. Production: Pathé-Renn, Agthe Bonitzer. Synopsis: Jacques, a doctor, and his wife Carole Carole, live in a house in the region of Paris. François and Edith move into the house next door. François is to succeed Jacques and take over his clientele. Jacques spends a lot of time with François in order to prepare François for the takeover. Meanwhile, Carole and Edith become close friends. Soon, Jacques falls in love with Edith. She is at first moved by the trouble she provokes in him. Then she begins to fall in love with him. But she doesn t see that she is just as much in love with herself falling in love. She does not see either that they are rushing toward violent sentiments or feelings. Tr. from AlloCine French synopsis: cfilm html

159 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 161 Maillet, Dominique Pauvre Sonia (aka Histoires abominables: Pauvre Sonia ) (1975) (France: reissue title) (1975, 12 mins.) Directed by Dominique Maillet; writing credits: Dominique Maillet and Claude Seignolle (short story). Cast: Anicée Alvina, Gérard Boucaron, Eva Damien, Frank David. Les Seize ans de Jérémy Millet (1978, 15 mins.) With Dominique Laffin. Carole (1979) (D&J) Short Fiction. Ferdinand (1980, 13 mins.) Victor (1981, 14 mins.) Venin de l arbre (1987, 26 mins.) Le Roi de Paris ( , 1 hr. 37 mins.) Cast : Philippe Noiret, Manuel Blanc, Véronika Varga, Michel Aumont, Jacques Roman, Corinne Cléry, Sacha Briquet, Ronny Coutteure, Bernard Lajarrige, Franco Interlenghi, Paulette Dubost. Synopsis: Victor Derval (Noiret), the greatest stage actor of his generation, is the toast of Paris in the Thirties. But his life is turned upside down when Lisa, a young admirer, moves into his home and forms a liaison with both Victor, and his son, Paul. (Philippe Noiret is magnificent as the over-bearing and versatile comédien for whom love is something to be played, not felt. Dominique Maillet s visually stunning film has been kept out of America for too long). Quoted from: Le Flic errant (1995 6) TV (Pilot for a series). Le Train de Tony (1995 6) TV (Pilot for a TV series.) Mangolte, Babette [France/United States] See Foster, p Born in 1941 and raised in France. Mangolte discovered Cinema with the New Wave. In 1964 she was accepted by L Ecole Nationale de la Photographie et de la Cinématographie in the section Cinématographie, Class This school, known as Vaugirard, was funded by Louis Lumière in Mangolte shot her first feature as a Director of Photography for L Automne (1970), directed by Marcel Hanoun. Since 1972 she has lived, worked and taught in the United States. Mangolte is known for her cinematography for Jeanne Dielman (1975), directed by Chantal Akerman with Delphine Seyrig; News From Home (1976), also directed by Chantal Akerman; Lives of Performers (1972); and Film about a Woman Who... (1973), directed by Yvonne Rainer. She has worked as a cinematographer on many other films. What Maisie Knew ( , 58 mins.) B&W. USA. Cast: Epp Kot-

160 162 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS kas, Kate Manheim, Saskia Noordhoek-Hegt. First film. Received the Prix de la Lumière at the Toulon Film Festival in 1975 (Marguerite Duras was president of the jury). This film is in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (Centre Georges Pompidou) in Paris. It is based on Henry James s novel, What Maisie Knew, in French called Ce que savait Maisie, translated by André Maurois, Synopsis: A little girl observes the frantic comings and goings of her divorcing parents and their respective lovers. (Now) (or Maintenant Entre Parenthèses) (1976, 10 mins.) Short. USA. In English. Cast: James Barth (III), Linda Patton. Synopsis: A linear succession of activities/manipulations of objects. The Camera: Je, or La Caméra I (1977, 88 mins.) B&W. USA. In English. Summary: A subjective account of the act of making still photographs. Going back and forth between observation and sentiment or imagination, the film is a self-portrait of the photographer-filmmaker during the years Summary written by Anonymous, IMDb. (In 2000, The Camera: Je... was included in a program titled Screening Manhattan, a week-long event in Vienna, Austria. It is in the collection of The Museum of Modern Art in New York.) Water Motor (1978, 7 mins.) 16mm There? Where? (1979, 8 mins.) 16mm The Cold Eye (My Darling, Be Careful) (1980) The Sky on Location (1982, 78 mins.) Visible Cities (1991, 31 mins.) Four Pieces by Morris (1993, 94 mins.) Produced with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Guggenheim Museum. Most of these films are available from: Filmmakers Cooperative. address: bmangolte@ucsd.edu Marceau, Sophie Born Sophie Maupu on 17 November 1966 in Paris, Sophie Marceau grew up far away from studios until her fourteenth year. Back then, she was living in the Paris suburbs (Gentilly) and her father was a truck driver. At that time, she learned from one of her friends that Claude Pinoteau (a French movie director) was looking for new faces for a teenagers movie called La Boum (1980). She played in La Boum II (1982) and then, when she was sixteen years old, bought back her contract with Gaumont for one million French francs. She received a César for Best Feminine Hope for La Boum II (1983); was elected Romantic actress for Chouans! (1988) at the Festival international du film romantique (International Festival of Romantic Film) in Cabourg (1988); and won a Molière for the Best Theatrical Revelation for Eurydice et Pygmalion (1994). (

161 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 163 cities.com/sophiemarceau3/) Note that Marceau also appeared in Belmont s Marquise. Additional Bio and photos found at: L Aube à l envers (1995, 10 mins.) D. and scripted by Marceau; photography: Patrick Blossier and Pawel Edelman; music: Stanislas Syrewycz; editing: Marie-Sophie Dubus. Cast: Judith Godrèche; Jerzey Gralek; Anna Nehrebecka. Production: Sépia of Paris. Synopsis: Two different worlds and separation are the themes of this film. The woman remains alone in her apartment with her cat; the man goes to the airport, and then joins his family in Warsaw. Parlez-moi d amour (Speak to Me of Love) (2002, 98 mins.) D and w. by Marceau. Cast: Niels Arestrup, Jean-Marie Frin, Laurence Février, Judith Godrèche, Manuela Gourary, Anne Le Ny, Maria Verdi. Production: Alain Sarde Synopsis: Justine and Richard have been living together for fifteen years and have three children. Today disillusionment, conflicts, lack of understanding, have become unbearable for them. Justine leaves Richard. Now both of them must rebuild their lives, face an uncertain future, but also learn to free themselves from a heavy past. Synopsis in French at: moidamour.htm (Much more about Marceau and this film can be found at this same address.) Marin, Harriet Epouse-moi (1999, 1 hr. 30 mins.) Written by Marin. Cast: Michèle Laroque, Miki Manojlovic, Vincent Perez, Audrey Tatou. Synopsis: Oriane Roche will do anything to save her marriage. She visits a fortuneteller who predicts failure. But Oriane wants a happy ending, so she has the fortuneteller gaze into his crystal ball again, and tells the story once more, but adding one important detail. This time she will be leaving her husband for another man. The young woman rejects this new version and decides to take her destiny in her own hands. See among other internet addresses, this from Allociné: fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne html See Press reviews in English at: emreviews.html Marshall, Tonie Born 29 November 1951 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine. Daughter of William Marshall II and Micheline Presle. Won Golden Rosa Camuna in 1994 for Pas très catholique (1994).

162 164 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Is an important actress, having appeared in: A mort la mort (1999); Pour rire! (1997); Citron amer (1996); Chasse gardée (1992); Le Champignon des Carpathes (1990); La Campagne de Cicéron (1990); Rien ne va plus (1979); Vous ne l emporterez pas au paradis (1978) and many others. Has directed: Pentimento (1989, 1 hr. 30 mins.) Color [Kodak]. Written by Marshall with Sylvie Granotier. Cast: Patricia Dinev (Lucie); Antoine de Caunes (Charles); Magali Noël (Madeleine); Laurence César (Aline); Etienne Bierry ( Lambert); et al. Synopsis: The day that Lucie learns the name of her father whom she never knew he has just died. She goes to the cemetery but stops at the wrong burial and so passes for the secret daughter of the patriarch of an upper class family. The son, Charles, falls in love with this unsuspected half-sister. Synopsis and a bio. of Marshall in French at: html Pas très catholique (aka Something Fishy) (1994, 100 mins.) Drama. WrittenbyMarshall.Cast:Anémone (Maxime Chabrier); Michel Roux (Andre Dutemps); Roland Bertin (Monsieur Paul); Christine Boisson (Florence); Denis Podalydès (Martin); et al. Synopsis: Maxime is the best detective of a French agency. She is always very busy driving many investigations at one time. She divorced 15 years before, when she got the job. During an investigation she finds her son, whom she had not seen since he was a baby, so she begins to have memories of her past life that she believed forgotten. Another investigation leads her to discover the dirty business of her ex-husband. Written by Michel Rudoy (mdrc@hp9000al.uam.mx). Enfants de salaud (aka Bastard Brood in USA) (1996, 100 mins.) (Switzerland/Belgium/France) Written by Marshall. Cast: Anémone (Sylvette); Nathalie Baye (Sophie); François Cluzet (Sandro); Molly Ringwald (Susan); et al. Synopsis: Sylvette, Sophie, Susan, and Sandro have grown up separated from one another without their father Julius. At the time of the trial of Julius, arrested for murder, they meet each other and discover that they are related. Synopsis in French at AlloCinéEnfants Tontaine et Tonton ( , 55 mins.) TV Script: Tonie Marshall; photography: Gérard de Battista; editing: Jacques Comets; prod.: Agat Films & Cie, 52, rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, Paris (France), tél.: (33 01) , fax: (33 01) Sales: Mercure Distribution, 27, rue de la Butte aux Cailles, Paris (France), tél.: (33 01) , fax: (33 01) , info@mercure-distribution.fr. Cast: Emmanuelle Devos (Justine);

163 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 165 Patrick Pineau (Alexandre); Eric Petitjean (Joseph) and Caroline Chaniolleau. Synopsis: Two men (now in their forties), who haven t seen each other since high school, meet, then find themselves going for a beautiful twenty-five-year-old woman student, who is preparing a memoir on François Mitterrand. Both of them (sex-starved) follow her home because she has invited them for dinner. Synopsis in French at: fiches_films/tontainefr.html Vénus Beauté or Vénus Institut (working title) or Vénus beauté (institut) (2000; 105 mins.) [aka Venus Beauty Institute USA: literal English title; aka Venus Beauty Salon UK] (1999; 105 mins.) Written by Marshall with Marion Vernoux and Jacques Audiard. Dist.: Lions Gate; produced by Malek Hamzaoui (executive) and Gilles Sandoz; cinematography: Gérard de Battista; editing: Jacques Comets; production design: Michel Vandestien; sound: Jean-Jacques Ferran and Gérard Lamps; musician: Sonia Wieder-Atherton. Cast: Bulle Ogier (Madame Nadine, la patronne); Nathalie Baye (Angèle); Samuel Le Bihan (Antoine); Jacques Bonnaffé (Jacques); Audrey Tautou (Marie); Mathilde Seigner (Samantha); Robert Hossein (Aviator); Brigitte Roüan (q.v.) (Madame Marianne); et al. Synopsis: Three employees of a beauty salon in search of love and happiness, portrayed with humanity, warmth and humor. Madam Nadine manages with pride the Vénus beauté Salon which offers relaxation, massage and makeup services. The owner and her three beauticians: Samantha, Marianne and Angèle are pros. Contrary to her friend Marianne, who still dreams of the big day, Angèle no longer believes in love. Marie, the youngest of the three employees, discovers love in the hands of a sixty-year-old former pilot, who risks everything. Summary written by L. H. Wong at lhw@sfs.org.sg. Commentary: A woman s picture that transcends genre with its exceptional wit, depth and grace. One of Nathalie Baye s best roles. Kevin Thomas in the Los Angeles Times. Consult: See also: Interview: Le regard de Tonie Marshall sur un monde féminin. France-Amérique 28 October-3 November 2000: 16. See the excellent still in the 2002 Créteil catalog: 68. Segment of 3000 scénarios contre un virus. Multiple Directors, with Marshall Avant... mais après ( , 5 mins.) along with Philippe Lioret, Jean Marbœuf (I), Ivana Massetti, Laetitia Masson, Michel Meyer, Fernand Moskowicz, and Jean-Daniel Pillault. Cast: Elodie Bouchez (Julie); Bernadette Le Saché, Françoise Michaud, Pierre Aussedat, Pierre Honoré, and Geoffroy Thiebaut.

164 166 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Au plus près du paradis (2002, 90 mins.) Cast: Catherine Deneuve(Fanette); William Hurt (Matt); Hélène Fillières. Also stars: Patrice Chéreau; Emmanuelle Devos; Noémie Godin-Vigneau (Carole la Canadienne); Bernard Le Coq (Bernard); Paulina Porizkova (Mary Rafelson); with Nathalie Richard and Gilbert Melki. Synopsis: In Paris, Fanny, a novelist who is single, is writing a book about the painter François Arnal. She has just moved, and she has a twenty-five-year-old daughter, Lucie, who has gone off to live elsewhere. Not believing in love anymore, it s love at first sight when she meets a man named Philippe. So she goes to a sentimental rendezvous in New York at the top of the Empire State Building. Synopsis in French at: cinhachettefilm html Information on Marshall found on the Internet Movie Database ( Reviewed by Pierre Ranger in Séquences 224 (March/April 2003): 51. Martin, Solange A Cran (1994, 82 mins.) D. and Scripted by Martin; photography: Antoine Roch; music: Laurent Petitgand; sound: Marc-Antoine Beldent; editing: Camille Cotte; produced by Why Not Productions; distributed by Pan Européenne. Cast: Clémentine Célariee; Bruno Todeschini; Sotigui Koyate; Andrée Damant; Julien Cafaro. Synopsis: When Clara goes to the airport to pick up her husband, he isn t there. When she calls his hotel she realizes he is with another woman. Very upset, she asks a man she has met in the airport to have a drink with her. They spend the night together and discover freedom. Masson, Laetitia Born in 1966, Masson is from Nancy. Studied in the Départment de l image at FEMIS (France s National Film School), 2e promotion, Bio. in French by Muriel Raymond/ Ecran Noir/ 17 February This site is very useful: Masson speaks of her use of color, her impressions of actors and actresses she works with, her thoughts on love, and many other matters. Chant de guerre parisien 1993 Short. Nulle part (1992, 52 mins.) Cast: Helene Fillière, Julien Rassam, Philippe Bartlett, Didier Belloni. Took the Grand Prix of the Festival de Pantin. Synopsis: Louise, who is twenty, works in a bank. She leads an organized life, almost without any event, until the day she meets Paul,

165 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 167 a waiter in a brasserie (brewery-restaurant), who approaches her on the street. En avoir (ou pas) Supplement to Pallister Guide 87: (1995, 90 mins.) First full length film. Script also by Masson; photography: Caroline Champetier; sound: Michel Vionnet; editing: Yann Dedet. Cast: Sandrine Kiberlain, Arnaud Giovaninetti, Roschdy Zem, Claire Denis (q.v.). Shown at Créteil, Won many prizes, including: César 1996, Meilleur Espoir féminin pour Sandrine Kiberlain; Nomination pour la Meilleure Première œuvre de Fiction aux César 1996; Prix œcuménique au Festival de Berlin (1996); Louve d or du Festival de Montréal (1996), etc. Synopsis: Alice, twenty-six, decides to go on the lam. She leaves the man she s living with, packs her suitcase and takes off for Lyon. Simultaneously, Bruni, twenty-seven, desperate and desperately lonely, cannot sleep, cannot even go home. They meet each other. Je suis venue te dire (1996, 21 mins.) Scenario: Masson; prod.: CLP INA; photography: Caroline Champetier; sound: Xavier Vauthrin, et al.; editing: Jean-Pierre Pruilh; music: Lamb et al. Synopsis: Story of a breakup told through ten letters. Images, sounds, music.... Privée d amour (1996) A vendre (1998, 117 mins.) Script by Masson; photography: Antoine Héberlé; editing: Ailo Auguste; music: Siegried. Cast: Sandrine Kiberlain (France Robert); Sergio Castellitto (Luigi Primo); Jean- François Stévenin (Pierre Lindien); Aurore Clément (Lindien s sister); Chiara Mastroianni (Mireille); Mireille Perrier (ex-wife of Primo); Roschdy Zem (the banker). Produced by François Cuel. Distributed by France-Film. Synopsis: The story of a young unemployed woman in need of love. Tired of living in Champagne, France goes on the search and in so doing pursues Pierre Lindien, twenty years older than she. Pierre understands her as no one else ever has. He wants to marry her. When she doesn t show up at the church (preferring as she does to take off with 500,000 francs), Lindien, disappointed but still in love, puts a detective, Luigi Primo, on her trail. In fact, the story is told from the perspective of the detective who ultimately is taken with France. A very dark film; excellent. For A vendre, see Martin Delisle, Si tu m aimes, tu payes! Séquences 199 (November/December 1998): Finds that in this film several genres appear: road movie, documentary, polar. See also Journal français (December 1998): 30. Love Me (aka Only You 1999 France: working title) ( ; 1 hr. 52 mins.) Written by Masson. Cast: : Sandrine Kiberlain (Ga-

166 168 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS brielle Rose); Johnny Hallyday (Lennox); Jean-François Stévenin (Carbonne); Salomé Stévenin (Gabrielle at 15); Aurore Clément (Gabrielle s mother); Julie Depardieu (Barbara); Anh Duong (Gloria); Christine Boisson (Home s headmistress); Elie Semoun (The lover); Julian Sands (The sailor); Electra Weston (Waitress); Ken Samuels (American inspector); Stephen Croce (Bill); Thomas M. Pollard (Bus driver); Cynthia McPherson (Custom officer). Synopsis: A young woman arrives at an airport and forgets everything. No name, no papers, no memory. Alone in America, she meets, by chance, a French rock idol. Analysis by Armin Ortmann at: armin@sfb288.math.tu-berlin.de. La Repentie (2002, 125 mins.) Cast: Isabelle Adjani, Sami Frey, Samy Naceri, Aurore Clément, Catherine Mouchet, Maria Schneider, Isild Le Besco, Jacques Bonnaffe, Ari Paffgen. Synopsis: Charlotte gets off a train, picks up a suitcase at the baggage claim, and changes into a femme fatale in the restroom. At the ticket counter she buys a ticket for the first train going to the sea. A man follows her. Can a woman refashion her life when her past pursues her? See interview with Muriel Raymond/Ecran Noir/17February 2000 at: : Mazuy, Patricia Patricia Mazuy was born in Dijon in She edited Sans toit ni loi by Agnès Varda. Peaux de vaches (1989, 1 hr.. 24 mins.) Directed by Patricia Mazuy; scenario: Patricia Mazuy; photography: Raoul Coutard; editing Chantal Hymans; sound: Jean-Pierre Duret; music: Theo Hakola, Passion Foder, Noir Désir. Co-production: La Sept Cinéma/ Titane. Cast: Sandrine Bonnaire, Jean-François Stévenin, Jacques Spiesser. This first full- length feature took the George Sadoul prize. Synopsis: On the Artois plateau, two brothers commit a crime. Roland is sent to prison, while Gérard escapes. When Roland gets out of prison 10 years later, he seeks out Gérard, now married to Annie and the father of a little girl. The farm is bigger, and Gérard is a successful business man. Roland s arrival terrifies the family; they fear he will try to get revenge. But soon Annie decides to resolve the conflict between the two brothers herself. Synopsis in French at: pplans/arte/ arte_8.html A Whole New You (1990) We, the Enemy (1991) Travolta et moi ( , 1 hr. 9 mins.) TV. Photography: Eric Gautier; editing: Bénédicte Brunet; sound: Didier Sain; music: Bee

167 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 169 Gees, Nina Hagen, Aerosmith, The Jacksons, etc.; Co- production: La Sept ARTE / IMA Productions / SFP Productions. Cast: Leslie Azzoulai, Julien Gérin, Hélène Eichers. Prizes for this film: Le Léopard de bronze du Festival de Locarno 1993; le Grand Prix 1993 du festival de Belfort ; and a special jury Prize in San Francisco in Synopsis: In 1978 in Châlons-sur-Marne, Christine, a sixteen-yearold girl, has been dreaming of Travolta ever since she saw Saturday Night Fever. On a bus she meets her first love, Nicolas, a rebel who reads Rimbaud and Nietzsche. He has bet a pal that to have a girl, you just have to want her. Christine is the ideal victim... Travolta et moi shows the tragic restlessness of two adolescents of the 1970s, inhabited by opposing dreams but united by the same desire for the other and for other places. Synopsis in French at: pplans/arte/ arte_9.html Saint-Cyr (1999, 2 hrs.) Written by Mazuy and Yves Thomas after the novel La Maison d Esther by Yves Dangerfiled. Cast:: Isabelle Huppert; Nina Meurisse; Morgane Moré; Jean-Pierre Kalfon; Simon Reggiani; Jean-François Balmer. Synopsis: Based on the true story of Mme de Maintenon and the first presentation of Racine s Esther at Maintenon s school for illegitimate young girls at Saint-Cyr-l Ecole. Deals more particularly with her decision to put the girls in a strict convent under the influence of the Sulpician Godet des Marais. Maintenon is depicted scrubbing the girls clean and building their education on weak foundations. The film presents the portrait of a powerful woman terrified by hell and of her manipulations. In order to redeem her sins and her life as a courtesan, Madame de Maintenon, spouse of King Louis XIV, created this school, destined for poor girls of noble birth. But this place of education and freedom becomes more and more austere and religious. (Compare supra L Allée duroi Companeez [2001].) Some critics found the history in this film a bit shaky. See Jean Vallier, Plus for a dozen new films, France-Amérique (10 16 March 2001): 18. Excellent critique. See Cahiers du cinéma no. 548 (July-August, 2000): 49 for an article on Antoinette Boulat, director of casting for this and other important films. Review by Luc Chaput in Séquences 218 (March/April 2002):60. Chaput preferred Nina Companeez s film and the portrayal of Maintenon by Dominique Blanc to that of Huppert. Meffre, Pomme Péché véniel... péché mortel Supplementary info.; listed in Pallister

168 170 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Guide 88) (1994, 75 mins.) D. and scripted by Pomme Meffre; photography: Guy Chabanis; music: Jean-Pierre Stora; sound: Pascal Riber; editing: Franc oise Berger-Gamault. Cast: Philippe Adrien; Nini Crepon; Charlotte Franc ois; Jean Larroquette; Anny Romand; Brigitte Rou an. Synopsis: An eleven-year-old girl s sexual awakening. Merlet, Agne s Fils du requin (1992; 85 mins.) (Belgium, France, Luxembourg) D. by Merlet; scripted by Merlet and Santiago Amigorena; photography: Ge rard Simon; music: Bruno Coulais; sound: Henry Morelle and Jean-Pierre Laforce; editing: Guy Lecorme and Pierre Choukroun. Produced: Compagnie des Images, Gaumont, France 3 Cinema; Pre- 9. Le fils du requin. Agne s Merlet. Courtesy Belgian Embassy $ $CH :50:07 PS PAGE 170

169 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 171 mière Heure. Distributed: Gaumont Buena Vista International. Available from Facets. Shown at Créteil festival, Cast: Ludovic Vandendaele; Erick da Silva; Sandrine Blancke; Maxime Leroux. Synopsis: A devastating portrayal of two young brothers who, rejected by mother and father, go on crime sprees. Fin de siècle neorealism. Artémisia (1997, 98 mins.) (Correction of date [1983] in Pallister Guide, 88.) D. by Merlet and written by her and Christine Miller. Cast: Artémisia (Valentina Cervi); Tassi (Yahn Tregouet). Won two nominations for Césars and was awarded the title of best foreign film at the Golden Globe awards. (For full cast consult IMDb.) Synopsis: Historical costume film, telling the story of Artémisia Gentileschi, the first woman painter in the history of Western art to have been recognized as the equal of the greatest masters. Merlet claims it was Artémisia s violent strength and her mixture of ferocity and sensuality that first shocked her and then suggested to her (after a documentary consecrated to this painter) to explore Artémisia s life. The best-known episode is that of a court trial for rape (1612) against her father s colleague, Agostiono Tassi. Tassi was imprisoned and his pupil, Artémisia, so tormented and so humiliated that she fled Florence and finally married another man. See France-Amérique (16 22 May, 1998): 16. See Karine Weinberger, Journal français 20.6 (June 1998): 25. See Mary D. Garrard, Artémisia s Trial by Cinema. Art in America (October 1998): 65. Note: Adrienne Clarkson has made a film about her in English: Artémisia (Canada, 1992, 60 mins.) Meskaldji, Samia (Algeria) Born in After earning a degree in English and spending a year in Melbourne, she worked in 1993 in the television program Les Matins d Olivia. She continued writing and directing in theater, in such plays as Lord Jim and Anywhere Out of the World, earning a degree in anthropoligy-ethnology in La Voie lente (2000, 37 mins.) Director: Samia Meskaldji; shooting location: Marseille; scenario: Samia Meskaldji; photography: Nils de Coster; sound: Sandy Notarianni; editing: Julie Pelat; music: Bach and Rabih Abou Khalil. First fiction film. Production: Elena Films, 25 rue Michel le Comte, Paris. Cast: Malika Bireche and Fodyl Smahi. Synopsis: In Marseille, Leila has a grocery store and is raising her son Nabil alone. Their life flows along peacefully, thanks to the games they invent. But Leila doesn t want this life any more. She stops paying her providers and sets out on a perilous route, taking Nabil with her.

170 172 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS See: perso.wanadoo.fr/filmsdelta/festival/3festival/films/voie-lente.htm. See also: teurs/fiction-cm/samia-meskaldji.html. See: films/fictioncm/voie-lente.html. See: espace-adoption.ch/f/list.php3?f 1&collapse 0 18 nov See: gindou.free.fr/cinecourts.htm. See: Interview de Samia Meskaldji, réalisatrice de La voie lente: See also: See also: See also: 50&sortie film. Mézières, Myriam (Myriam Mezières; Myriam Mézière) Born on 19 September An actress turned director. (Appeared in Dancing Nuage, d. Irène Jouannet.) The daughter of an Egyptian father and a Czech mother who was a pianist, Mézières was raised in France in an orphanage. See: sonne 1326.html. Additonal Biographical information in French in: (Chronic art): (30 April 2002 Cinéma Entretien) Fleurs de sang, co-directed wiith Alain Tanner (2002, 100 mins.; 1 hr. 40 mins.-50 mins.) Written by Myriam Mézières. Cast: Myriam Mézières (Lily); Tess Barthes (Pam at nine); Luis Rego (Le directeur du festival Erotico); Bruno Todeschini (Clemente); Louise Szpindel (Pam at fourteen); Anne Fassio (Elsa); Fellag (Ali); Diego Pelaez (Luis Varona) Synopsis: The fourteen-year-old Pam has just killed her first lover, a man much older than she. In a flashback to five years earlier, Pam, who is scarcely nine, is the protectress of her mother Lily, whom she accompanies in her peregrinations to different cabarets where she performs. Synopsis in French at tf1.fr and 2002 Yahoo! Inc. Miailhe, Florence Born in Paris in 1956; painter and engraver; book illustrator. Hamman (1991) First animated film Schéhérazade (1995, 17 mins.) Animated Short. Prix du Public at Créteil Festival 1996 for Best French Short.

171 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 173 Synopsis: The protagonist avoids decapitation by telling stories (A Thousand and One Nights). Au premier dimanche d août (2002) César for best Short. Miéville, Anne-Marie Born in Companion of and collaborator with Jean-Luc Godard. Comment ça va?(1976) Ici et ailleurs (1976) How can I love a man when I know he don t want me (1983, 13 mins.) Le Livre de Marie (1984) Soft and Hard (1986) Mon cher sujet (1988) First feature length film by Miéville. Cast: Gaele le Roi, Anny Romand, Hélène Roussel, Yves Neff. Synopsis: Presents a portrait of three women or perhaps of the same woman at three key stages of her life. [This film] concerns three women a grandmother, a mother, and a daughter who cannot be satisfied by the men in their lives. While the film bears Miéville s distinctive style, it also uses jump cut techniques typical [of her work]. (France-Amérique, 27 April-3 May 2002: 26). Le Rapport Darty (1989) Comment vont les enfants (1990) Contre l oubli (1991) Lou n a pas dit non (1994) Nous sommes tous encore ici (1997, 80 mins.) Synopsis: In three parts, bound together by a love of words and delight in quotations, and by the idea of opposition. The first dialogue, taken from the Gorgias of Plato, is between Callicles (Bernadette Lafont) and Plato (Aurore Clément). In the second dialogue Jean-Luc Godard is alone reading excerpts from La Nature du totalitarisme, written by the German-American philosopher Hannah Arendt. The third part contains words exchanged by a man (Lui [Him] Godard) and a woman (Elle [Her] - Clément). See Elie Castiel in Séquences 193 (November/December 1997): 50. Après la réconciliation (aka Reaching an Understanding) ( , 74 mins.) France/Switzerland. D. and w. by Miéville. Camera: Christophe Beaucarne; edited by: Miéville; sound: François Musy. Produced by Vega Film, Peripheria, Aventura Films. Distributed by Contact Films. Cast: Claude Perron, Anne-Marie Miéville, Jacques Spiesser, Jean-Luc Godard, Xavier Marchand. Synopsis: Two men and a woman meet, talk and ask each other questions, questions about the use of specific words, but above all fundamental questions about happiness and love. Is a love affair com-

172 174 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS patible with wisdom and intelligence, with anxiety and exhaustion? With humor and earnest openness these men and this woman seek their way together; they all know the value of life. The reconciliation that crops up is not the one we first think of. It does not come down to people first quarreling and then making up. It is more a conciliation with the fact that everything that appears goes on to disappear. It is the world itself and there is no other one that is accepted by the characters. A philosophical reflection in which humor, intelligence, earnestness and mockery carry us along in the wake of these characters to the significant question that dominates our world: How can you avoid being pessimistic? A beautiful story told through a film in which thoughts come to fruition. Rearranged and paraphrased from J.D. at: html Twenty-three of Miéville s films were shown over 7 evenings (July 30 and August ) at the Berkeley Art Museum. Synopsis in French by Monica Haïm: De retour de Rotterdam et de Berlin, Séquences 213 (May/June 2001): 30. Molia, Christie Born in She studied script writing at FEMIS (France s National Film School). Le Temps des Cerise (1998, 14 mins.) Co-directed with Alice Guien. See Alice Guien entry for details. Moreau, Jeanne Moreau was honored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (France-Amérique [10 16 October 1998]: 20). Additionally, she is the first woman to become a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts (which has honored Roman Polanski, Pierre Schoendoeffer, Gérard Oury, and Henri Verneuil). When inducted she wore a much-reported green pant suit created by her former lover Pierre Cardin who spoke somewhat ardently of their past liaison at the ceremony. Interview in French w/ Emmanuèle Frois in France-Amérique (20 26 January 2001): 16. Quand je dirige les acteurs, je les conduis à un point où ils peuvent s épanouir, sans avoir un désir de prise de pouvoir. L Adolescente (1978) Cast: Simone Signoret. Omitted from Pallister Guide 89. Le Portrait de Lillian Gish (1983) Musidora Born Jeanne Roques. (Listed in Pallister Guide 90) Musidora was one of the greatest stars in French silent cinema. Not only did she create France s first big screen vamp, but the multitalented actress was also recognized as a writer, painter, dancer, play-

173 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 175 wright, and filmmaker.... In film, she gained national recognition for her role as the sexy, black leotard-clad Irma Vep in Louis Feuillade s adventure serial Les Vampires ( ) [ Irma Vep is an anagram for vampire.] After that she performed similar roles throughout her career. She began her career in film production by adapting two of Colette s popular plays, Minnie and La Vagabonde, and one of Colette s screen plays La Flamme cachée (1918).... But none of the films she directed was terribly popular. Her acting career ended with the advent of sound, but she continued writing. After 1946, she began working at the Cinémathèque Française. In 1951, she appeared in a short compilation film. In 1974, the first women s film festival in Paris was named after her. From Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide; YaHoo Movie Guide. Les Vampires ( ), directed by Louis Feuillade, is now available on video (Facets, for example). Restored, tinted, new music, subtitled in English. Vincenta (1919). Pallister Guide 90, following Katz, gives the incorrect title of Vicenta La Terre des taureaux (Land of the Bulls) (1924, 45 mins.)( France/ Spain). Directed by Musidora. Screenplay by Musidora. With French intertitles but English subtitles. Silent. Shown recently at MOMA with piano accompaniment by Stuart Oderman (one day) and Ben Model (another day). Synopsis: Musidora... spoofs her own celebrity and femme fatalism in La Terre des taureaux.... More a delightful exercise in selfreflexivity than narcissism, the film has the star as filmmaker/adventurer journeying to Andalusia to watch the bulls (from a respectful distance) and the bullfighters, while scouting for a star for her movie. From: 16 Obadia, Agnès Romaine, le jour où ça va pas or Romaine, un jour où ça nevapas (1989) Nannie, gardienne d une forteresse (1992) Romaine et les garçons (1994) Romaine et les filles (1995) Film de vacances (Dated variously: 1991; 1995; 1996; 10 mins.) 35 mm. Found in the compilation of Shorts Cours-y vite (1996), d. by Gaël Morel, Jean-Luc Gaget and Laurent Bénégui. Produced by Cinq et Cinq Films. Scenario: Laurent Bénégui and Obadia; photography: Luc Pagès, sound: Pascal Ribier; editing: Jean-Luc Gaget. Synopsis: Gabriel, Justin et André are vacationing on the seashore. And the vacation is very long. Romaine (1997; 85 mins.) Script: Obadia et al.; photography: Luc

174 176 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Pagès; editing: Jean-Luc Gaget; music: Los Machucambos and Pepe Luis.ProducedbyLaurentBénégui; Distributed by KFilms Amérique. Cast: Obadia (Romaine); Eva Ionesco (Pastelle); Gérald Laroche (Armand); Luc Pagès (Gabriel); Alain Beigel (l Italien; le dragueur); Laurent Bénégui (Justin) Laurence Côte (Armeille); Jean-Luc Gaget (André); Jacqueline Colson (Jaja). An expansion of a Short with the same character (Romaine). Synopsis: Romaine leaves an old transvestite friend for a few days vacation, during which she meets a trio of young men on the beach who give her a few problems before leaving her. By telephone she learns that she has lost her lover to the transvestite. She then makes friends first with Louisa, then with Pastelle Pasteau, a traveling saleswoman. The three women soon find themselves in a chateau where they come to know an ex-assassin who is taciturn but also a poet. See Denis Desjardins, Du neuf avec du vieux, Séquences 195 (March/April 1998): 52. Du poil sous les roses (aka Dis pourquoi, dis comment; Hair Under the Roses) (d. with Jean-Julien Chervier) (2000, 85 mins.) France/Luxembourg/Sweden. Written by Jean-Julien Chervier and Agnès Obadia. Cast: Julie Durand (Roudoudou); Alexis Roucout (Romain); Alice Houri (Lila); Jean-Baptiste Pénigault (Francis); Marina Rodriguez-Tomé (Jeanne, la mère de Roudoudou); Nicolas Duvauchelle (Jojo, le frère de Roudoudou); Agnès Obadia(Dominique, la mère de Romain); Rosette (I) (Sylviane, la mère de Francis); Laurent Godard (Paulo); Philippe Richard (III) (Le père de Roudoudo; Eric Bonicatto (Le journaliste); Samir Guesmi (Le gynécologue); Eric Surgère (Le psychologue); Erick Deshors (Le footballeur homo); Tiffany Rodenfels (prostitute). Synopsis: Two teenagers are looking for sexual experience. See: AR Pascal, Christine Born on 29 November 1953 in Lyon, Rhône; Died, by suicide, 30 August 1996, Garches, Hauts-de-Seine. Many of her films were financed by Switzerland and indeed Switzerland claims her as its own. She appeared in her first film at age twenty-one; directed her first film at age twenty-five. An actress in many films, of particular interest here because she played Alice Guy-Blaché in Elle voulait faire du cinéma (1983). Félicité (1979, 95 mins.) Cast: Christine Pascal, Monique Chaumette, Dominique Laffin, Paul Crauchet. Synopsis: Story of jealousy and suicide which foreshadowed Pascal s own suicide in 1996.

175 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 177 [Pascal was a great admirer of Catherine Breillat s cinema, which explains how the reception of her film Félicité could fuel her despair. (Créteil cat ) See Breillat on the subject in Les Cahiers du cinéma, n o 506.] La Garce (1984, 90 mins.) Written by: André Marc Delocque-Fourcaud and Pierre Fabre. Cast: Isabelle Huppert (Aline Kaminker/Édith Weber), Richard Berry (Lucien Sabatier), Vittorio Mezzogiorno (Max Halimi ), Jean Benguigui (Rony), Jean-Claude Leguay (Brunet), Jean- Pierre Moulin (Cordet), Clément Harari (Samuel Weber), Daniel Jégou (Dujarric), Jenny Clève (Madame Beffroit), Jean-Pierre Bagot (Monsieur Beffroit), Madeleine Marie (Gouvernante de Weber), Bérangère Bonvoisin (La femme de Lucien), Mado Maurin (Madame Pasquet), Philippe Fretun (Didier), Brigitte Guillermet (Secrétaire de Brunet) Internet Movie Database Inc. Synopsis: A thriller. A police officer rapes a seventeen-year old girl. Zanzibar (1988, 95 mins.) (France/Switzerland ) Supplement to Pallister Guide 91. Written by Robert Boner & Catherine Breillat. Cast: Fabienne Babe (L actrice Camille Dor); André Marcon (Le producteur Vito Catene); Francis Girod (Le metteur en scène Maréchal); Dominique Maurin (Rémy); Marie-Armelle Deguy (Nicole); Teco Celio (Bruno); Raymond Jourdan (Samuel); Axel Bogousslavsky (Valentin); Valérie Schlumberger (Pascale); Christian Pereira(Leguay); Joséphine Fresson (Angela); Hélène Cartier (Mado). From IMDb. Synopsis: Pallister Guide 91. Le Petit Prince a dit (aka And the Little Prince Said) (1992, 106 mins.-115 mins.)france/switzerland Supplement to Pallister Guide, 91. Written by Robert Boner. Cast: Richard Berry(Adam Leibovich); Anémone (Melanie); Marie Kleiber (Violette Leibovich); Lucie Phan (Lucie); Mista Préchac (Minerve); Claude Muret (Jean-Pierre); Jean Cuenoud (Otto); John Gutwirth (Victor); Baptiste Adatte (Young Man on bus); Huguette Bonfils (Hotel Manager); Carlo Boso (Theater Director); Sergio Colella (Theater Assistant); Barbara DeRosa(Theatrer Assistant); Bass Dhem (Actor), Christine Vouilloz (Actor). Synopsis: A divorced Swiss couple must come to terms with their daughter s life-threatening illness. He, a scientist, snatches his daughter from the examining table at the clinic and takes her away as if to kidnap her from the disease. His ex-wife, an actress, takes to bed weeping uncontrollably when she learns of her daughter s tumor. The girl s step-mother, an Asian-American physician, is clinical in her response, outlining a treatment regimen of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. It is left to the girl herself, ten-year-old Violette, to be calm,

176 178 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS reassuring, philosophical, and even metaphysical as she faces death. Summary written by IMDb. Fitzpatrick and Fitzpatrick erroneously attribute Aquí el que no corre... vuela (1992, 86 mins.) to Pascal. It was directed by Ramón Fernández. Christine Pascal did provide some additional written materials for this film. Adultère (mode d emploi) ( aka Adultery: A User s Guide) (1995, 95 mins.) Written by Christine Pascal and Robert Boner. Cast: Richard Berry (Simon); Karin Viard (Fabienne); Vincent Cassel (Bruno); Emmanuelle Halimi (Sarah); Liliane Rovère(La maîtresse brune); Anny Romand (L inconnue); Hélène Fillières (Joséphine); Marina Rodriguez-Tomé (Maria-Jésus); Jean-Louis Tribes (Ralph); Marie Merge (La servante de la maîtresse brune); Abbouliaten (Le serveur arabe); Daniel Dublet ( Membre du jury); Roland Truchot (Faruggia); Alain Desroches ( L huissier); Nicolas Abraham (Flic 1). Synopsis: Twenty-four hours in the life of a couple, engulfed in the harsh world of a big city. At the end of these twenty-four hours, Bruno and Fabienne may have touched on the possible solution to the eternal misunderstanding arising from man s quest for sex and woman s quest for love... Summary written by L. H. Wong {lhw@sfs.org.sg} IMDb. Perret, Léonce A pioneer. For bio. and filmography see: page& id_art 70737&preview 1 Léonce Cinématographiste (1913, 16 mins.) Fiction. Silent; B&W. By and with Perret. L Enfant de Paris (1913, 2 hrs. 4 mins.) Fiction. Silent; B&W. Scenario: Léonce Perret; secor: Robert-Jules Garnier. Cast: Maurice La- Grenée, Louis Leubas, Emile Keppens, Suzanne Privat, Jeanne Marie- Laurent, Henri Duval, Marie Dorly, Marc Gérard, René Navarre. [Restored in 1992 by Pierre Philippe for the Gaumont. Company.] Synopsis: The bad experiences of an orphan girl, kidnapped by an unscrupulous bandit. A melodrama of the sort popular at the time, and typical of the silent film, Léonce Perret builds a complex and lively tale, with sophisticated camera movements and an attention to lighting rare in films of the period. Perrodin, Marie-Christine Le Porte-plume (1988, 9 mins.) D. Perrodin; photography: Eric Gautier; sound: Denis Mercier. Produced by Stellaire Production. Synopsis: A little boy lets his imagination go during a drawing class. His drawing takes life - and animation becomes mixed with

177 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 179 the fiction. Fears of childhood and the anguish of bad pupils are well portrayed in this short film. Pisier, Marie-France Le Bal du gouverneur (1989; 98 mins.) Cast: Kristin Scott-Thomas, Didier Flamand, Laurent Grévill and Vanessa Wagner. Synopsis: New Caledonia is about to change status, to become an overseas territory rather than a colony. The whole city is effervescent over the coming appearance of a French minister. The famous governor s ball will therefore be the last one, the most fabulous, and one that brings some unexpected events. See Comme un avion (2001, 1hr. 40 mins.) Opened: 23 January Cast: Bérénice Bejo, Marie-France Pisier, Clément Van den Bergh, Laurence Côte, Samuel Labarthe, Guillaume Depardieu, Téo Saavedra, Mélanie Bernier, Gladys Cohen, Rachida Brakni. Synopsis: Lola and her brother Guillaume both passionately love their mother Claire. She is the center of their lives and vice versa. Claire goes on a vacation, and the children languish for her: two months without seeing her, and only laconic postcards. Claire returns, bringing her children both good and bad news. Synopsis in French at cineinfo.fr. Plattner, Patricia Les Petites Couleurs (2002, 90 mins.) Cast: Anouk Grinberg, Bernadette Lafont, Philippe Bas; Giles Tschudi, Jean-Pierre Gos. Synopsis: Christelle is a hairdresser in a small provincial town. One evening, tired of her daily routine and fed up with her abusive husband, she decides to leave. She wanders through the night, then arrives at Galaxy, a motel run by Mona, a fifty-year-old widow. Big-hearted Mona takes Christelle in. Poulet, Valery Où chante une rivière (1999, 9 mins.) Fiction. (ENS) Pure poetry concerning the symbolic grief of soldiers who have died far from their country. Vues d Afrique. Pouzadoux, Pascale Director, Actress, Scriptwriter. Appeared in Les Gens en maillot de bain ne sont pas (forcément) superficiels d. by Eric Assou (2000). Mon jour de chance Short. Toutes les filles sont folles (2002, 1 hr. 25 mins.) Romance, Comedy. Filmed in Switzerland in the Rhône-Alpes region. Production: Alta

178 180 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Loma Films, 30 rue du Château d Eau, Paris. Fax: Mail: altalomafr@aol.com.; Co-production: GTV, France 2 Cinéma; producteurs délégués: Didier Boujard, Christian Charret. Scenario: Pascale Pouzadoux, Antoine Duléry, Marie-Laure Berthelin. Cast: Hélène Fillières, Julie Depardieu, Antoine Duléry, François Berléand, Isabelle Nanty, Barbara Schulz, Camille Japy. Synopsis: Céleste, in her thirties, has still not met the love of her life. One day, on a whim, she decides to kidnap the man she believes to be her ideal, while forcing her younger sister, Rosalie, to follow her in her scheme. But in her panic, Céleste chooses the wrong man. Synopsis in French at: gen_cfilm html Prenczina, Sabine Born in Germany, Prenczina lived in Italy, Ethiopia and Iran before moving to Paris in the 1970s. There she studied cinema and at twenty-three wrote and directed her first Short, Et pourtant elles tournent (Prix du Public at Cannes, 1984). Farendj (1990; 100 mins.) First feature film (Special mention Jury de la Caméra d or 1990 at Cannes Festival). Scenario: Sabine Prenczina; Barbara Jago; photography: Elisabeth Prouvost; editing: Geneviève Letellier; sound: Philippe Sénéchal; music: Mino Cinelu; sets: Olivier Raoux. Cast: Tim Roth, Marie Matheron, Mathias Habich, Jo Sheridan, Hodan Siad, Benjamin Zephaniah. Synopsis:Anton, a young man suffering from writer s block, winds up in Harar (Ethiopia); and while visiting the house where Rimbaud once lived he meets Zeleka who harbors an ancestral revenge. Anton leaves his partner, Julie, and moves into the house with Zeleka s granddaughter (Yssa). Led by the old woman, he sets out on a strange and surreal search for the lost poet, and ends by losing his own identity. Leaving Yssa, he finally disappears. Julie, his partner, returns from France and goes in search of him. She finally finds him, but for him there is no return. Quentin, Florence Born 5 September Executive Producer and writer of La Vie est un long fleuve tranquille (1988) and several other films, including Tatie Danielle (1990). Assistant Director of Sauvage et beau (aka Wild and Beautiful) (1984); and of À nos amours (aka To Our Loves) (1983). J ai faim!!! (2001, 97 mins.) Written by Quentin. Cast: Catherine Jacob (Lily); Michèle Laroque (Arlette); Garance Clavel (Yolande); Isabelle Candelier (Corinne); Alessandra Martines (Anaïs); Yvan Le Bolloc h (Barnabé); Samuel Labarthe (Le kiné); Serge Hazanavicius (Jean-René); Stéphane Audran (Gaby); Julien Guiomar (Guyomard);

179 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 181 Jean-Louis Richard (Montalembert); Valérie Decobert (Sonia); Sophie Tellier (Claire); Edith Perret (Madame Savart); Marie Collins (L infirmière). Synopsis: Wannabe-comedy in which three friends decide to help a fourth one (Catherine Jacob) who just lost her lover (Yvan le Bolloc h). He apparently has gone off with a skinny woman (Alessandra Martines). They ll use any trick (huge diet, blasting the woman s home, dirty phone calls, ruining her job) to make the lover come back home. Needless to say, that will have terrible effects on the heroine s life. Quoted from IMDb. Synopsis in French at And at: Discussion in French of J ai faim: Elie Castiel, Séquences 220 (July/ August 2002): 11]. Questerbert, Marie-Christine As an actress Questerbert has appeared in Encore (aka More) (1996) as Madame Rateau, and in Le Journal du séducteur (1996) as a university professor. Die Erbtöchter (aka Les Filles héréditaires; aka The Heiress) (1982) La Chambre obscure (2000, 107 mins.) D. and written by Questerbert. Cast: Caroline Ducey (Aliénor); Melvil Poupaud ( Bertrand); Mathieu Demy (Thomas); Sylvie Testud (Azalaïs); Jackie Berroyer (The king); Hugues Quester (Ambrogio); Alice Houri (Lisotta); Pierre Baillot (Maître Gérard de Narbonne); Dimitri Rataud (Marc); Christian Cloarec (Guillaume); Edith Scob (The Widow); Luis Rego (The Confessor). Additional cast: Sandrine Blanck; Christophe Bouisse; Jean-Christophe Bouvet; Capucine Daumas (Aliénor as a child); Roch Leibovici; Etienne Maury; Thibault de Montalembert; Georges Souchon; Jean Terensier; Serpentine Teyssier (Mother Superior). Synopsis: Frenchified adaptation of a novella from Boccaccio s Decameron. According to the internet, Questerbert has authored Gorin, L Amérique, Trafic, Fall (re: Jean-Pierre Gorin.) Rappeneau, Elisabeth Actress, director and screenwriter (e.g., with Daniel Vigne for Une femme ou deux (aka A Woman or Two) d. Daniel Vigne (1985) For complete list of TV films see: 00_affiche/lesfemmes/b_01.html Turbulence (30 mins.) Synopsis: Travel to a hypnotically beautiful digital world where

180 182 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS strange life forms evolve before your very eyes in this award-winning computer-animated film. Two other short subjects are also included. Fréquence Meurtre ( , 95 to100 mins.) From the novel by Stuart Kan; adaptation: Jacques Audiard, Elisabeth Rappeneau; dialogues: Jacques Audiard; original music: Philippe P. Gall; photography: William Lubchantsky; sound: Jean-Pierre Ruh; editing: Martine Barraque; co-production, La Guéville, Capac, AAA productions, Soprofilms, Cast: Catherine Deneuve, André Dussollier, Etienne Chicot, Martin Lamotte, Inès Claye, Philippe Lehembre. Synopsis: A man who killed a girl s parents menaces her twenty five years later. This is considered Rappeneau s most important work. Synopsis in French at: rdoc/find?crita 1987&aur_offset_rec 2. Mieux vaut courir (1988) Julie Lescaut (aka Double Rousse: Julie Lescaut ) (TF1) (1993). Cast includes Françoise Gillard. Pour la vie (1995) Le Secret d Iris (1995) La Famille Sapajou (1996) (see also below -1999) L Amour dans le désordre (1994? 1997?) Telle mère, telle fille (1998; 90 mins.) Scenario: Pascale Breton et Olga Vincent; photography: Roberto Venturi; music: Reno Isaac. Cast: Richard Bohringer (Jean Corti); Chantal Lauby (Elisabeth); Pauline Bureau (Vicky); Aurélien Wiik (J-C. Corti); Armonie Sanders (Antinéa); Julie Judd (Sonia); Jérémy Lippman (Cédric); Michèle Bernier (la patiente); Marianne Groves (Cathy); Jacques Gary (Claude). Synopsis: A widower and a divorcée fall in love and decide to move in together. What a surprise when they learn that their respective children have had a liaison which ended in failure. Synopsis in French at: telefilms/telefilmsfrancais/telefilmsfrancaist/tellemeretellefille.htm. Sapajou contre Sapajou (La Famille Sapajou III) (Téléfilm). Cast: Robin Renucci, Michel Aumont, Charlotte Kady, Barbara Schulz, Chantal Bronner, Alexis Desseaux. Un homme en colère: Un amour sans limite (2000) TV. Filmed in Vincennes; photography: Dominique Brenguier; assistant operator: Tiphaine Helary, Catherine Viejo-Capus; steadicam: Philippe Dorelli and Yves Michaud; sound: Daniel Ollivier, editor: Catherine Chouchan; sound editor: Emmanuelle Lalande; mixer: Christian Fontaine; decor: Loula Morin; assistant directors: Isabelle Beauchesne and Laurel Mati; executive producer: Philippe Allaire; director of production: Alain Lacour; production déléguée: Alya-Ellipse; co-production

181 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 183 CNC. Cast: Richard Bohringer, (Paul Brissac), Daniel Roussu (Daniel Loussine), Yann Tregouët (Marco Loussine), Richaud Valls (Jules Thévenot), Astrid Veillon (Debbie), Philippe Magnan (Brinkman), Cécile Thiry (Stéphanie Mattar), François Bourcier (Luc), et al. Commentary and complete cast in French at: Basilic Instinct (90 mins.) Cast: Macha Méril and Jean-Pierre Cassel. Produced by Les Auteurs Associés. Synopsis: The title of this comedy will make no allusion to the famous erotic thriller Basic Instinct. Called Un potager pour deux the film deals with a couple in their 60s who have a scuffle in a house in the Midi. He had abandoned her 30 years ago, leaving her with two children. Now she is beginning a peaceful retirement in her house near Aix-en-Provence, and he returns and turns her life upside down. Synopsis in French at vie_fiction_tv_hebdo_01.htm. L Impasse du cachalot (2000 1) TV Cast: Hélène Vincent, Jean- Michel Noirey, Camille Japy, Lorant Deutsch, Emmanuelle Bataille, Sophie Mounicot, Michel Modo; Elizabeth Vitali (Gabrielle). Tous pour un Falcon Quelques maux d amour (TF1). Les Femmes ont toujours raison (2002; First showing June 2003 on France 2 TV, 90 minutes) Music: Thierry Malet. Cast: Florence Darel (Emma); Robin Renucci (Briancourt); Jean-Michel Noirey (Archi); Artus de Penguern (Berger); Arnaud Binard (Max); Nadine Alari (Rachel) Yann Duffas (Leprince) Synopsis: Berger, Archambault and Briancourt, three doctors, are partners of the founder of the Clinique du Paradis, a state-of-theart complex specialized in treatment for women. Friends for more than twenty years now, the three forty-year-olds are viewed by other men and, above all, women, as modern and sincere guys who have been able to adapt to the new millennium woman. Each in his own way represents a sort of ideal of modern man. When Professor Raphaelli dies, his daughter, Emma, a young psychologist, inherits a 50% share in the clinic and transfers her office there. This marks the sudden end of our three heroes happiness; for Emma, with all the energy of her 27 years and her resolute feminism, looks on the three of them as dangerous neo-machos. She openly states that they merely pretend to look on women as their equals but, in fact, continue to treat them as sexual objects.... And so she calls everything into question, from the running of the clinic and the treatment of its clients to the gentlemen s private lives... The three men in question are therefore going to fight back... and the consequences will be...

182 184 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS incalculable! Quoted from: Synopsis in French at (Music at this site also.) Synopsis in French also at: femmes.htm Mieux vaut courir TV Cast includes: Lydia Andrei Rosier, Michèle Born in Paris in 1930, Rosier studied in France and the USA. She has worked as a journalist ( ), as a fashion designer ( ), and as a filmmaker since George Qui? (1973) Mon cœur est rouge ( , 1 hr. 49 mins.) Photography: Bruno Nuyten; sound: Georges Prat and Joël Belledent; editing: Suzanne Baron; production: Go-Films, Cast: Françoise Lebrun, Jean Ipousteguy, Jean-Pierre Bisson, Judith Magre, Coralie Seyrig. Synopsis: Clara, who works for an advertising agency, meets many people in Paris: a strange young man, women in a collective nursery, a man suffering from depression. She also militates in a feminist group. This film reflects the 1970s perfectly, favoring openness and availability. Synopsis in French on the internet: DP. Le Grand Jour ou «Souris, t es heureux ce jour-là» ( ) Mise en scène by Rosier. Synopsis: For twenty-four hours, the filmmaker Michèle Rosier filmed the wedding day of Soraya and Pascal in a working-class neighborhood of Paris. Embrasse-moi ( , 95 mins.) Written by Michèle Rosier; music: Aldo Romano. Cast: Sophie Rochut (Louise); Dominique Valadié as La mère; Patrick Chesnais (Le père); Philippe Clévenot (l accordeur); Isabelle Sadoyan (La grand-mère); Yann Collette (Le voyageur); Anouk Grinberg (La mamma); Muriel Jolly (Thérèse); Thomas Nock (Helmut); Sylvie Jacob (La petite amie); Bruno Randon(Le concierge); Tansou (L ouvrier); Françoise Guibert (Mildred); Didier Bras (L inspecteur). Synopsis: Louise, who is twelve, finds it difficult to take when her mother, divorced from a businessman, installs her young lover Helmut in the lovely apartment on the banks of the Seine. Forced to give up her room, Louise has a quarrel with her mother and then runs away. Synopsis is French at: Pullman Paradis (1995, 1 hr. 40 mins.) Written by: Michèle Rosier. Cast: Charles Berling, Yann Collette, Eva Ionesco Dominique.

183 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 185 Malraux, tu m étonnes (2001, 180 mins.) Docudrama. D.& w. by: Michèle Rosier (based on writings and witness of André Malraux, Clara Malraux, Alain Malraux, Roger Stéphane, Josette Clotis, Louise de Vilmorin, Sophie de Vilmorin, Paul Nothomb, Pierre Bockel, Suzanne Chantal, Brigitte Friang, Marcel Arland, Pierre Moinot, Louis Bertagna, François and Claude Mauriac, Jacques Legris, Kommen Becirovic, Jean Grenier, Maria Van Risselberghe, Pierre Vidal-Naquet, Jean Lacouture, Jean-François Lyotard). Photography: Emmanuel Machuel; sound: Jean-Claude Brisson; mixage: Bernard Le Roux; music: Yves Cerf; costumes: Marie-Claude Altot; makeup and hair: Corinne Masselo; decor: Olivier Jacquet; casting: Betty Raffaelli; editing: Dominique Paris; sound editing: Jean Gargonne; script: Franciska Moeneclaey; first assistant director: Patrick Roques; production director: Jean-Dominique Chouchan; régisseur général: Mathieu Lévy. Cast: Philippe Clévenot(André Malraux âgé); Jérôme Robart (André Malraux jeune); Isabelle Ronayette (Clara Malraux); Vanessa Larré (Josette Clotis); Marion Beulque (Madeleine Malraux); Raphaël Personnaz (Alain Malraux); Françoise Lebrun (Yvonne de Gaulle); Elisabeth Kaza (Adrienne Malraux); Maud Rayer (Berthe Malraux); Bérangère Bonvoisin(Bérénice); Denis Podalydès (Titus); Daniel Martin (IV) (Paul Desjardins); Bernard Waver (André Gide); Françoise Paumard (Marie Malraux); Arnaud Letouze (Fernand Malraux). Synopsis: André Malraux was two years old when, in 1903, his new-born brother died. This is how Malraux s twentieth century odyssey begins. From the suburb in which he lives, Malraux, still a teenager, sets out in search of the literary and artistic culture of Paris. Very early on he meets Clara, a wealthy, cultivated young woman of German origin, very engaged. With her, he experiences adventure in Cambodia and political involvement. In 1933 he wins the Goncourt Prize for his fourth novel. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War the young couple set off to fight the Fascists. But, as Clara would say later, they were no longer enough for each other. Malraux s gaze turns towards Josette, his new love. Late in the war, Malraux joins the Résistance to play an active part in the French campaign of , during which time Josette dies, leaving two young sons. When the war ends, Malraux s close relationship with De Gaulle leads to official honors and functions. He sets up home with his children and Madeleine, wife of his brother who has died in Germany. He adopts their son Alain. Now begin the years of public recognition for a man whose chief interest is in the democratization of culture. In public he is lionized, listened to. In private he falls victim to increasing bouts of depression. In the mid-60s, separated from Madeleine whom he had married in 1947, Malraux builds himself an ivory tower from which he continues

184 186 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS his visionary campaign in favor of art. He renews his cultural travels and writes four final books. He dies in His remains are transferred to the Panthéon in from: fifq/2001/films/france/malraux/indexen.html. Information and critique in French on internet: MonsieurCinéma Roüan, Brigitte Born 28 September, 1946, in Toulon. Known chiefly for her work in theater until she won a César for her short film Grosse (1985). She acted in many films: Demain les Mômes (1976); Let Joy Reign Supreme (aka Que la fête commence); Mon oncle d Amérique; Les uns et les autres; Suivez mon regard; Double Messieurs; Les Mois d avril sont meurtriers; Bar des rails; Le Café des Jules (1988); Le Petit Garçon (1995); Olivier Olivier (1992) L Aîné des Ferchaux (2001) and in Outremer, which she also directed. (See Pallister Guide, 95 for Outremer.) Grosse (1985) Auteur film. Post-Coïtum (animal triste) (1997, 97 mins.) Screenplay: Brigitte Roüan, Santiago Amigorena, Jean-Louis Richard, Guy Zylberstein; photography: Pierre Dupouey et al.; editing: Laurent Roüan; music: Michel Musseau, Umberto Tozzi; producer: Humbert Balsan; U.S. Distributor: New Yorker Films. Cast: Brigitte Roüan, Boris Terral, Patrick Chesnais, Jean-Louis Richard, Nils Tavernier, Françoise Arnoul. Synopsis: Wild love of Diane, successful editor, married woman and mother of around age forty (Brigitte Roüan), for a young Italian engineer in his twenties, named Emilio (Borris Terral), who in the end jilts her. She sinks into a deep depression as a result. Her husband a lawyer defending a woman who has killed her unfaithful husband after forty-three years of marriage is played by Patrick Chesnais. See Stéphanie Gromann in French: Post-Coïtum, à l avant garde des films français. Journal français (March 1998: 26). See negative review by James Berardinelli at (two stars out of five). Jean Decock (The French Review, March 1998: 698) claims that of the forty-five films he viewed at Cannes this one contained the only mention of the use of condoms. Maurice Elia, Cœur en berne, Séquences 195 (March/April 1995): France-Amérique (9 15 March): 23. Magazine Le Clap (May-June 1998): 22. Sa mère, la pute ( , mins.) In French and Serbo- Croatian. D. Brigitte Roüan; written by: Brigitte Roüan and Marc Villard; photography: Jimmy Glasberg; editing: Laurent Roüan; music:

185 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 187 Jean-Claude Vannier. Cast: Brigitte Roüan (Catherine), Remo Girone (Paolo), Dragan Nicolic (Boksic; as Dragan Nicolic), Raphaël Krepser (Keller), Stéphanie Durand, Cathy Guetta (Ebène), Yolande Moreau (Annie), Christine Murillo Wendy, Eric Bonicatto Rimbaud. Also: Marcel Bozonnet (Francis); Malik Zidi (Bimbo); Emilie Lafarge (Céline); Florence Loiret (Coralie); Sébastien Eveno (Quentin); Claude Guyonnet (Client au vélo); Marie Micla (Christèle). Synopsis: When Coralie is found dead the police immediately consider it a drug overdose, an accident. For the police the case is routine. But Coralie was a student and, in everyone s mind, a good girl. Catherine, her forty-year-old single mother, had raised her alone, watching proudly as her daughter did well in school. The news of Coralie s death so stuns Catherine that she can t bring herself to identify the body in the morgue. The friend who goes in her stead reports seeing traces of drug use. Slowly Catherine begins to understand that her daughter had led a life quite different from the one she had imagined. But there are traces of blows on Coralie s body. Since the police aren t interested, Catherine, persuaded it s a question of murder, embarks on her own private, personal and painful quest for the truth. She goes off to find the girl that she thought she knew so well and quickly discovers that she hadn t. She plunges into a dark underworld of drugs and prostitution. Every night she goes out to retrace the life that Coralie had led, in search of whoever was responsible for her death. But to get at the truth she must put herself in harm s way. She pretends to be a drug user and a prostitute. She ll do anything to restore her daughter s dignity, anything to repair her own maternal failings... Supplementary information: There is a quite complete list of Roüan s works as actress, director and writer at: us.imdb.com. Sarmiento, Valeria Chilean filmmaker living and working in France. Actress, editor, director. See IMDb. Diálogo de exilados (aka Dialogue of Exiles) (1974) Notre mariage (1985) A Man, When He Is a Man (1985, 66 mins.) Amelia López O Neil (1990, 93 mins.) Elle (1996, 86 mins.) L Inconnu de Strasbourg (aka L Etranger de Strasbourg) (1998, 100 mins.) Production: Germini Films; photography: Acacio De Almeida; scenario: Raoul Ruiz, Evelyne Piellier, Valeria Sarmiento; music: Jorge Arriagada; editing: Rodolfo Wedeles. Cast: Ornella Muti (Madeleine); Charles Berling (Jean-Paul; Johan Leysen; Christian Vadim (Le flic romancier); Laurence Masliah

186 188 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Synopsis: Jean-Paul is at his mistress s house when her husband comes home. In a panic, Madeleine begs Jean-Paul to leave but gives him a date for October 12 at Gretel s. On the way her lover is the victim of an accident, while meanwhile she has just killed her husband. Rosa la china (aka Rosa la chine) (2002, 100 mins.) Schiffman, Suzanne ( ) Out 1, Noli me tangere (1970) listed by Fitzpatrick and Fitzpatrick as directed by Schiffman was actually directed by Jacques Rivette. Suzanne Schiffman wrote the screenplay (Hollywood. com). Le Moine et la sorcière (1987) See Pallister Guide 96. Schpoliansky, Bunny or Bunny Godillot She claims the following: Age:thirty-five/forty-five; Cheveux/Hair: Blond; Yeux/Eyes : Vert/ Green. She began Systhem Production [ in order to make Riches, belles, etc. French is her native language; she is fluent in English, bilingual in Italian. Best known as an actress, she has appeared in: Tanguy (2001); Vacances au purgatoire (1999) (TV); Riches, belles, etc. (1998); Les Petites Bonnes (1997) (TV); Palace (1988) (mini) TV Series; Corps z a corps (1987); L Été 36 (1987) (TV); Les Bas-fonds de Paris (1986) TV Series; Le Vent du large (1985) TV Series; Je vais craquer!!! (1980); À nous deux (1979). She has directed: Riches, belles, etc. ( , mins.) [aka Riches, belles et cruelles] Directed by Bunny Godillot (as Bunny Schpoliansky); produced by Nicolas Schpoliansky; original music: Dominique Probst; cinematography: Christophe Beaucarne; editing: Frédéric Olzac; costume design: Giorgio Armani, Edmond Boublil, Braguard, Inès De La Fressange, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Didier Ludot, Paco Rabanne, Stéphane Roland;, Sabbia Rosa, Sonia Rykiel;, Emmanuel Ungaro, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. Sound Department: Vincent Arnardi (sound re-recording mixer ). Cast (in alphabetical order): Anouk Aimée, Jay Alexander, Franck Belaiche, Delphina Belmont, Anita Benoist, Marisa Berenson, Emilie Brigand, Urbain Cancelier, Claudia Cardinale, Gisèle Casadesus, Catherine Chevalier (II), Hermine de Clermont-Tonnerre, Isabelle Courger, Nathalie Dalyan, Claude Degliame, Mahoganya De Laffon, Katinka De Montal, Lorraine De Roubaix, Bô Gwenola Froment, Eric Giraudon, Bunny Godillot (as Bunny Schpoliansky), Georges Godillot, Odette Godillot, Alice Guérard, Jean Harcelin, Anastasia Hibon, Alexandra Kamp- Groeneveld, Ophélie Koering, Virgile Koering, Patrick Le Guelvout, Marie Lenoir, Maria Cristina Mastrangeli, Claire Maurier, M bemo,

187 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 189 Tasha Mota e Cunha, Lola Naymark, Frédéric Noy, Julien Pasquier, Florence Pelly, Edith Perret, Firmine Richard, Olivier Roche, Sonia Rykiel, Muriel Saget, Palitha Samarasinghe, Sophie, Katerina Savrani, Christophe Schpoliansky, Nicolas Schpoliansky, Marie Seux, Tsuyu Shimizu, Natasha Solignac, Isabelle Spade, Claudy Stolz, Isabelle Tanakil, Mathieu Thai, Diana Thermiotis, Dominique Vallée, Martyne Visciano, Célia Watterson. Synopsis: During her rich and famous mother s absence, a little girl, alone in a big hotel, tries to understand what being a woman means by interviewing various women. Summary written by G. A. (pitcairn@micronet.fr) IMDb. Synopsis in French at AlloCine. fichefilm_gen_cfilm 4663.html. Commentary in French by Tiscali at: Riches, belles, etc.: cine3001.chez.tiscali.fr/cine3000/htm/richbel.htm Serreau, Coline See Brigitte Rollet: Coline Serreau. Manchester, England: Manchester University Press, See also Pallister Guide La Crise (1992, 108 mins.) See Rollet for credits. La Belle Verte (1996, 108 mins.) See Rollet for credits. L Enfant (1998, 3 mins.; part of Lumière sur un massacre) Chaos (2001, 109 mins.) Scenario: Serreau; photography: Jean- François Robin; editing: Catherine Renault; costumes: Karen Serreau. prod.: Alain Sarde; dist.: TVA International. Cast: Catherine Frot, Vincent Lindon, Rachida Brakni, Line Renaud, Auréline Wiik, Ivan Franck, Chloé Lambert. Rachida Barkni took the 2002 César for best female espoir (most promising actress). Synopsis: For narrative ingenuity and cliffhanging excitement, nothing in the series beats Serreau s angry melodrama Chaos in which Malika (Rachida Barkni), a teenage prostitute who was sold as a sex slave to a criminal organization, grows up to wreak delicious revenge on those who brutalized her. Her partner in vengeance, Hélène (Catherine Frot), is the disgusted wife of a selfish, womanizing businessman. Chaos has the ferocity of a Gallic Thelma and Louise without that film s undercurrent of despair. In the Darwinian sexual climate it evokes, all men are dogs. Stephen Holden, A Harbinger of Spring.... The New York Times (Friday, 8 March 2002): B22 y. Also see Jean Vallier: Perspectives sur le cinéma français. France- Amérique March, 2002: 20. And also Journal français (January 2003): 25. Serreau is quoted here saying this is the story of four women reconstructing themselves. Elie Castiel [in Séquences 220 (July/August 2002): 11] reports on

188 190 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS the Fourth Film Festival of Ottawa, at which Chaos was the opening film. Carlo Mandolini reviews the film in French in Séquences 221 (September/October 2002): 49. Credits and still included. Sizable articles on Chaos in Journal français (January 2003: 25) and in France-Amérique (8 14 February 2003). Also commentary in English at: people/people_030130serreau.html. 18 ans après (2002, 90 mins.) Cast: Roland Giraud, Michel Boujenah, André Dussollier ( ), Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu. Credits found in Séquences 226 (July-August 2002): 60. Synopsis: Marie and her three adoptive dads are studying for her bac. She passes and goes off to spend the summer in the Midi with Sylivia, her mother, who has come back from America. Sylvia is accompanied by her dynamic California husband who has two sons. Marie discovers love under the eyes of the three fathers who see their protegée s childhood disappearing at a gallop. As for them, their relationships with women are seriously complicated. Synopsis in French at MonsieurCinéma: film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm html. Signaux, Catherine See Sotha Silvera, Charlotte Louise, l insoumise (1984) Info. supplemental to Pallister Guide 97: D. and written by Silvera; photography: Dominique Le Rigoleur; music: Jean-Marie Senia; sound: Claude Bertrand; editing: Geneviève Louveau. Cast: Catherine Rouvel; Roland Bertin; Myriam Stern; Joëlle Tami; Deborah Cohen; Marie-Christine Barrault. Synopsis: Louise, a child of ten, is oppressed by a Tunisian Jewish mother who wants to impose the shackles of her religion and of woman s condition on her. This family chronicle reconstructs the France of the 1960s from a personal point of view. Hervé Le Roux (Cahiers du Cinéma, March 1985) writes: One must recognize Silvera s capacity to direct young actresses and to bring to the screen [events and problems] that constitute a child s daily life. The film is both very funny and very serious. Prisonnières (1988, 100 mins.) D. & scripted by Silvera; photography: Bernard Lutic; music: Michel Portal; sound: Alix Comte; editing: Danielle Fillos. Cast: Marie-Christine Barrault; Fanny Bastion; Annie Girardot; Bernadette Lafont; Milva; Agnès Soral; Corinne Touzet. Synopsis: Silvera claims the most striking thing about women pris-

189 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 191 oners is the fact that they rarely try to escape. Also noticeable when one visits the prison at Rennes are the faces of these women, swollen from tranquilizers, and their bodies, deformed from bulimia or anorexia. These women, she says, are close to us, for human nature is revealed in the microcosm of the prison. Hoffner & fille (1992) Tout va bien dans le service (1993) Telefilm Zozo, le clown segment in 3000 scénarios contre un virus (1994) L Embellie (1995, 90 mins.) Fiction; telefilm. Script: Henri Slotine and Silvera; photography: Dominique Le Rigoleur; sound: David Brisseau; music: Reinhardt Wagner; editing: Marie Victoire Darcay. Cast: Line Renaud; Jean-Pierre Cassel; Jackie Berroyer; Claude Evrard. Synopsis: Dora Morteuil-Brissac at sixty-seven is still the head of a huge cosmetics firm. Since her husband s death she has spent most of her time at the business. Following an upset, she learns that she has a tumor. She is thunderstruck by the news but takes this as a message. C est la tangente que je préfère aka Love, Math and Sex (1997, 100 mins.) Country: France/Belgium. Writing credits Jean-Luc Nivaggioni and Charlotte Silvera. Cast: Julie Delarme (Sabine); Georges Corraface ( Jiri); Marie-Christine Barrault ( La prof de maths); Agnès Soral (La mère de Sabine); Christophe Malavoy (Le père de Sabine); Suzie (I) (Gabrielle); Anna Prucnal (La femme blonde); Marie Laforêt (Pétra la vérité); Françoise Michaud (La prof de sciences-math); Maxime Lombard (Policier); Maurice Chevit (Jean-Pierre); Louis Navarre (Guy); Alix de Konopka (La voisine); Bernard Sens (Jan); Witold Heretynski (Petr). Synopsis: Sabine, an adolescent girl with a gift for mathematics, becomes involved with Jiri, a forty-something man-of-the-theater from Prague. This is the story of their relationship and the gradual transformation of Sabine s life as a result of it. Summary written by Parisias. Simon, Claire Born in Morocco (allociné) in [Some sources say born in London.] Came to France when five years old. Early documentaries, followed by fictional features. (Documentaries will be treated in forthcoming guide to francophone women documentarians.) Les Patients (1989) Scènes de ménage (1991) Recreations (1992) Documentary Coûte que coûte (1995, 100 mins.) Documentary

190 192 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Sinon, oui (1997, 119 mins.) Cast: Catherine Mendez, Emmanuel Clarke, Lou Castel, Agnes Regolo. Fiction. Synopsis: To the question Are you pregnant? Magali, who doesn t know the answer, chooses to let doubt reign. That doesn t suit her husband, who was planning to leave her and now thinks he is obliged to remain. And the more time passes, the less Magali is able to break the spell that s holding Alain back, comforting her sick father, and pleasing her whole entourage. From French synopsis: found at cinéinfo.fr. Ça, c est vraiment toi ( ) TV. Feature length; fiction. Cast: Alexandre Zloto, Stéphanie Pasquet. 800 km de différence romance (2001) Cast: Grégory Mutti, Manon Garcia Mimi ( ) aka La Vie de Mimi Cast includes Mimi Chiola. Synopsis: A woman tells us about her life, her dramas, her sorrows... All of this is fatally banal and yet unique and universal. Sotha (also Catherine Signaux; also Sotha Dumoulin) Actress, Director, Writer, Composer, Editor. Daughter of Gilbert Signaux (novelist, journalist and professor of theater history at the Conservatoire national d Art Dramatique). Author with Jaroslav Hasek of the play Le Brave Soldat Chvèïk s en va-t-au ciel (2002). Au long de la rivière Fango aka Along the Fango River (1974, 115 mins.) Drama. Written by Sotha. Cast: Romain Bouteille (Nathaniel); Sophie Chemineau (Lucille); Christine Dejoux (Maurine); Patrick Dewaere (Sébastien); Ben Mangelsohots (Bild); Emmanuelle Riva (Mathilde); Rufus (Jérémie); Elisabeth Wiener (Roberte). Synopsis: Two very blond young men, Jérémy and Bild, arrive in a strange country where the social shackles have been suppressed. The community of a few dozen people lives in perfect harmony with nature. This society has completely burnt all bridges with urban, capitalistic society. Indeed, Bild seems to be there to find his mother who is probably the founder of this community. But after trying to preach a return to progress, Bild will be killed and Jérémy will learn that he is the son of the group s founder, but he will flee, having realized that he was going to commit incest with young Maurine, also daughter of the founder, and therefore his own sister. Synopsis and commentary in French by Daniel Sauvaget, La Saison Cinématographique, at Also in French: Le Graphique de Boscop aka The Boscop Diagram (1976, 108 mins.) Comedy. D. by Sotha Dumoulin and Georges Dumoulin; writing credits: Sotha. Cast: Romain Bouteille (Roger Dendron); Catherine

191 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 193 Mitry (Dorothée, his wife); Philippe Manesse (Pissenlit, their son); Sotha (Clémentine, their daughter); Patrice Minet (Mozart); Jacques Sigaux (Ahmed, Arab street cleaner); Odile Barbier (La Fleur, waitress); Marie-Christine Descouard (Marguerite); Christian Spillemaecker (Jacques Chambille). Synopsis: A street cleaner creates a computer that will bring him glory. French synopsis at YaHoo: cinhachettefilm html. Les Matous sont romantiques (1981, 96 mins.) B&W/Color (Agfacolor). Written by Sotha. Cast: Henri Guybet (Roger one); Patrice Minet (Roger two); Philippe Manesse (Roger three); Odette Laurent (Jeanne one); Christine Dejoux (Jeanne two); Véronique Rivière (Jeanne three); Romain Bouteille (The patient); Michel Schreiber (Himself); Laure Duthilleul (The Girl at the window); Michel Puterflam (The altruist); Patrick Dewaere (The neighbor). Synopsis: The Rogers and the Jeannes make up three modern Parisian couples who live with their mediocrity. They had decided to spend an evening with friends and were to meet on that day. But due to some stupid gossip, the three women refuse to see each other any more. Each of the husbands puts his best foot forward, so the three men meet; but they wind up drunk. Meanwhile, the women wind up meeting each other by accident. Nevertheless, they have a good time trying on dresses. When they get home, they find the men... who in turn are happy to learn that they haven t completely lost the women. Everything finishes in bed, and all is forgiven. French synopsis at: And also at: And also at: Commentary in French: Jean-Louis Cros, La Saison cinématographique at: Tant pis si je meurs (1985, 103 mins.) Drama. Sotha; The Doors (Song: Jimi Hendrix; Song Performer: Jim Hendrix). Cast: Anna- Clelia Salomon, Philippe Manesse, Philippe Rony, Dominique Dorel, Romain Bouteille, Elodie Perrier, François Dyrek, Jacky Sigaux. Strauss, Florence 3000 scénarios contre un virus (1994) (Segment: Déshabille-toi que je t habille ). Stroh, Valérie Born 11 August 1958 in Strasbourg. Scriptwriter; Actress in such films as Mystère d Alexina (1985); Promenades d été (1992); L Année Juliette ( ); Chut! [2002]; Le Chignon d Olga.

192 194 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Bayard d Or for best actress in Baptême by René Féret (1989). Director of: Un homme et deux femmes (1991, 90 mins.) Prod.: Les Films Alyne A2/Séléna Audiovisuel/SGGC/Canal copyright 1991 and René Féret; scenario: Valérie Stroh and René Féret based on three novellas by Doris Lessing; composer: Evelyne Stroh; photography: Peter Suschitzky; production: Films A2, France; CRRAV, France. Cast: Lambert Wilson (Dr. Paul Baudoin); Diane Pierens (Brigitte); Olivia Brunaux (Sylvia); Noémie Stroh; Patricia Dinev (Isabelle); Yann Epstein (Pierre); Michael Vartan (Fred) Jean-Yves Berteloot; Julie Jezequel (Agnès); Valérie Stroh. Synopsis: Martha, a young writer who is having trouble with her love life, plunges into and projects herself into the fictional life of her own heroines. She is thus turn by turn a young mother who leaves her husband, an incestuous sister, a cold and secretive intellectual, and many other things. French synopsis at: AlloCine. See Michael Vartan. See also: [Available at Version Française, tel ] Tatischeff, Sophie The daughter of Jacques Tati, Tatischeff s poetic universe is as unusual as her father s. Le Comptoir (Released on 9 Sept. 1998, 93 mins.) Cast: Mireille Perrier, Jacques Peno, Maurane. Synopsis: Strange types gather around the counter of an old Breton café. Stories of the past and fantasies of the present are recounted. Tedeschi, Valeria Bruni (also Bruni-Tedeschi) Il est plus facile pour un chameau (2002, 1 hr. 50 mins.) Cast: Tedeschi, Chiara Mastroianni, Jean-Luc Anglade, Denis Podalydas. Synopsis: Frederica is rich, too rich. This imprisons her and prevents her from making her way as an adult and from facing up to her responsibilities in her daily life. Tenfiche, Malika Born in 1966 in Paris. Licence (roughly the equivalent of a B.A.) and DEA (Diplôme des études approfondies) in Lettres modernes (Humanities). She has been assistant to the producer and to the director on various Shorts. Chemin de traverse (2000, 22 mins.) Synopsis: Having missed the train to take her mother to a cure (thermal therapy) in the South, a young Beurette takes a longer trip

193 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 195 by car with her mother. They try to interact, to communicate. The gap between their worlds is painfully evident to them both. Teodori, Muriel [Téodori in Fitzpatrick] Sans plomb (1999 or 2000, 1 hr. 40 mins.) Scenario: Teodori. Cast: Alexis Loret, Emma de Caunes, Eric Caravaca, Miki Manojlovic. Distributed by Rezo. Scenario: Such a good example of bad poetry had not been found since Epouse-moi... Muriel Teodori composes a kind of Odyssey by having her actors, who are gathered at a service station, say and do anything at all, on the pretext of telling a love story. The result is boring and sad, in fact irritating, since the director manages to spoil such fine talents as those of Emma de Caunes and of Eric Caravaca, and even manages to make the sublime songs of Elvis Costello irritating as well. Tr. from: French text in: Première (Summer 2000): 50. Also: AlloCiné. Thévenet, Virginie 3000 scénarios contre un virus (1994) (segment Bavardages en sida mineur ). Thompson, Danièle (or Danielle) Daughter of Gérard Oury, with whom she collaborated on the scenario of La Grande Vadrouille (1966), La Folie des grandeurs (1970), and Les Aventures du Rabbi Jacob (1974). Worked with Jean-Charles Tachella on the scenario of Cousin-Cousine. Also collaborated with Patrice Chévreau on scenarios of La Reine Margot and Ceux qui m aiment prendront le train. Now one of the great scriptwriters in her own right: La Boum; Les Marmottes, Belle Maman. La Bûche (1999; 106 mins.) Written by Danièle and Christopher Thompson. Cast: Sabine Azéma (Louba); Charlotte Gainsbourg (Milla), Emmanuelle Béart (Sonia); Christopher Thompson; Claude Riche (father), Françoise Fabian (mother). First feature-length film. Synopsis: Members of a family of Jewish origins prepare to celebrate Christmas as if it were one of their holy days. Film dwells on all the fairy-tale aspects of Christmas. Gainsbourg won a César as motorcycle-riding rebel Milla, who hates her bourgeois sister Sonia. Most comical performance from Sabine Azéma as eldest daughter Louba who makes a living singing Russian folk tunes in a nightclub. Harchoui-Wong writes: Three sisters confide, confess and tear each other apart before their father and mother, who are divorced and have not seen each other for 25 years. No one in this family can boast of having feelings that approach normal and communication and

194 196 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS frankness haven t the shadow of a place in this universe of strangers. In La Bûche Danièle Thompson manipulates with great skill the humor and the bitter feelings of a family which uses the holiday to unload grudges. Karine Harchoui-Wong in France-Amérique (11 17 November. 2000): 23. [Tr. JLP.] See also interview in French: France-Amérique (24 November 2000): Sur un air de famille avec Danièle Thompson. Propos recueillis par Jean Vallier. Available from Facets. Décalage horaire aka Jet Lag (2001, 1 hr. 30 mins.) Released: 30 October Produced by Alain Sarde (All or Nothing, The Pianist, Mulholland Drive, The Piano Teacher). This is the second time Danièle Thompson has collaborated with her son Christopher Thompson with whom she had already worked on La Bûche (1999). Cast: Jean Reno, Juliette Binoche, Sergi Lopez, Scali Delpeyrat, Karine Belly. Synopsis: This film connects a man (Jean Reno) and woman (Juliette Binoche) waiting out a delay in a Paris airport. Indiewire. Synopsis in French at: allociné.com. See review by Elie Castel in French: Séquences (May/June 2003): 61. Reviewed by Brigitte Baudin in France-Amérique (14 20 June 2003): 20. Treilhou, Marie-Claude Simone Barbes, or Virtue (Simone Barbès ou la Vertu) (1980, 77 or 80 mins.) Synopsis: A woman s cynical facade crumbles when an erotic adventure reveals her as a wounded soul. She works as an usherette at a porno theater, where she and her coworkers kill time by making fun of the embarrassed clientele. She visits her lesbian love at a seedy nightclub where she witnesses money exchanged for sexual favors. Soon she is involved in her own sexual game-playing, but winning the empty game doesn t seem possible. Facets catalog For details, see [Cited as an important film by Fitzpatrick and Fitzpatrick.] Le Jour des rois (1990, 90 mins.) Synopsis: Three old sisters gather as they do every Sunday for Epiphany. Suzanne is unhappily married to Georges; Germaine, unmarried, now lives in a rest home while Armande still lives a normal life with Albert, her docile and self-effacing husband. Despite their differences of character, they love each other... and detest each other, and argue, and give support to each other. Créteil cat

195 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 197 Trinh Thi, Coralie See Despentes, Virginie Trintignant, Marie B d Daughter of Jean-Louis and Nadine Trintignant. Was married to François Cluzet. She likes hats, the piano, and cooking. She tapes poetry. Marie Trintingant began her career in cinema when very young (four years of age), and under her mother s direction in Mon amour, mon amour. Has been in many films as an actress. Y a pas que les chiens qui s aiment (1990) D. François Cluzet; written by Trintignant. See French bio and filmography at: personne/personnearticle_gen_cpersonne 3159.html Trintignant, Nadine Born in For earlier listing see Pallister Guide, DéfensedeSavoir Correction of date in Pallister Guide 100: (1973, 95 mins.). Additional information: Italy/France. aka Forbidden To Know. Produced by 20th Century Fox/Lira Films/ Medusa Produzione. Madame le juge (1976) TV La Maison de jade (1988) aka The House of Jade. Hôtel des Caravaniers TV Contre l oubli aka Against Oblivion; aka Lest We Forget; aka Écrire contre l oubli (1991; 110 mins.) Fitzpatrick and Fitzpatrick attribute Contre l oubli to Trintignant. Film is complex: It has many directors, including Trintignant and Akerman (q.v.), as well as Claire Denis, Coline Serreau, Sarah Moon and a number of outstanding male directors. Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Philippe Noiret, Jane Birkin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sami Frey, Emmanuelle Béart, Henri Cartier- Bresson, Isabelle Huppert, Carole Bouquet, Marie Trintignant. Synopsis: Amnesty International produced this film, which features more than two dozen greats of French cinema making pleas for the lives of political prisoners around the world. Each filmmaker speaks passionately on behalf of an individual whose life has been warped by political intolerance, imprisonment, torture or murder, as the lives of those prisoners or sufferers are documented on screen. A variety of directors contributed Shorts with this theme, and the ways in which the appeals are dramatized differ markedly from one to the next. Clarke Fountain (msn.entertainment) at: ment.msn.com/movies/movie.aspx?m Otages (1992) TV Original screenplay by Liliane Dreyfus and Jean- Patrick Manchette

196 198 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Une Mère (1992) D. by Trintignant; co-scripted with E. Bernheim. Based on a novel by Alain Leblanc. Lucas (1993) (TV) Rêveuse(s) jeunesse(s) (1993) (TV) Lumière et compagnie aka Lumière y compañía; aka Lumière and Company; Spain (1995) Directed by Merzak Allouache; Theo Angelopoulos et al. including Nadine Trintignant. Forty international directors were asked to make a short film using the original Cinématographe invented by the Lumière Brothers... Les Fugueuses aka Le Fugitive (It.); aka Une fille galante (1995, 95 mins.) Written by Gilles Perrault (I) and Nadine Trintignant. Cast: François Berléand, Stefano Dionisi, Nicole Garcia, Daniel Gélin, Irène Jacob ( Prune); Antonio Tabucchi (Himself); Marie Trintignant (Marina). Synopsis: Two girls meet on a train: Prune is looking for her father whom she has not seen since she was a little girl. L Insoumise (1995 or 1996, 91 mins.) TV series. Série réalisée par Claude d Anna (Co-produite par France 3 et Telefrance). Written by Nadine Trintignant and Vincent Trintignant. Cast: Marie Trintignant (Claire); Jean-Louis Trintignant (Roquepenne); Amidou (Medhi); Fadila Belkebla (Fraah); Jean-Pierre Lorit (Donatien); Saïda Bekkouche (Hameda); Didier Flamand (Jourdain). IMDb. Kind S.S. (1997) Projet Galatée Films. Victoire, ou la douleur des femmes ( , 90 mins. [3 episodes]) TVMini-Series. Written by Yves Belaubre, Evelyne Pisier, Nadine Trintignant, Marie Trintignant, based on the novel by Gilbert Schlogel. Photography: Patrick Blossier; sound: Harald Maury; decors: Jean-Marc Kerdelhue; editing: Nicole Lubtchansky; music: Philippe Sarde; co-production: France 2. Cast: Marie Trintignant (Victoire); Marina Vlady (Natacha); Jean-Michel Fête (Nicolas); Yves Lambrecht (Arnaud); Christine Citti (Jeannette); Sergio Castellitto (Giann); Sabine Haudepin (Anne); François Berléand (Docteur Treves); Arno Chevrier (Georges); Tina Aumont (Estelle); Serge Marquand (Le père d Arnaud). And also: Jezabel Carpi; Anouk Aimée; Salomé Blechmans as Alexandra; Valeria Cavalli (Marie); Séverine Marquand (Séverine); Thierry Rode (François); Betty Teboulle (Adèle); Christian Vadim (Paul). Synopsis: A woman s life, from the eve of the Second World War to the 1970s: a single mother in 1939, then a doctor who gradually becomes involved in the feminist crusade. In September 1939, Victoire becomes pregnant. Arnaud, her fiancé, is called up [to serve in the army]. Victoire s mother takes her to an abortionist, but when Victoire realizes that the operation was a failure

197 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 199 and that she is still pregnant, she decides to keep the child. Returning from captivity, Arnaud is delighted to learn he is a father and embraces his fiancée. But his father tells him that Victoire had an abortion. He believes his father and... leaves Victoire without seeing the child. Victoire decides to devote her life to women and studies medicine. She joins the Resistance. After the war, she fights on other fronts for women s rights and continues her struggle alongside Simone Veil. From: Synopsis in French also at: /ser_00832.htm. L Ile bleue (2001, 90 mins.) Cast: Pierre Arditi (Alexandre), Evelyne Bouix (Lily); Anouk Aimée (Eugénie), Julie Delarme (Mellie), Manuel Blanc (André). Synopsis: It is June 1940 and the Germans have invaded France. The adults accept the situation but a group of adolescents (ca 15 yrs. of age) decide to react to it. They want to defend their territory their Ile bleue which for them is a peaceful haven near the river. See information in French: France-Amérique (15 21June 2002): 27. Turckheim, Charlotte de Actress in Alain Tasma s Parents à mi-temps 2 (1995, 90 mins.) Turckheim made her directorial debut with: Mon Père, ma mère, mes frères et mes sœurs (1999, 95 mins.) Cast: Victoria Abril, Alain Bashung, and Philip Giangreco. De Turckheim also has a role. Synopsis: Anne, a tired forty, has a brilliant professional career while also raising her three children by three different men. All would be well if only Victor, the youngest, didn t want to know his father. Available from Facets: My Father, My Mother, My Brothers and Sisters. VHS and DVD. van Effenterre, Joëlle (Jolle, Joele) Editor, e.g. Kurys s Les Enfants du siècle. Lettre à ma mère: naître et renaître (2001, 31 mins.) For details see Images en bibliothèque: Van, Marina de Often works with Danielle Darrieux, Fanny Ardant, Virginie Ledoyen, Lucia Sanchez, Emmanuelle Béart, and François Ozon. Has acted in See the Sea (2000) Sitcom (1999) and collaborated on the writing of 8 Women (2002) and Under the Sand (2001). Dans ma peau. (2002, 93 mins.) Directed by Marina de Van. Synopsis: Esther s life is going along pretty well. She is soon to move in with her boyfriend Vincent, and she is expecting to advance

198 200 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS in her work. All would be fine if Esther hadn t found out how strange her body was. Self-mutilation and cannibalism. PEOPLE: Body of Work; Marina de Van discusses In My Skin (by Steve Erickson, 6 November 2003) French director Marina de Van s In My Skin may be the first slasher film in which the victim and perpetrator are one and the same. With echoes of Georges Franju s Eyes Without A Face and J. G. Ballard and David Cronenberg s Crash, she s created a uniquely disturbing work. I must warn viewers: In My Skin is not easy viewing. However, it s made with a formal control and intensity that belie the fact that it s de Van s debut. Like Crash, In My Skin begins with an accident. Wandering around outside a party, Esther (de Van) falls and slices her leg on a tool. Strangely excited, she puts off going to the hospital for a few hours. She becomes fascinated by her own skin, cutting herself compulsively. She ruins a business dinner by taking a fork to her arm under the table. Despite the concern of her boyfriend (Laurent Lucas), her obsession needs to run its course. Will it do so before she kills or permanently injures herself? indiewire: DAILY (Thursday, 6 November 2003) See indie- WIRE.com: marina.html French synopsis in Diagonal, le magazine des cinémas 122 (from 6 November to 10 December 2002): 7. Critique in French: by Julie Fraysse, Agence France-Presse Sunday, 29 September 2002, Saint-Sébastien, Espagne. Article in French by Catya Martin, Variation sur le thème de la mutilation, France-Amérique (1 7 November 2003): 15 Varda, Agnès B. 30 May 1928; Brussels, Belgium. Widow of Jacques Demy; mother of actor Mathieu Demy. See films listed in Pallister Guide Add also the following information not found there: Cléo de5à7 (1962, 90 mins.) aka Cleo dalle 5 alle 7 (Italy); aka Cleo from 5 to 7 (USA); aka Cléo de cinq à sept ( ). Daguerréotypes (1975) Daguerréotypes is a film on a small section of Daguerre street in the XIVth arrondissement. One of Varda s current projects is to transfer this film to DVD and then return to film a follow-up of the shopkeepers featured in the 1975 work. Description in French at: Filmothèque lomatie.fr/culture/france/cinema/documentaires/laville/page042.html. 7p.,cuis.,s.de b... à saisir (1984, 28 mins.). The Universe of Jacques Demy (1995, 90 mins.) aka The World of Jacques Demy (1995).

199 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 201 See complete list of films at: nf_avarda.html. Another complete listing with complete information on each film: Varda s ActingCredits:Különbözö helyek (1995) aka Different Places (1995), as herself; Jacquot (1991); Vagabond (1985); Lion s Love (1969); Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (1967); Le Bonheur (1965); Cléo de 5 à 7 (1961); and Philippe le bienheureux (1996 TV), as herself. Cameo in The Truth about Charlie (Demme, 2002). Varda composed Lola (song C est moi, c est Lola ); she has also written (additional dialogue) for Le Dernier Tango à Paris aka Last Tango in Paris (1972). Important New Insights on Sans Toit..., by Anna Gural-Migdal; La Représentation de la femme dans le cinéma français des vingt dernières années: Sans Toit ni loi, Nelly et M. Arnaud, et La Cérémonie. Women in French Studies 9 (2001): She finds that Varda s film functions as an inquest intended to reveal the mystery of the character Mona and the enigma of her death. Mona is also a catalyst, forcing people to reflect. Varda shows the good and bad sides of a life that transgresses the dominant masculine system. Her best film: it moves away from the theoretical feminism and militantism of the 1970s. New York Film Festival ( Account of the festival by Jean Vallier, Un monde en noir et blanc... et en couleurs. France-Amérique March And also an account in NY Times (February 2001). Films not yet commented on above or in Pallister Guide 101 8: Elsa la rose (1966) is a portrait of literary heavyweights Elsa Triolet and Louis Aragon. Le Bonheur (1965, 87 mins.) Lion s Love(1969, 110 mins.) (France/US) Cast: Viva, Shirley Clarke, James Rado, Jérôme Ragni. Synopsis: Varda spent three years in Los Angeles in the late 1960s with her husband, Jacques Demy, and in addition to filming a pair of documentaries one about the California she discovered and another on the Black Panthers made this feature film about sixties hippie culture and the political chaos surrounding it. The story, which verges on documentary, concerns an independent filmmaker (played by... Shirley Clarke) scrambling to develop a project with Warhol... Freely mixing improvisation, scripted material, and television footage covering events such as the assassination of Robert Kennedy and the shooting of Warhol, the film merges its style with the spirit of the

200 202 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS times. from: varda-lion.html. Vincent Canby: A beautiful, cockeyed movie about a ménage à trois. Vincent Canby, NY Times. Agnès Varda and Susan Sontag: Lions and Cannibals (1969, 28 mins.) Conversation about film with Susan Sontag and Jack Kroll, senior editor of Newsweek. They discuss their similarities with regard to esthetics and how their new films concern the problems of tortured personalities, politics and the grotesque in everyday matters. from Facets catalog. Mur Murs (Mural... Murals of L. A.) (1980) A documentary treating the outdoor murals of Los Angeles who paints them, who pays for them, who looks at them, how this city, which is the film capital of the world, reveals itself by its whispering walls (Varda). Ulysse (1982) Investigates an enigmatic photograph and its meanings, thirty years later, to its participants. Les Dites Caryatides (1984) Tours the architectural statues of Paris. 7 p., cuis., s.de b.... à saisir (7 rms., kit., bath.... grab it, 1984) A realtor s tour through an abandoned apartment (and ex-hospice) conjures up fractured narratives and surreal imagery of previous inhabitants. Sans toit ni loi (aka Vagabond) (1985, 105 mins.) T as de beaux escaliers... tu sais (1986) celebrates the Cinémathèque Française (and its fifty steps) on its fiftieth anniversary. Jane B. par Agnès V(1987) Portrait of actress Jane Birkin (ex-wife of singer/songwriter Serge Gainsbourg), her real self as well as the many characters she s asked to play by Varda in sketches and tableaux vivants. Salut les Cubains 1963) Winner of the Bronze Lion at Venice; 1500 still photos are edited to the rhythms of Cuban dance music. Socialism and cha-cha-cha. Varda. Jacquot de Nantes (1991, 118 mins.) Les Demoiselles ont eu 25 ans (1992) aka The Young Girls Turn 25. Varda in Rochefort to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of Demy s The Young Girls of Rochefort, which one resident claims belongs to the people of Rochefort, like a gigantic home movie. Clips from Demy s film, behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with cast and crew illuminate the influence of the town on the film and vice versa. Shown at the New York French film festival with Uncle Yanco (1967), Varda s summer-of-love visit with her uncle, a painter and bohemian denizen of a Sausalito houseboat community. The World of Jacques Demy (1993) Extensive film clips and interviews with Demy and legendary collaborators Catherine Deneuve,

201 203 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS Jeanne Moreau, Michel Legrand, Anouk Aime e, Bertrand Tavernier, Dominique Sanda, et al., highlight this overview of the director s career. One Hundred and One Nights (1995, 101 mins.) Of Note: Varda s restoration (released in 1998) of her husband s Demoiselles de Rochefort [1967; 125 mins. d. Jacques Demy] starring the great Catherine Deneuve as a dance professor). New colors, better sound for this musical comedy in which twin sisters sing and dance while seeking love in the city of Rochefort. Available from Facets. Les Glaneurs et la Glaneuse (2000, 82 mins.) (aka Gleaners and I). Documentary and road movie. Written by Varda, who acts in film as herself. Cinematography by Varda as well; she was also editor with Laurent Pineau; script and dialogue: Varda; photography: Ste phane Kraus, Didier Rouget, Didier Doussin, Pascal Sautelet, Varda; original music: Joanna Bruzdowicz; sound: Emmanuel Soland, Nathalie Vidal; distribution: Cine Tamaris. Cast: Bodan Litnanski (as himself); Agne s Varda (as herself); Franc ois Wertheimer (as himself). Production: Cine-Tamaris. Winner of more than ten citations, including Best Documentary awards from the National Society of Film Critics and 10. Les Gleaneurs et la glaneuse. Agne s Varda. Courtesy Agne s Varda $ $CH :50:19 PS PAGE 203

202 204 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS the European Film as well as the New York Film Critics Circle, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and the Chicago International Film Festival. Shot with hand-held digital camera. Synopsis: An intimate, picaresque inquiry into French life, as lived by the country s poor and its provident, as well as by the film s own director, Agnès Varda. The aesthetic, political and finally moral point of departure for Varda are [sic!] gleaners, those individuals who pick at already-reaped fields for the odd potato, the leftover turnip, and in previous generations were immortalized by the likes of Millet and Van Gogh. Varda is not interested in immortalizing today s gleaners but in investigating the reasons that lead the anonymous (desperate and quixotic both) and the celebrated (including a famous chef) to sift through our detritus. Along her journey, Varda constructs a portrait of France that is every bit as modern as the digital camera with which she does her filming, and in the process comes up with her finest, most effective work since Vagabond. From frenchculture.org: New York Film Festival on The Gleaners and I Facets internet catalog: The Gleaners and I... Agnes Varda s engaging, personal documentary looks at all levels of gleaning, or scavenging, in various parts of France. Varda visits with those who pick from already harvested fields in order to survive, as well as those who do it simply as a pastime or because they are offended by the waste. She also looks at those who use discarded materials in their artwork, urban gleaners who find nutritious foods in garbage cans, and others. As the director salutes this individualistic and idealistic activity, she contemplates how her own art form is really an act of gleaning images and putting found objects to us. See article in French in Première (Summer 2000): 51. Her best film since depuis quand au fait? We learn here that it is a question not only of the historical gleaners, but of modern day gatherers of fruits trop pourris du marché and other such scraps, including a man who hopes to make his living from potatoes rejected by industrial agriculture, etc. The director treats huge social problems without ostentation. Varda herself is a glaneuse who passes from one to another person with a true-false naiveté and a relative lightness of form. Says Varda: To glean is a gesture of survival, a marginal posture. See enthusiastic article by Bernard Benoliel, La Main de l autre. Cahiers du cinéma 548 (July-August 2000): 26. See also Jean Vallier, La France en tête [38e Festival du film de NY] : France-Amérique (30 September-6 October 2000): 14. See Leslie Camhi, Lives of Scavengers in a World of Plenty. NY Times (Sunday, 11 March 2001: 15 & 27): Glaneurs is A whimsical exploration of self and society.

203 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 205 See too: Martin Deslisle, Les Glaneurs et la glaneuse: Poème contemporain, Séquences 212 (March/April 2001): This film underlines the correctness of glance, the finesse of the ear and the mastery of art of a great filmmaker. [ Ce film souligne la justesse de regard, la finesse d écoute et la maîtrise de l art d une grande cinéaste. ] Jean Decock in his report on the Cannes festival 2000 in The French Review (74.5 April 2001: ) states with his habitual negativity that One only finds at moments the bonheur of her great films. And this despite the fact that Glaneurs received the Méliès prize for best picture, as well as an honorary César. From Sundance channel program: The Gleaners and I (Les Glaneurs et la glaneuse): Pioneering French New Wave director Agnès Varda creates a fresh and observant meditation on the largely invisible members of society who live off others leavings. With her tiny digital camera as her witness, the 72-year-old filmmaker goes on the road to talk to the likeable scavengers who harvest an abandoned bounty from high-tech agribusiness, gourmet dumpster divers and collectors of weird and wonderful abandoned property. While her subjects are sometimes memorably eccentric, they also make a clear argument against the rampant waste in our materially obsessed modern society. Urgent, graceful, accessible and at times openly cheerful it takes a big bite out of life Salon.com. Many reviews of The Gleaners, e.g.: Reviews database provided by Rotten Tomatoes and the Movie Review Query Engine. ofcs.rottentomatoes.com/movie... The Gleaners and I (2001): Agnès Varda Politics, The Gleaners and I... Celebs List Legal Disclaimer Privacy by Rotten Tomatoes sm... The G... Rotten Tomatoes: Top Movies: Best of Rotten Tomatoes BEST OF: of Reviews %, The Gleaners and I, : See also, entry on Kung-Fu Master in Créteil cat. 2001: 96. See: Article by Samuel Douhaire in Libération 27 (November, 2002): VII. Varda has installed a shop near her production house, Ciné- Tamaris. [The boutique is selling copies of the DVD of Les Glaneurs along with its epilogue, Deux ans après, both edited by Varda with chapters.] The company has an internet site: Deux ans après ( 2002, 64 mins.) Varda s follow-up to her Glaneurs et la glaneuse. Along with the video and DVD of Les Glaneurs, it includes other supplements that she calls des bonis : The Petit Musée des Glaneuses (various paintings of gleaners), Hommage to Zgougou (her cat), a filmography, chapters, and a small book.

204 206 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS The video and DVD can be bought at her boutique at 83, rue Daguerre, Paris, or ordered on line at Her production company also has an address: Védrès, Nicole ( ) Paris 1900 (La Belle Epoque ) Supplement to Pallister Guide I08: (1947, 90 mins.) Co-d. Pierre Braunberger; music: Guy Bernard. The English Version, written by John Mason Brown and read by Monty Woolley, is available from Facets. Verheyde, Sylvie Entre chien et loup (1991, 16 mins.) Scenario: Verheyde; prod.: Stellaire Productions; photography: Jean-Marc Fabre; sound: Ludovic Henault; editing: Christine Dory; music: Juan Rozoff. Cast: Christine Dory, Jeannick Grveline, Raphaël Sirvent Delgado. La Maison verte (1992) Un frère (1997, 90 mins.) Scenario: Sylvie Verheyde; music: Philippe Sarde. Production: Serge Duveau pour Personna Films. Distribution: Pyramide. Cast: Emma de Caunes and Jeannick Gravelines. Synopsis: A small network of friends connected to an attractive fraternal couple; suggestion of incest. (Decock, French Review, March 1998: 700.) See France-Amérique (14 20 March 1998): 35. See also Séquences 200 (January/Februry 1999): Princesses (aka Notre père working title) ( 2000, 95 mins.) France/ Belgium Written by Alexis Galmot and Sylvie Verheyde. Cast: Emma de Caunes(Sophie); Jean-Hugues Anglade (Simon); Karole RoJeannick Gravelines (Loïc); Johan Leysen (The father); Alexandre Zecevic (Marco); Dani (II) (Léa); Francis Peiris (Old Man); Ginette Bois (Viviane); Emmanuel Nicolas (Paul); Katerina Mechera (Muriel). Synopsis: Sophie has not seen her father for a good ten years. She is used to it; she has made a life for herself. One morning she learns that her father is wanted for murder and that she has a half-sister named Virginia... Almost in spite of themselves they start searching for their father. In the travels, they meet Simon. Not exactly Prince Charming. French synopsis and critique at MonsieurCinéma; and also see La fiche de MonsieurCinéma: L avis de la rédaction. Vermillard, Marie Eau douce (aka Eau Douce & Quelqu un) (1996; 80 min.; released 22 January 1997 in France)

205 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 207 Lila Lili (1998; 105 mins; released 6 Janary, 1999.) Producer: Paulo Branco; screenwriter: Jacques Bablon; screenwriter/ director:marie Vermillard; cinematographer: Pascal Lagriffoul; editor: Valérie Loiseleux; art director: Emmanuelle Duplay. Produced by Gemini Films/ La Sept Cinéma. Cast: Alexia Monduit, Geneviève Tenne, Simon Abkaryan, Zinedine Soualem, Antoine Chappey, Cedric Klapisch Synopsis: Micheline, who is pregnant, lives in a home for women. Othersinthehomewhoarealsopregnantfrequentlyquestion whether to keep the baby or not. Vermillard deals with a melodramatic subject from a balanced, almost impressionistic point of view. The actors are remarkable, particularly Alexia Monduit who plays Micheline. Paraphrased from Gönül Dönmez-Colin for allmovie.com Imago. Jour de Folie (aka Le Fil perdu) (2000, 105 mins.) Written by Joël Brisse and Marie Vermillard. Cast: Frédéric Pierrot (Paul); Nathalie Richard (Marianne); Alexia Monduit (Luisa); Esther Gorintin(Mme Douce); Daniel Larrieu (Verplank); Zinedine Soualem (Homme appartement jeunesse); Antoine Chappey (Gaby); Jérôme Derre (L homme du café); Mireille Franchinoas(La mère de Paul); Frédérique Farina (Femme appartement jeunesse); Jean-Henri Roger (L éditeur); Luc Leclerc du Sablon (Le pêcheur-peintre); Catherine Schaub-Abkarian (La femme de Verplank); Joël Brisse (Le médecin). Synopsis from Monsieur Cinéma: Paul and Marianne are in their thirties; they are both teachers in a high school in suburban Paris. He teaches math; she biology. Paul has a mistress, Luisa, who is also a teacher, but of music. One day he has a car accident. He is not seriously wounded, but when he gets out of the hospital he becomes indifferent to everything. He forgets to go to class, does not answer one of his pupil s calls, neglects his mistress and lives like a stranger with his wife Marianne. Without tears or cries, he sinks into a sort of emotional blindness. Unable to stand this state, Marianne tries to bring him back to his senses, at any price. She provokes him, tries to make him jealous, and even to move him with Luisa s suffering. But nothing seems to get Paul out of his emotional torpor. Synopsis and Critique in French at MonsieurCinéma L avis de la rédaction: Jours d Ennui. A propos also (from MonsieurCinéma). Vernoux, Marion Personne ne m aime (Nobody Loves Me) (1994; 95 mins.) Supplement to Pallister Guide I08 09: Scenario: Nicolas Errèra and Marion Vernoux. Cast: Bernadette Lafont, Bulle Ogier, Lio, Michèle Laroque, Maaike Jansen, Jean-Pierre Léaud Synopsis: In this romantic comedy, Annie, a middle-aged single

206 208 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS mother who hasn t seen her grown-up daughter Marie in years, has just been shown the door by her boyfriend.... Annie turns to her sister Françoise for support. Unfortunately she also has trouble with men, as she is convinced her husband is cheating on her. Since Françoise s husband is supposed to be at a business conference at an ocean resort, Annie and Françoise decide to visit him hoping to catch him red-handed. On arrival, the sisters befriend CriCri, a hotel manager, who cannot stand her husband, and Dizou, a 60-something maid who happens to be very happily married. From: N.B.: The German movie by Doris Dorrie, also titled Nobody Loves Me, and released around the same time, should not be confused with Vernoux s film. Love, etc.... (1996; 105 mins.) Based on Julian Barnes s novel, Talking It Over. Script written by Vernoux with Dodine Herry. Cast: Charlotte Gainsbourg (daughter of French singer and legend Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin), Yvan Attal, and Charles Berling. Phaedra Cinema. Synopsis: Unable to find a suitable man and eager to settle down, Marie places an ad in the French newspaper Le Nouvel Observateur. Benoît (Attal), a shy young banker, responds to the ad and quickly realizes his good fortune. His happiness is threatened, however, when his best friend Pierre (Berling) enters the couple s life (France Today - May/June 1999:7). Rien à faire (1999; 1 hr. 45 mins.) Scenario by Vernoux and Santiago Amigorena. Stars: Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, Patrick Dell Isola, Sergi Lopez, Florence Thomassin, Chloé Mons, Alexandre Carrière. Synopsis: A couple who work in the same place a largecompany (though each married to someone else) fall gradually in love during a sudden work stoppage. They share their days until one of them finds a job. See Elie Castiel, Rien à faire, Séquences 210 (November/December 2000): 66. [Available from Movies Unlimited in DVD] Reines d un jour (2001 or 06/07/2002, 90 mins.) Cast: Karin Viard, Jane Birkin, Hélène Fillières, Clémentine Célarié, Sergi Lopez, Victor Lanoux. Reines... is the fourth full- length film by Vernoux. Synopsis: This is the story of the adventures of a gallery of Parisian people in the middle of an existential crisis or of questioning. Note the theme song Le Vent sung by Rita Mitsoukos, based on a composition by Georges Brassens.... From: French synopsis at monsieurcinema.com / OP.

207 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 209 Veysset, Sandrine Y aura-t-il de la neige à Noël? (aka Will It Snow for Christmas?) (1996, 90 mins.) D. and scripted by Veysset; photography: Hélène Louvart; sound: Didier Saïn; editing: Nelly Quettier; production: Humbert Balsan. Cast: Dominique Reymond, Daniel Duval, Jessica Martinez, Alexandre Roge, Xavier Colonna, Fanny Rochetin, Flavie Chimenes, Jeremy Chaix, Guillaume Mathonnet. Synopsis: Somewhere on a farm in southern France a mother raises her seven children by herself. Their abusive father watches them closely, but he is married to another woman who lives in Cavaillon. He comes and goes. In spite of this difficult family situation, maternal love is enough for them. Moreover, there are moments of great happiness. On the Internet, Lucie Martinot writes of this film in French (23 December 1996). Treatment in French in Journal français (January 1998): 5. Maurice Elia in Séquences 188 (January/February 1997):20 21 has a good coverage of Veysset and of the film (in French). Stills. See also Jean Vallier, Y aura-t-il de la neige à Noël : unfilm en hommage à l amour maternel. France-Amérique (27 December January 1998): 17. See also Châtelaine (Febryart 1998: 16). Créteil cat. Sandrine Veysset in Créteil 1997 catalog: 107. Victor, pendant qu il est trop tard (1998; 88 mins.) Dist.: Humbert Balsan-Ognon Pictures/La Sept/Canal Plus). Cast: Jérémy Chaix, Lydia Andréi and Mathieu Lane. Synopsis: The small boy, Victor, can no longer abide his parents insistence that he be witness to their sexual deviances. He runs away after stabbing his father in the back with a pair of scissors. He winds up at a fête foraine where he meets Triche, a young woman who sleeps all day and turns tricks at night. A complicity is established between the two... a complicity of silences and griefs of the past which, little by little, is transformed into love. Martha... Martha (Shown at Cannes 2001, 97 mins.) Cast: Valérie Donzelli, Yann Goven, Lucie Régnier. Prix Fripesci de la Critique internationale for the powerful portrait of the degeneration of a young mother and its impact on her family. Synopsis: Happiness seems very nearly attainable for Martha, Reymond and Lise. From market to market the young couple (salepersons) and their little girl live from day to day, nurturing themselves with the little pleasures of life, such as monopoly games or fishing. But, haunted by the phantoms of her childhood, Martha slowly sets her little world adrift....without any end... without any end?

208 210 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS from French synopsis at MonsieurCinéma, where plot description is much fuller, as presented in L avis de Alexandra Giroux, October : MonsieurCinéma. Also see Sandrine Veysset, réalisatrice de Martha... Martha (10/ 05/2001 Interview) Site officiel: Martha... Martha. Le site (Français) Charles-Stéphane Roy finds analogies with Une femme de l extérieur, d. by Christophe Blanc, La Nouvelle Eve by Catherine Corsini, and even with the entire filmography of Laetitia Masson Séquences 215 (September/October 2001 ): 35. Decock writes, as he usually does, a negative report on Martha... Martha. Jean Decock, 54e Festival International du Film de Cannes 2001: (Part II). The French Review 75.5 (April 2002): 981. Vignal, Caroline Solène change de tête (1998) Short. Les Autres Filles (2000; 95 mins.) D. and script: Vignal. Cast: Julie Leclerq, Caroline Baehr, Jean-François Gallotte, Bernard Menez, Benoîte Sapim, Elodie Leclercq, Selima Hachellaf, Jennyfer Martin- Lassissi, Marion Jaubert, Samira Errachydy, Audrey Bonzom. Dist by Les Films Seville. Took the Caméra d or, Cannes, This film is a long version of her first Short, listed above. (See also Créteil cat ) Synopsis: The central character, Solange, is sixteen. She is not like others; has not slept with boys; her virginity is a burden she wants to lose at all costs. Discussion in French in Séquences 210 (November/December 2000):33. Also a review in French by Dominique Pellerin, Séquences 216 (November/December 2001): 216. Review has a still. See also Créteil cat Villacèque, Anne Petite Chérie (2000; 1 hr. 45 mins.) Dramatic comedy. D. Villacèque; script: Villacèque and Elisabeth Barrière-Marquet; dist.: Remstar. Cast: Corinne Debonnière; Jonathan Zaccaï, Laurence Février, Patrick Préjean. Synopsis: Still living with her parents although thirty years old, a woman, impregnated with rosy stories, is waiting for her prince charming. She thinks she recognizes him in the person of a handsome and mysterious young man. Out of work, he invents for himself a career as a business man and the parents begin to share their daugh-

209 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 211 ter s dream! This first full-length feature by Villacèque is cruel, showing naivete in its rawest form. See Pierre Ranger s review in French in Séquences 213 (May/June 2001): 57: Petite Chérie is a great success. Villanova, Marinca Born in Erato (1991) Short; video. Tous les jours il fait nuit. (1996, 9 mins. or 12 mins. 18 secs.) Production/Distribution: Ambracie (Marinca Villanova) Chosen for the international competition at Créteil, 1997 (1977 Créteil catalog: 46). Cast: Axelle Charvoz, Veronique Hubert, Salavatore Ingoglia. Synopsis: Marianna, who travels a great deal, meets Marie, a young person afflicted by autism. French synopsis at: Allociné.com. Wagon, Virginie B Collaborates with Erick Zonca. Born in 1965, Virginie Wagon Grandir (1995, 19 mins.) Short. Le Secret (2000, 107 mins.) Scenario: Wagon and Erick Zonca. Cast: Anne Coesens, Michel Bompoil, Tony Todd, Jacqueline Jehanneuf. Producer: François Marquis. Mercure Distribution (Paris). Dist. Christal Films. Synopsis: Marie, wanting to prove to herself that she is still capable of a meaningful act, introduces a variation into her existence. Married and the mother of a small boy, she takes a black man an American dancer as a lover: in other words, someone totally outside her life, this man, Bill, whom she claims not to love. She is using him to deliver herself from that feeling of powerlessness. Yet the man invades her. He possesses the authority of the homo sexualis. He knows what the woman wants. But he remains unaffected by the relationship. The Film received the Prix Michel d Ornanon. See Julie Tremblay s review of this film in Séquences 215 (September/October 2001): 59. Synopsis in French in Journal français (July 2001: 29). Yanne, Josée Born in 1945; began career as an actress in theater, television, and cinema. La Main (Short) Boulevard des Hirondelles ( , 90 mins.) Fiction. Written by Lucie Aubrac (novel; autobiography) and Josée Yanne. Cast: Elisabeth Bourgine (Lucie Aubrac); Pierre-Loup Rajot (Raymond Aubrac); Christophe Bourseiller (Maurice David). Synopsis: A story about love and about the Resistance as told by Lucie Aubrac in Ils partiront dans l ivresse (Seuil, 1984).

210 212 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Synopsis in Fr. at AlloCiné Le Prix de l espoir ( , 90 mins. or 105 mins.) TV Writing credits: Chantal Derudder and Hervé Hamon; music: Richard Bois. Cast: Pierre Arditi (Pierre Manin); Evelyne Bouix (Christine); Philippe Volter (Benjamin); Jean-Louis Richard (Maurasse). Synopsis: Doctors in a Parisian hospital receive a patient presenting symptoms of a disease they are researching. Pierre Manin will try desperately to save the life of Christine. Zauberman, Yolande Born in Paris in 1955, she studied Art History and Economics and then founded an advertising agency called Les Communicateurs in Classified People (1987, 53 mins.) Clubbed to Death (aka Lola ; working title was La Petite Lola [Clubbed to Death]; Dançar Até Morrer ) (1996, 90 mins.) France/ Portugal/Netherlands. Producer: Alain Massiot; screenwriter: Zauberman, Noémie Lvovsky; editor: François Gédigier; camera: Denis Lenoir; sound: Jean-Pierre Duret. Cast: Elodie Bouchez (Lola), Béatrice Dalle (Saida), Roschdy Zemi (Emir), Gérald Thomassin (Paul), Richard Courcet (Ismael), Gérald Thomassin (Paul), Luc Lavandier (Pierre), Alex Descas (Mambo), Julie Bataille (Johanna), Philippe Roux (Bus Driver) and Emmanuel Salinger. Synopsis: Lola, aged twenty, goes to sleep one night on a bus, gets lost and finds herself in a strange world, invaded by music. Emir lives there; he is wild about his brother and fraternal toward the woman he loves. Saïda has only Emir, etc. The story of solitudes which graze one another and are reconstructed in the saturation of dance and the pleasure of trance Créteil cat., 103. See: Internet (reviewer, compilation: Joanne Parsont). Clubbed to Death is not the grisly, violent film one might expect from its title, but rather one young woman s surreal personal journey through the working-class suburbs of an anonymous European metropolis.... She encounters the exotic dancer, Saïda and her smoldering boxer boyfriend, Emir. Lola and Emir are inexplicably, electrically drawn together, but soon the gap between their two worlds becomes painfully clear. In this, her second feature, Zauberman boldly explores a nether world which on the surface seems dramatically different from the Jewish shtetl of her first feature, Moi Ivan, Toi Abraham. Yet in both films Zauberman has a brilliant way of capturing the spirit of a place and the ineffable intimacy between two people.... (For Ivan and Abraham [1993] see Pallister Guide 109.) La Guerre à Paris (2002, 85 mins.) Scenario: Gérard Brach and Yolande Zauberman. Cast: Élodie Bouchez(Ana Maria); Jérémie Rénier

211 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 213 (Jules); Grégoire Colin (Commissaire Romain); Julien Le Gallou (Thomas); Jean-Pierre Léaud (Haut Placé); Hélène Lapiower (La mère); Szymon Zaleski (Le père); Pascal Cervo (Inspecteur Combes); Ivan Franek (Léon). Also starring: François Levantal. Synopsis: During the Second World War Jules, a young Jew, is obliged to play stooly (faire l indic) to save his parents from the militia, before falling in love with a twenty-year-old militant communist woman. Synopsis in French by Elodie Bouchez in Cahiers du cinéma (juin 2002): 88. Ghorab-Volta, Zaïda See France Algeria Israel Tsur, Shiri Will be treated in our guide to documentarians. Al Joundi, Dima See Belgium Lebanon Barakat, Sheila Will be treated in our guide to documentarians Chahal-Sabbag, Randa (Lebanon) Born 11 December 1953 in Tripoli. Studied at l Université Paris VII, also at l Ecole Nationale Louis Lumière; began her directing career in 1979 w/ a documentary. Les Ecrans de sable (1990, 90 mins.) (France/Italy/Tunisia) Dir.: Sabbag; photogaphy: Yorgou Avematis; sound: Fawsi Tahbet and Gérard Rousseau; music: Michel Portal; editing: Yves Des Champs. Synopsis: Sarah and Mariane have an ambiguous, passionate, and sometimes violent friendship. Sarah is a modern young woman, born after the oil boom, and belongs to a generation that believes it can get everything through money, whereas during the war in Lebanon, Mariane has developed the faculty of adapting to all situations. But Talal will disturb their relationship. Synopsis is French at allocine.com.

212 214 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Hadjithomas, Joana Autour de la maison rose (1999; 92 mins.) France/Lebanon/Canada. Codirector: Khalil Joreige; written by Hadjithomas. Cast: Mireilla Safa, Joseph Bou Nassar, Hanane Abboud, Maurice Maalouf, Zeina Saab de Melena. Synopsis: The agony of dispossession, the anguish of incertitude, the sterility of ideologies and the comfort of stagnation in Beirut. Harb, Amal Born in 1976 in Lebanon, graduate of Alba (Académie libanaise des beaux arts): section cinéma. Le Temps (1997) Le Mur (1998) Adapted from the famous novella of Jean-Paul Sartre. The Other Self (1999, 17 mins.) Distribution: Amal Harb. Prize for best photography at the Beirut Film Festival (1999). Presented at Créteil 2000 in the section «Réalisatrices de la Méditerranée.» ( See 2000 Créteil catalog: 89.) Saab, Jocelyne Born in 1948 in Beirut, she obtained a degree in economics at the Sorbonne. Was a reporter and journalist for European television in the early 1970s. From 1974 to 1991 she made more than twenty documentaries all devoted to the Middle East. In 1984, she launched out into fiction films, but returns from time to time to the documentary genre. See a lengthy treatment in English of this director and her work at: 3-e.html Une vie suspendue (aka Ghazl Al-Banat ) ( , 90 mins.) French/Arab, co-production with Canada and France. In Arabic. Sélectionnée à la quinzaine des réalisateurs de Cannes. Synopsis: The first film shot in post-war Lebanon, A Suspended Life is set in Beirut ten years into the conflict. Hala, a child of the war, finds relief from the chaos around her through Egyptian movies she watches on television. Karim, an artist in retreat from life, remains in his apartment in war-torn West Beirut, confident that he is safe in his familiar neighborhood. An unlikely bond is formed between the two as they face the devastating civil war. A tale of poetic truth, A Suspended Life examines the ways in which war brings people together as well as tearing them apart. I ve invented places, writes director Jocelyne Saab, as if by making a work of fiction about them, I could preserve them. from: An affecting love story between a thirteen year old girl and an

213 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 215 older man. Crossroads: The North Africa and Middle East Film Festival. Il était une fois Beyrouth, histoire d une star (aka Kan ya makan Beirut ) (1994, 101, 105 or 194 mins.) Franco-Lebanese feature-length film.. Produced by: Balcon Production, Aleph Producciones, ARTE G.E.I.E./Unité de Cinéma. Distribution: CinéScoop Distribution (Paris). Presented at Créteil 2000 in the section «Réalisatrices de la Méditerranée.» (See Créteil catalog 2000: 89) D. and scenario: Jocelyne Saab with Philippe et Roland-Pierre Paringaux; photography: Roby Breidi; editor: Dominique Auvray and Isabelle Dedieu; sound: Pierre Donadieu. Synopsis: Two young women in Beirut and a variety of archive footage from features and documentaries together give an intriguing picture of the city. Fictional documentary in memory of Beirut, which for a long time was the Eastern favorite of the West. It was a city for people of all cultures, a trading center, amusement center, but also a city with a mythical attraction. Says the director: My film shows fragments from both Eastern and Western films shot in Beirut. It s good to see how Western directors strengthen the mythical side and turn the city into a star, while clinging to the clichés about Lebanon, Arabs and the New East. from: rotterdam.com/2002/en/film/1961.html Synopsis in French at: vision_radio/tv5/octobre2002_fra.htm Switzerland Meier, Ursula Born in 1971 in Besançon. Studied at the Institut des Arts de Diffusion. A Franco-Swiss woman who lives in Brussels! Tous à table (2000, 26 mins.) B&W Comedy Synopsis: About a birthday party that turns into a drama because of a silly guessing game. Three ants are walking single file; the first says I don t see an ant in front of me, but I see two behind ; the second says I see one ant in front of me, and one ant behind ; the third says I see two in front of me and two behind. In the end they all insult each other, and the couples break up. from: French synopsis at: fourmi/cinema/tous_a_table. htm See discussion: Des épaules solides (2002, 90 mins.) Cast: Louise Szpindel, Dora Jemaa,Guillaume Gouix, Jean-François Stévenin, Anne Coesens.

214 216 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Synopsis: At 15, Savine is of an age when other adolescents think only of having fun and going out. But she has only one obsession: to become a champion athlete. Miéville, Anne-Marie See France Pool, Léa See Québec Veuve, Jacqueline Swiss Graffiti, co-directed with Monique Renault (1975, 6 or 7 mins.) Animation. Color. Short. Direction, scenario, animation: Jacqueline Veuve and Monique Renault; cinematography: Veuve and Renault; editing: Edwige Ochsenbein; music: Talal Drouby; production: Aquarius Film Production Synopsis: An animated film about the creation of the world, reconsidered and corrected by two women. God the magician has decided to create a paradise: Switzerland, which he covers with trees and cows, until the birth of Adam. After exploring his paradise, Adam creates Eve, from one of his ribs. The man is represented by an erect penis, the woman by a trunk-body. from: French synopsis at: Parti sans laisser d adresse (1982, 80 or 90 mins.) Color. Drama. Directed by: Jacqueline Veuve; scenario: Jacqueline Veuve and Eric de Kuyper; camera: Philippe Tabarly; sound: Laurent Barbey; editing: Edwige Ochsenbein; music: Carlos d Alessio, Henry Purcell, Jean- François Acker; production: Aquarius Film Production, les Productions JMH sa (J-M. Henchoz), Télévision Suisse Romande. Cast: Jacques Zanetti (Salvatore Amato), Mista Préchac, Roland Amstutz, Vania Vilers, Emmanuelle Ramu and François Dyrek. Prix de la Confédération internationale des cinémas d art et d essai in Locarno, Prix international œcuménique in Locarno, Prime à la qualité de l Office fédéral de la culture. Sélected at Cannes, for semaines de la Critique. Synopsis: The film is inspired by a news item that appeared in a Lausanne newspaper. A young drug addict, after nine months in prison, commits suicide. In his cell, Salvatore thinks about his wife, and about his son Simon. Parti sans laisser d adresse is not a film about prison, but about an imprisoned man. from: Synopsis in French at: L Evanouie (feature) ( , 90 mins.) Feature; Fiction. Scenario: Jacqueline Veuve, Jacques Nollo, Sandra Joxe, after the novel L Evanouie by Jean Bloch-Michel; camera: Bruno de Kaeyzer; editing: Edwige Ochsenbein; music: Pierre-André Meylan; production:

215 1: DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS 217 Odessa Film SA, France 3, Télévision Suisse Romande. Cast: Stéphane Audran (Claire), Daniel Gélin (Old Man), Thomas Chabrol (Daniel). Synopsis: Claire, being ill, must enter the hospital in order to have some tests. Her son Daniel goes with her as far as the entrance of the establishment. But without letting anyone know, Claire decides that she will not undergo treatment, and goes off to live in a hotel. She passes her days strolling at the edge of the lake while her son looks for her desperately. She meets an old man who helps her get through her suffering. from: Synopsis in French at mai Vietnam Trinh T. Minh-ha (Thi Minh-ha Trinh; Trinh T.Minh-Ha; T. Minh- Ha Trinh; Minh-ha, Trinh T.) Note: Though this filmmaker works in English, she is clearly francophone and of importance to the study of French colonial Vietnam. Filmmaker, author and musician. Born in Hanoi, Vietnam in 1952 or 1953, she immigrated to America in She lived and taught in Paris from 1974 to 1975, in Dakar (Senegal) from 1977 to She has studied music and composition, French literature, and musical ethnology in Vietnam, the Philippines, France, and in the USA. Trinh T. Minh-ha did ethnographic field research for three years in West Africa, with the Research Expedition Program of the University of California, Berkeley. This fieldwork led in part to her first film, Reassemblage, a documentary filmed in Senegal and released in She has also studied music and French literature at the University of Illinois, where she received MFA. and PhD degrees. At this writing she is Chancellor s Distinguished Professor of Women s Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and associate professor of cinema, San Francisco State University. Trinh has also taught at Harvard, Smith, the University of Illinois, and the National Conservatory of Music in Senegal. Trinh T. Minh-ha builds much of her work around the theme of the other, challenging cultural theorists traditional notions of the subject or subjected duality. Several films directed by Trinh T. Minh-ha are available from Women Make Movies. A Tale of Love (1995, 108 mins.) Color. D. by Trinh T. Minh-ha. Synopsis: Portraying the Vietnamese immigrant experience through Kieu, A Tale of Love follows the quest of a woman in love with Love. The Fourth Dimension (2001, 87 mins.) Color. A digital video by

216 218 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Trinh T. Minh-ha; produced by Jean-Paul Bourdier and Trinh T. Minh-ha. Synopsis: Trinh T. Minh-ha ventures into the digital realm with her stunning new feature, The Fourth Dimension, an incisive and insightful work...

217 2 Core Concepts and Themes NOTE: CORE CONCEPTS IN PALLISTER GUIDE, SHOULD ALSO BE consulted for other concepts or themes and additional suggestions. These lists are in no way intended to cover completely the theme or concept cited. They are merely posts, intended for use by film instructors and others who may be interested in establishing a film program on a given subject. Abortion Histoires d A. d. Marielle Issartel (1973) Abortion: Stories from North and South (aka Avortement L Histoire secrète) d. Gail Singer (Canada; 1984, 55 mins.). Motherless d. Barbara Attie/Janet Goldwater/Diane Pontius (USA, 1994, 30 mins.) A look at deaths from illegal abortions. Charts abortion from the late nineteenth century until its legalization. Facets: VHS: S Leona s Sister Gerri d. Jane Gillooly (USA; 1995, 54 mins.) Documentary. I Witness d. Janet Goldwater/Barbara Attie (USA; 1998, 56 mins.) An examination of religious terrorism in Pensacola, Florida,... one of the major battlegrounds in the war over abortion rights. Facets: VHS: S On Hostile Ground d. Liz Mermin and Jenny Raskin (USA; 2001, 73 mins.) Documentary. By Men: See the Sea d. François Ozon (See Motherhood, Maternity) Acadia Evangéline en quête (Evangeline s Quest) d. Ginette Pellerin (Canada; ONF; 1996, mins.; 219

218 220 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS By Men: Le Secret de Jérôme d. Phil Comeau (Canada; 1994, 100 mins.) An Acadian film of note. Herménégilde Chiasson (d.) Several films including Jack Kerouac (See Pallister, The Cinema of Québec). Consider Elizabeth Bishop s Acadian experience. See PMLA article on this subject (April/May 1998). Addiction Tu as crié Let me go d. Anne Claire Poirier (Canada [Québec ONF]; 1997, 98 mins.) Horsey d. Kirsten Carlson (USA, 1999, 93 mins.) Fix: The Story of an Addicted City d. Nettie Wild (Canada; 2002, 93 mins.) See: addicted_city_2 002.shtml Adolescence Les Autres Filles d. Caroline Vignal. See above under Vignal. Sad Song of Touha (aka Ogniet Touha El Hazinah) d. Atteyat (al) Abnoudi (Egypt; 1971) Young Touha and friends wander about, put on their show and gather a few coins. L Adolescente d. Jeanne Moreau (France; 1978). Equilibres d. Marion Hänsel (Belgium; 1977, 12 mins.) Under the Juniper Tree d. Nietchka Keene (Iceland/USA; 1984, 78 mins.). Smooth Talk d. Joyce Chopra (USA; 1985, 91 mins.) Based on a Joyce Carol Oates story, this film takes a knowing look at a teenage girl s (Laura Dern) sexual awakening. Grandir Une introduction à la sexualité d. Sylvie Groulx (Canada [Québec]; 1991, 82 mins.) ONF documentary. Original Title Code: 111C Travolta et moi d. Patricia Mazuy (France; , 1 hr. 9 mins.) Confissões de Adolescente (aka Des filles dans le vent; aka Teen s Confessions) d. Sylvie Durepaire & Daniel Filho (Brazil/France; 1994, 26 mins.) Nénette et Boni d. Claire Denis (France; 1996, 103 mins.) Debutante d. Mollie Jones (USA; 1997, 11 mins.) A New York teen wakes up alone in a seedy motel and recalls her one-night-stand

219 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 221 with a husky boy. (A portrait of teen angst, isolation and ultimate rejuvenation.) Emporte-moi d. Léa Pool (Québec, 1998, 94 mins.). Le Seuil (The Threshold) d. Suzanne Gervais (1998; 7 mins. 53 secs. 9 mins.). Dormez, je le veux! d. Irène Jouannet (France, 1998; 98 mins.). Girlfight d. Karyn Kusama (USA, 1999, 110 mins.). L Idée noire (Dark Intent) d. Mireille Dansereau (Canada [Québec]; 1999, 51 mins..). Docudrama on autoviolence ; suicide. L Adolescence au bord de la vie: Le mal de grandir d. Christine Françoise (France; 1999, 90 mins.). Les Autres Filles d. Caroline Vignal (France; 2000, 1 hr. 35 mins.). Dakhtaran-e khorsid (Daughters of the Sun) d. Mariam (Maryam) Shahriar (Iran; 2000, 105 mins.). In Farsi w/english subtitles. La Vie moderne d. Laurence Ferreira Barbosa (France; 2000, 120 mins.). Du poil sous les roses (aka Dis pourquoi, dis comment; Hair Under the Roses) d. Agnès Obadia (d. with Jean-Julien Chervier) (France; 2000, 85 mins.) Les Filles ne savent pas nager (Girls Can t Swim) d. Anne-Sophie Birot (France; 2000, 98 mins.) Les Autres Filles d. Caroline Vignal (France; 2000, 95 mins.) A ma sœur! (Fat Girl) d. Catherine Breillat (France; , 93 mins.) O Branco (La Couleur blanche; The Color White) d. Angela Pires and Liliana Sulzbach (Brazil, 2000, 22 mins.) Adolescence and problems of the handicapped. Sur tempo d. Philomène Esposito (France, 2000). Jeunesse dorée d. Zaïda Ghorab-Volta (France, 2000 or 2001, 95 mins.) L Ile bleue d. Nadine Trintignant (France, 2001, 90 mins.). Rain d. Christine Jeffs (New Zealand; 2001, 92 mins.) An unhealthy marriage and a girl s adolescent sexual confusion lead to explosive consequences. Teen Angst d. Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood. Series (Canada, CBC, aired ). The Degrassi trilogy (The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, and Degrassi High). By Men: Get Over It d. Tommy O Haver (USA; 2001, 85 mins.) The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys d. Peter Care (USA; 2001, 110 mins.)

220 222 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Adultery Adultère (mode d emploi) d. Christine Pascal (France; 1995, 95 mins.). By Men: Goodbye Lover d. Roland Joffe (USA; 1999, 102 mins.) Film noir about a sexually insatiable vixen having an affair with her husband s brother. Facets: VHS: S DVD: DV Animals (Love for...) Une Passion dans le désert (Passion on the Desert) d. Lavinia Currier (France; 1998, 1 hr.31 mins.) Story based on Balzac. A captain in Napoleon s army and a leopard bond. Art Artémisia d. by Agnès Merlet (France; 1997, 98 mins.). Arjuna d. Sylvie Van Brabant (Canada [Québec]; 1999; 52 mins.) Downs syndrome and art. See above under Van Brabant. Frida d. Julie Taymor (Mexico; 2002, 2 hrs.3 mins.) Cast includes Salma Hayek as Mexican painter and politico Frida Kahlo. By Men: Frida d. Paul Leduc (Mexico; 1984, 108 mins.) There are several other films about this artist available from Facets, including a 62 min. documentary narrated by Sada Thompson. (Women) authors: Elsa la rose d. Agnès Varda (France; 1966) A portrait of literary heavyweights Elsa Triolet and Louis Aragon. Simone de Beauvoir d. Josée Dayan and Malka Ribowska (France; 1982, 110 mins.) Available from Facets. Reportages pour le Centre Audiovisuel andsimonedebeauvoir d. Anne Faisandier (Belgium; 1984/87) Films of Audry based on Colette et al. (see above under Audry) Paris Was a Woman d. Greta Schiller (USA; 1995, 75 mins.) Colette, Djuna Barnes, Gertrude Stein, and many others of Left Bank Paris

221 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 223 between the two World Wars are portrayed. Gisèle Freund, the photographer, is one witness; another is Sylvia Beech; another Adrienne Monnier. Very fine documentary! L Insoumise d. Jeannine Gagné (Canada [Québec]; 1998, 55 mins.) Excerpts from the works of Marie-Claire Blais are read by leading actresses. Simone de Beauvoir vue par Valérie Stroh (27 January 1999, on France 3, the program Un siècle d écrivains was devoted to Simone de Beauvoir.) Les Enfants du siècle (aka The Children Of The Century) d. Diane Kurys (France; 1999, 135 mins.) Story revolves around George Sand. (See above under Kurys.) By Men: A Song to Remember d. Charles Vidor (USA; 1945). Cornel Wilde played Chopin; Merle Oberon played George Sand. Iris d. Richard Eyre (England; 2002, 90 mins.) About Iris Murdoch. Based on book Elegy for Iris, by John Bayley. Stars Judi Dench. Impromptu d. James Lapine (England; , 1 hr.48 mins.). Judy Davis played George Sand; Frédéric Chopin was played by Hugh Grant. The Hours d. Stephen Daldry (USA; 2002, 114 mins.). About Virginia Woolf, played by Nicole Kidman. Special by a man: L Œuvre au noir d. André Delvaux (Belgium/France; 1988, 110 mins.) Adaptation of the work by Marguerite Yourcenar. Concerns Yourcenar s figure, Zénon of the sixteenth century. This film is cited here for its connection with Yourcenar. Battered Children Fils du requin (aka Son of the Shark) d. Agnes Merlet (France; 1994, 85 mins.). Hollow Reed d. Paul Milne (British, 1995, 104 mins.). Battered Women; sexual abuse; exploitation; murder; deprivation The Apple (aka Sib) d. Samira Makhmalbaf (Iran; 1998, 86 mins.) A trenchant account of two young girls sheltered by their parents to debilitating extremes.

222 224 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Honey and Ashes d. Nadia Fares (Switzerland/Tunisia; 1996, 80 mins.). Three women from North Africa try to gain control over their lives and their relationships with men. Facets: VHS: S You Can t Beat a Woman d. Gail Singer (Canada; 1997, 95 mins.) NFB. Nine battered women from around the world. Loved, Honoured and Bruised d. Gail Singer (Canada; , 25 mins.) NFB. The Burning Times (Le Temps des bûchers) d. Donna Read w/ Susan Trow and Judith Merritt. (Canada; 1990, 58 mins.) Violence against women and the environment today can be traced back to the times of witchcraft. [In English.] Counselling the Sexual Abuse Survivor d. Barbara Doran (anglophone Montréalaise born in Newfoundland) (Canada; 1990, 8 mins.) Char Diwari d. Gulan Kripalani (India; 1990) Documentary on domestic violence against women. Abus sexuels d. Chantal Myttenaere (Belgium; 1992, 11 mins. 45 secs.) Silence and Complicity: Violence Against Women in Peruvian Health Facilities (1998, 22 mins.) Testimonies of women seriously mistreated and abused while seeking care in Peruvian public health facilities. Facets: VHS: S37707 [ Rupture d. Najwa Tlili (Canada [Québec]; 1998, 51 mins.) Le Village des vierges d. Caroline Dumay (2000, 26 mins.) Documentary showing how virgins are sought by African men with AIDS who want to purify themselves. The Circle (aka Le Cercle) d. Jafar Panahi (Iran; 2000, 91 mins.) In Farsi w/ English subtitles. Important film on conditions for women in present-day Iran. Blackboards d. Samira Makhmalbaf (Iran; 2000). Special Jury Prize winner at Cannes Poetic exploration of deprivation and neglect in the Middle Eastern world. Kandahar d. Samira Makhmalbaf (Iran; 2001, 85 mins.). This film reveals how the Afghan Taliban regime... places inhuman restrictions on all. Edwin Jahiel in Diary: The 2001 Cannes International Film Festival, Facets Features (Summer 2001):16. Senorita Extraviada (Miss Missing) d. Lourdes Portillo (Mexico; 2002). P.O.V. Documentary. Anne Marie O Connor talks with the filmmaker about her film that recounts the horror of the crimes against over three hundred kidnapped, raped and murdered young women of Juarez, Mexico and scrutinizes the liability and insensitivity of local authorities. (Film won a special jury award at Sundance). Shown August, 2001 on PBS stations.

223 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 225 Also see: news/murder/juarez. Beurs and related subjects* De l autre côté de la mer d. Dominique Cabrera (1997, 89 mins.) See above under Cabrera. Salam d. Souad El-Bouhati (Morocco; 1999, 30 mins.) Ali, a Moroccan immigrant, evicted from his living quarters. He decides to return to his bled [North African country]. Mémoires d immigrés d. Yamina Benguigui (France; ; documentary) Inch Allah dimanche d. Yamina Benguigui (France; 2001, 98 mins.) By men: Le Thé au harem d Archimède d. Malik Chibane (France; 1985, 110 mins.) Salut cousin d. Merzak Allouache (Fr/Algeria/Belg./Luxemb.; 1996, 98 mins.) The other Paris: poor tenements of the eighteenth arrondissement. Alilo, just off the plane from Algiers, hooks up with his cousin. Bye-Bye d. Karim Dridi (Fr/Switz./Belg.; 1995, 105 mins.) Concerns life of the Beur community in France; story about brothers pulled apart by the dissipation of the one. Available from Facets. [La Haine {Hate)] d. Mathieu Kassovitz (France; 1995, 91 mins.) Cheb d. Rachid Boucharab (1991, 82 mins.) A young Beur is expelled from France. Ma cité va craquer (ou Ma 6-T va kraker) d. Jean-François Richet (France; 1997). Vivre au paradis (aka Living In Paradise. d. Bourlem Guerdjou (Belgium/France/Norway/Algeria; 1999, 105 mins.) A family living in the bidonville of Nanterre is involved with the FLN and the 1960s Algerian-French situation. Samia d. Philippe Faucon (France; 2000, 73 mins.) A fifteen-yearold Beure struggles with the problems of adolescence and the clash of two cultures; her brother does not approve of her behavior. (*Note: Beurs are young North Africans born in France of immigrant parents.) Body Politic (incl. Sexuality, illness; AIDS; handicaps) Cléo de5à7 d. Varda (France; 1962, 90 mins.) Sweetie d. Jane Campion (Australian, 1989, 92 mins.)

224 226 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS The Body Beautiful d. Ngozi Onwurah (Nigeria; 1991, 23 mins.) Available from Women Make Movies. Monday s Girls d. Ngozi Onwurah (Nigeria; 1993, 50 mins.) What s Eating Gilbert Grape d. Lasse Hallström (USA; 1993, 117 mins.) Je t aime gros, gros, gros d. Helen Doyle (Canada [Québec]; 1993, 53 mins.). Fire Eyes d. Soraya Mire (Somalia; , 60 mins.) Director reveals her own trauma and has healed her own wounds by making an educational documentary on female genital mutilation. Middle Passages N Roots d. Ada Babino (African-American filmmaker) (USA; 1995, 30 mins.) The subject is hair. Dike d. Lisa Hayes (Canada; 1996, 8 mins.) Concerns excessive perspiration. Breasts: a Documentary d. Meema Spadola (USA; 1996, 50 mins.) Clair d. Lina Wertmüller (France/Italy; 1997, 100 mins.) Newlyweds commit suicide because they fear they are HIV positive. A journalist takes action. In My Father s House d. Fatima Jebli Ouazzani (Netherlands 1997; 67 mins.)... A personal journey through Moroccan traditional views of virginity. Hari-Kiri (Exercices) d. Manon Labrecque (Canada [Québec], 1998) Deals with movement and the psychic mechanisms of the human being. Ç ta ton tour Laura Cadieux d. Denise Filiatrault (Canada [Québec]; 1998). Based on Michel Tremblay s novel. Women gathered in a doctor s office hope to lose weight. Big Mama d. by Raja Gosnell (USA; , 1 hr. 35 mins.) Le Jardin parfumé d. Yamina Benguigui (France; 2000, 56 mins.) Documentary. Sexuality in the Arab world. A ma sœur! (Fat Girl) d. Catherine Breillat (France; ; 93 mins.) Du front tout le tour de la tête d. Chantal Dupont (Canada [Québec]; 2000, 30 mins.) Deals with cancer. To order, contact: Annie Tellier (514) or distribution@videographe.qc.ca. 42DD d. Louise Migneault (Canada [Québec], ) Humorous treatmentofawoman s determination to reduce the size of her large breasts despite her husband s protests. Dans ma peau d. Marina de Van (France; 2002, 93 mins.) Hidden Faces (Egyptian; part documentary about Nawal el Saadawi) See below under clitoridectomy.

225 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 227 By Men: Breast Men d. Lawrence O Neil (USA; 1995, 95 mins.) Two surgeons embark on a partnership in the breast enhancement business. Baptism of Blood d. Kenichi Yoshihara (Japan; 1996, 93 mins.) A glamorous film star seeks out the help of an experimental scientist to cure her of a deforming disease. He offers her salvation, but at a price! Facets: VHS: S La Ruse des femmes d. Farida Benlyazid (Morocco, 1999, 90 mins.) Wit d. Mike Nichols (USA/UK; 2001, 90 mins.) TV film. Emma Thompson portrays an English professor dying of cancer. Pauline et Paulette d. Liven Debrauwer (Belgium; 2001, 78 mins.) At 66 Pauline has remained a little girl.... Iris d. Richard Eyre (England; 2002, 90 mins.) Iris Murdoch s long battle with Alzheimer s disease. Children Envoyez-nous des bonbons d. Caecilia Holbeck Trier (Denmark; ). Two little girls from Copenhagen are transplanted to the country home of some cousins. Abuse of children Le Chapeau (The Hat) d. Michèle Cournoyer (Canada [Québec]; ; 6 mins.) ONF; Short See also Battered Children above. Clitoridectomy; Clitoridotomy (Excision) Hidden Faces d. Claire Hunt and Kim Longinotto (Egypt; 1990, 52 mins.) Originally intended as a film about famed feminist, Nawal El Saadawi, Hidden Faces develops into a portrayal of Egyptian women in a Muslim society. The film follows interviewer Fathay s journey to her family home. Her mother s decision to return to the veil after twenty years and her cousins clitoridectomies reveal a disturbing renewal of fundamentalism. (From Women Make Movies.) Available at Women Make Movies. Le Pari de Bintou/Bintou in Paris d. Kirsten Johnson (France; 1994, 15 mins.) Dilemme au Féminin d. Zara Mahamat Yacoub (Tchad; ) L Une l est, l autre pas d. Anne-Laure Folly (Togo; 2000, 26 mins.)

226 228 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Not originally in French; a documentary that is concerned with excision. Le Fardeau (aka The Burden) Produced in Collaboration with La Television Nationale de Guinée. (French; 30 mins.) Explores beliefs perpetuating FGM (Female Genital Mutilation; Mutilation Rituelle) in Guinea, West Africa. Documentary Order: Rainbo, 915 Broadway Suite, 1109, New York, NY ( , Fax ). Price: Available on short-term loan for $75 deposit, refundable upon return. By Men L Excision d. Salifou Yaye (Niger; 1994, 26 mins.) The Gulamance are an ethnic group in Niger which has jealously kept its ancestral morals and practices; young girls are taught about life through a number of initiation rituals, including excision. Production company: Tele Sahel, BP 309 Niamey, Niger. Molaade d. Ousmane Sembène (Senegal; 2002) Filmed in Burkina Faso. The basic scenario is found in The French Review 75.3 (February 2002): Scars of Womanhood d. Osmas E. Nduhe, Esse Ogoro. (Nigeria; Premiered in Ghana 2002?) In a remote African village, this tradition of female circumcision existed; in the heart of a young maiden this fear existed. The Day I Will Never Forget d. Kim Longinotto (UK; 1 hr. 34 mins.) Excision in Kenya. A woman doctor attempts to convince the people to renounce these practices. Women Make Movies. For additional films on this subject: reference/femfilms.html. Crime: (See also below Justice, Women and the question of Justice ) Girls in the Hood (aka Girlhood) d. Tracey Collis; produced by Nicola Martin (South Africa; , 26 mins.) Documentary. Looks at the effects of gangsterism on women living in the colored gangridden communities of Cape Town. By Men: Sugar: Howling of Angel d. Akinobu Ishiyama (Japan; 1996, 80 mins.) A woman, whose husband and child have been murdered,

227 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 229 descends to drug addiction and prostitution and then to criminal activity. Available Facets and Movies Unlimited. Les Blessures assassines (aka Murderous Maids) d. Jean-Pierre Denis (France; , 94 mins.). Tears of the Black Tiger d. Wisit Sasanatieng (Thai; 2000, 114 mins.) Story of a girl from the right side of the tracks who falls in love with one of the country s most feared bandits. Death All Water Has a Perfect Memory d. Natalia Almada (USA; 2001, 19 mins.) Documentary. An experimental film about the death of the filmmaker s sister, Ana Lynn. C est comme ça (jeux, peines et paroles d enfants) d. Natalie Martin (Canada [Québec]; 2000, 26 mins.) Documentary. Depicts children s ties with death. Kissed (aka Exstase) d. Lynne Stopkewich (Canada; 1996, 78 mins.) A woman working in a funeral parlor finds herself in the grips of necrophilia. (Based on the novella We So Seldom Look on Love by Barbara Gowdy.) Morvern Callar d. Lynne Ramsay (UK; 2002, 97 mins.) The story of a store clerk dealing with the death of her boyfriend. By Men: Under the Sand d. François Ozon (France; 2000, 95 mins.) This film about the search for a dead husband yields a mesmerizing tale of love and grief. Directors and others in the film industry (See also Filmmaking ) Becoming Colette d. Danny Huston (USA; 1992, 97 mins.) An erotic and flamboyant dramatization of the artistic and sexual life of Colette, played by Mathilda May. (Available from Facets). Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood d. Bridget Terry (USA; 2000, 60 mins.) Also contains the complete film TheLittlePrincess(1917, 67 mins.), starring Mary Pickford, d. by Marshall Nellan and scripted by Frances Marion. Available from Facets. Mais où sont les femmes dans les média? Created by the Association des Femmes Journalistes and shown at the 2001 festival at Créteil.

228 230 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Drugs Tu as crié: Let Me Go d. Anne Claire Poirier (Canada [Québec]; 1997, 98 mins.) See Through a Blue Lens (aka La Vie en bleu) d. Veronica Mannix (Canada [British Columbia?]; 2000, 30 min.) Shot in downtown Vancouver, where AIDS, linked to drug addiction, is a major problem. For information contact Michèle Boucher, Agente aux communications, Programme français. Téléphone: ; fax: or m.boucher@onf.ca. Eating Disorders; Obesity [See also above under Body Politic ]: La Peau et les os d. Johanne Prégent (Canada [Québec]; 1988, 88 mins.) About Anorexia and bulimia. Symbiosis d. Claire Kilner (Britain; 1995, 12 mins.) Bulimia. La Bombe au chocolat d. Sylvie Rosenthal (1997, Short). What s Eating Gilbert Grape? (see above under Body Politic ) L Adolescence au bord de la vie. Le mal de grandir d. Christine Françoise (France, 1999, 90 mins.) Aïe d. Sophie Fillières (France, 2000, 106 mins.) Bulimia. By Men Léolo d. Jean-Claude Lauzon (Canada [Québec]; 1992, 107 mins.) The Hanging Garden d. Thom Fitzgerald (Canada; 199, 90 mins.) (African) Economy By Men Le Franc d. Djibril Diop Mambety (Senegal; 1994, 45 mins.) (In the USA California Newsreel distributes this film on video as part of Three Tales from Senegal. They also rent the 35mm English-subtitled film.) Women in Visages de femmes (aka Faces of Women) d. Désiré Ecare (The first part was completed in 1973, and the second in 1985.) Available from Facets.

229 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 231 Excision: see Clitoridectomy; Clitoridotomy Family Garden of Eden (El Jardín del Eden) d. María Novaro (Mexico; 1994, 104 mins.) Three stories intersect. Feminism L Une chante, l autre pas (One Sings, the Other Doesn t) d. Agnès Varda (France; 1977, 117 mins.) Hidden Faces d. Claire Hunt and Kim Longinotto (Egypt, 1990, 52 mins.) Qui compte? sexe, mensonges et mondialisation: Rencontre avec Marilyn Waring (aka Who s counting: Marilyn Waring on Sex, Lies and Gobalisation) d. Terra Nash (Canada [ONF], 1995, 1 hr. 34 mins.) First woman to be a member of the Parliament of New Zealand, Waring is a feminist fighting for recognition of women working in the home. The Battle of the Sacred Tree d. Wanjiru Kinyanjui (Kenya, 1994, 84 mins.) In Swahili with French, English or Spanish subtitles. Nos amours d. Diane Beaudry (Canada [ONF], 1997; 52 mins.) Autopsie d un film érotique d. Sylvie Peltier (Canada; 1999, 51 mins.) ONF. All of Peltier s films have a feminist perspective. Inch Allah dimanche d. Yamina Benguigui (France; 2001, 98 mins.) Feminism/Rebellion: Baise-moi (aka Rape Me) d. Virginie Despentes (France; 2000, 1 hr. 17 mins.) Daisies d. Vera Chytilova (Czechslovakia; 1996, 74 mins.) Two Women d. Tarhmineh Milani(Iran; 1999, 96 mins.) Treatment of women in postrevolutionary Iran. Also: The Legend of a Sigh; The Hidden Half (2001, 103 mins.) Postrevolutionary Iranian politics. Available from Facets (and among top fifty sellers as of March, 2003) By Men: Thelma and Louise d. Ridley Scott (USA; 1991, 128 mins.) Anchoress d. Chris Newby (Belgium/ Great Britain; 1993, 1 hr. 48 mins.) Faat-Kine d. Ousmane Sembene (Senegal; 2000, 118 mins.)

230 232 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Filmmaking Lumière & Co. d. Sarah Moon (France; 1996, 88 mins.) Archival footage and testimonials by famous directors, as well as Shorts they made using the old Lumière camera. Only one woman director is included. Clonage ou l art de se faire doubler (Clone Inc.) d. Karl Parent and Louise Vandelac. (Canada, 2003) NFB Documentary. The Watermelon Woman d. Cheryl Dunne (Afro-Am., USA; 1997, 85 mins.) A film within a film. Larguer les amarres d. Catherine Vidal w/ Johanne Fournier (Canada; 1999, 49 mins.) See: amarres. La Réplique d. Chloé Leriche (Canada [Québec]; ) Three short films with actresses as the subject. Papillon d. Eloïse Corbeil (Canada [Québec], ) Michèle-Barbara Pelletier plays the role of a young actress at an audition. A l ombre d Hollywood d. Sylvie Groulx (Canada [Québec]; 1999; 111 mins.; or in 3 parts year 2000: Part 1 51 mins.; Part 2 47 mins.; Part 3 46 mins. ) ONF SeX Is Comedy d. Catherine Breillat (France; 2002, 92 mins.). In the Mirror of Maya Deren d. Martina Kudlácek (Austria; ?, 103 mins.) Documentary. Chronicles the life of film theorist Maya Deren, who led the underground film movement. The film features plenty of clips from Deren s films. Film History Pioneer Francophone Directors of Canada, France, and Belgium ( ): Canada Emma Gendron wrote for the screen. See also: Hist. of early film of Québec. France Yvette Andreyor Producer; actress in Le Fils de Locuste (1911), Judex ( ), Par la fenêtre, Juve contre Fantômas (1913), Les Béquilles, La Vengeance du Sergeant de Ville (1912), Les Deux Timides (1928), Pas si bête (1946) Un ami viendra ce soir (1946), Le Veau gras, etc. Jeanne Bruno-Ruby Actress and also director of La Cabane d amour (1927) Renée Carl Actress and also director of Un crime dans l abîme (1922)

231 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 233 Marie-Anne Colson Malleville Director. See Pallister Guide 58 for listings. Lucy Derain Directed: Harmonies de Paris (1927) Désordre (1927) Suzanne Devoyod directed with René Hervil: L Ami Fritz (1918) Germaine Dulac Director of many films. See Pallister Guide and Dulac above. Marie Epstein Director, writer and actress. See Pallister Guide Loie Fuller née Marie Louise Fuller (born USA 1862-died Paris, 1928). French and American director, dancer, actress. Artiste de music-hall américaine. As actress she appeared in That s Dancing! (1985 archive footage) and in Le Lys de la vie (1920). She was also director of: Le Lys de la vie (1920) Loie Fuller (1900) (Pathé.) This film is listed on the internet. Alice Guy Blaché (also US) Director, producer. See Pallister Guide 53 and Blaché above under France. Marie-Louise Iribe Actress, director, producer. See Pallister Guide 79. Directed: Hara-Kiri (1928) Roi des aulnes (1930) Krull, Germaine ( ) This great photographer also made films. Paris qui dort [collaboration with René Clair]; Entr acte (collaboration with René Clair). Also directed: The Man with the Movie Camera Berlin: Symphony of a Great City The Bridge La Tour Rien que les heures And also attributed to her: Six pour dix francs (1930) Six pour dix francs is the ad of an itinerant photographer who lands a most difficult gig: photographing a bride and groom in a hilly village fraught with perils, while the wedding guests patiently wait. The film is at once starkly photographic and comic in a René Clair vein. Il partit pour un long voyage (1932) Tells of a young boy s dream of travel, embodied in a barge on which he longs to stow away; he finally gives up everything (that is, homework) to do so. Exercises in visual storytelling, both films (Six... and Il partit...) are strik-

232 234 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS ingly beautiful. 3D16. (Both films are listed in the IMDb but without director.) Musidora Actress and director. See Pallister Guide 90, and Musidora above under France. Rose Pansini (or Rose Lacau Pansini) Director. See Pallister Guide 90. Léonce Perret Directed: Léonce Cinématographiste (1913, 16 mins.) Fiction. Silent; B&W; by and with Perret. L Enfant de Paris (1913, 2 hrs. 4 mins.) Fiction. Silent; B&W. Scenario: Léonce Perret. An orphan is kidnapped by an unscrupulous bandit. (Version presented in 1992 by Pierre Philipp for Gaumont.) Claude Révol Writer and Director. See Pallister Guide 94. Gabrielle Sorere Director of: Le Lys dans la vallée (1921). In collaboration with Loie Fuller. See Pallister Guide 97. Elyana Tayer Director, and with advent of sound, made documentaries. See Pallister Guide 98. Versailles Titaÿnia Director. See Pallister Guide 99. Marguerite Viel Director. See Pallister Guide 109. Consult also the following works: Les Québécoises et le cinéma by Jocelyne Denault. Collection Communication, culture et société 1996, 260 pages, ISBN , GA-866. Jackie Buet (Hg): Films de Femmes. Six Générations de Réalisatrices. Paris: Editions Alternatives, (Musidora and Krull available from: The Pacific Film Archive, 2575 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. For more information, call (510) Dulac and others can be purchased from Facets and other sources.) Belgium Aimée Navarra See Pallister Guide 40. Cœurs belges (dates from 1923, 69 mins.) Silent. See Pallister Guide 40. For further information on early women filmmakers, contact: pioneers-owner@duke.edu. (Women and) Film Loving Greta Garbo d. Lena Einhorn (Sweden; 2000, 59 mins.). Documentary.

233 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 235 Filmer le désir: voyage à travers le cinéma des femmes d. Marie Mandy (Belgium/France; 2000; 60 mins.) Documentary. NB: Participation of: Agnès Varda, Catherine Breillat, Jeanne Labrune, Paule Baillargeon, Léa Pool, Moufida Tlatli, Safi Faye, et al. Folklore (and Witchcraft) Signé Charlotte (aka Sincerely Charlotte) d. Caroline Huppert (France; 1984, 82 mins.). Under the Juniper Tree d. Nietchka Keene (Iceland/USA); 1984; 78 mins.). Le Moine et la sorcière d. Suzanne Schiffman (France; 1987, 1 hr. 38 mins.). The Burning Times (Le Temps des bûchers) d. Donna Read w/ Susan Trow and Judith Merritt. (Canada [anglophone], 1990, 58 mins.). History of witchcraft. See under Battered Women. By Men La Sorcière (aka, The Sorceress; aka The Blonde Witch) d. André Michel (I) (France; , 90 mins.) Suspira d. Dario Argento (Italy; 1977, 95 mins.) Cult classic: an American girl joins a German dance school & finds the students practice witchcraft and murder. La Sorcière d. Charles Brabant (France; 1982, 97 mins.) The Blair Witch Project d. Daniel Myrick (USA; 1999, 87 mins.) Friendship, entraide [See also Lesbianism, below] Les Ecrans de sable d. Randa Chahal-Sabbag (France/Italy/Tunisia; 1990, 90 mins.). Friends d. Elaine Proctor (1994, 109 mins.). South African politics are part of the subject; the rest is concerned with women s friendship. Li d. Marion Hänsel (Belgium/France/England; 1995, 92 mins.) L Armée del ombre d. Manon Barbeau (Canada [Québec], 1999, 70 mins.) In the Country Where Nothing Happens d. María delcarmende Lara (Mexico; 1999, 95 mins.) Mistress and wife join forces and decide the man they both loved isn t worth saving.

234 236 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Les Filles ne savent pas nager (aka Girls Can t Swim) d. Anne- Sophie Birot (France; , mins.) Lettres d amour et de guerre (aka A Time of Love and War) d. Sabrina Matthews (Canada; 2000, 50 mins.) Women in Nicaragua. Friendship between the filmmaker and a Nicaraguan woman. By Men Not for Ourselves Alone: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony d. Ken Burns/Paul Barnes (USA; 1999, 210 mins.) Sheds light on friendship between two of the greatest figures in the fight for women s rights. VHS: S Facets. Geishas (Western, Modern) Tokyo Girls d. Penelope Butterhuis (Canada, 2000, 57 mins.) Documentary Generation Gap: See Older Women Generations Past (See also Mother/Daughter ) La mia generazione (Ma génération) d. Wilma Labate (Italy; , 95 mins.). Italy of the 1970s. Les Fantômes des trois Madeleine d. Guylaine Dionne (Canada [Québec]; 2000, 81 or 87 mins.) Guilt By a Man: Bye-Bye d. Karim Dridi (Fr/Switz./Belg; 1995, 105 mins.) Concerns life of the Beur community (here specifically Tunisian) in France; story about guilt. Homosexuality There is an unexpected flourishing of the homosexual theme in world cinema... Jean Decock in The French Review (March 1998: 698).

235 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 237 Lesbianism: The films of Léa Pool (q.v. above under Pool [Québec]). Radley Metzger Box Set Three features from the 1960s, directed by erotic auteur Radley Metzger: Therese and Isabelle (1967, 118 mins.); The Dirty Girls (1964, 83 mins.) and The Alley Cats (1965, 82 mins.). Three-volume set. VHS: S Facets (Sold as Radley Metzger USA ). Thérèse et Isabelle d. Radley Metzger (France, 1968, 102 mins.) Based on Violette Leduc. Everything Relative d. Sharon Pollack (USA; hr. 45 mins.) A romantic comedy about a reunited group of women who went to college together. When Night Is Falling d. Patricia Rozema (Canada; 1995, 95 mins.). Freshkill d. Shu Lea Cheang (Great Britain; 1997, 80 mins.) Available from Facets. Work d. Rachel Reichman (USA; 1996, 95 mins.) An unemployed housewife divides her days between the search for work and her deepening love affair with June, a young black athlete. Available from Facets. Murder and Murder d. Yvonne Rainer (USA, 1996, 115 mins.) Two middle-aged women fall in love, while one of them also finds she has breast cancer. Forbidden Loves d. Aerlyn Weissman (Canada; 1992, 84 mins.) Long Time Comin d. Dionne Brand (Canada; 1993, 52 mins.) Two African-Canadian lesbian artists (Grace Channer and Faith Nolan) bring political commitment and passion to their work and to their communities. (Women Make Movies.) Thin Ice d. Fiona Cunningham Reid (Great Britain; 1994, 88 mins.) A lesbian variation on The Cutting Edge. A dedicated skater is forced to team up with a young and inexperienced replacement. A friendship develops and a love between them blossoms. Available from Facets. Skin Deep d. Midi Onodera (Canada; 1994, 88 mins.) A filmmaker decides to make a film about filmmaking. Available from Facets: VHS S The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love d. Maria Maggenti (USA, 1995, 95 mins.). Some Prefer Cake d. Heidi Arnesen (USA; 1997, 100 mins.) Follows two friends one a promiscuous lesbian, the other straight and more restrained as they walk the paths of sex, food and relationships. Facets: VHS S The Watermelon Woman d. Cheryl Dunne (Afro-Am., USA, 1997, 85 mins.).

236 238 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Revoir Julie d. Jeanne Crépeau (Canada [Québec]; 1998, 90 mins.) See further under Crépeau (Québec). Significant Others A collection of six lesbian short films as follows: Dike d. Lisa Hayes (Canada; 1996, 9 mins.) The story of one woman s struggle with compulsory heterosexuality and overactive glands. Apartments d. Megan McMurchy (Australia, 1977, 13 mins.) A classic of alternative cinema, following the relationship between a married and unmarried woman. Seth s Aunts d. Nina Dabek (USA; 1991, 3 mins.) A young boy tries to understand his aunt s lesbian relationship. Cruel d. Desi Del Valle (USA, 1994, 20 mins.) A dramatic exploration of a break-up fueled, in part, by racial divisions. Potluck and the Passion d. Cheryl Dunye (USA; 1993, 30 mins.) A couple holds a potluck dinner that turns into a free-form debate about politics and ethnicity. Minor Disturbances d. Carol Ashley (USA; 1992, 17 mins.) A love triangle between a housewife, her husband, and her lesbian lover is played out against the backdrop of 1950s educational films. All six from Facets: VHS: S Companions A collection of seven short films (Facets: VHS: S37604): Breakfast with Gus d. Siobhan Devine (Canada; 1997, 8 mins.) A cat s-eye view of the hustle and bustle of morning. Traveling Companion d. Paula Goldberg (USA; 1998, 20 mins.) A travel writer tries to recover from the death of her girlfriend. Peppermills d. Isabel Hegner/Karen Jaroneski (USA; 1997, 14 mins.) A study in eroticism. The Dinner Party d. Lisa Cholodenko (USA; 1996, 9 mins.) A playful Short about a meal-time flirtation. My Pretty Little Girlfriend d. Jennifer Gentile (USA; 1996, 7 mins.) A pleasant lunch turns ugly over the troublesome matter of a hamburger. Between 7 and 1 d. Christina Petropoulos (USA; 17 mins.) looks at the painful process of waiting on a partner. Girl Talk d. Judith Cobb (5 mins.) is a joyous feminine fantasy. Horsey d. Kirsten Clarkson (Canada, 1997, 93 mins.) Love Juice d. Shindo Kaze (a woman) (Japan, 2000, 78 mins., fiction). If These Walls Could Talk d. Ann Heche (USA; 2000, 1 hr. 30 secs.) Three separate stories bound together by a house. Excellent, especially part I.

237 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 239 By Men The Killing of Sister George d. Robert Aldrich (USA; 1968, 138 mins.) A TV star learns the character she plays is about to be killed off. Facets: VHS S Les Biches d. Claude Chabrol (France/Italy; 1968, 104 mins.) Personal Best d. Robert Towne (USA; 1982, 124 mins.) Another Way (aka Egymásra nézve) d. Károly Makk (Hungary, 1982, 102 mins.) Study of lesbianism versus societal norms in 1950s Hungary. First Eastern European film to deal directly with gay and lesbian concerns. Available from Movies Unlimited. Extramuros d. Miguel Picazo (Spain; 1985, 2 hrs.) Dark story of love and ambition behind a convent s walls. Same women-againstfascism theme as Mädchen in Uniform. Available from Movies Unlimited. Chasing Amy d. Kevin Smith (USA; 1997, 111 mins.) Little City d. Roberto Benabib (USA; 1998, 90 mins.) A group of young adults try to come to terms with various relationship entanglements. Homosexuality (Male) Impact on women Les Amoureux (aka Lovers) d. by Catherine Corsini (France; 1994, 90 mins.) Butterflies on the Scaffold (aka Mariposas en el andamio) d. Margret Gilpin and Luis Felip Bernaza (Cuba; 1995, 74 mins.) Documentary about drag queens in Castro s Cuba. By Men Savage Nights d. Cyril Collard (France; 1992, 126 mins.) Available from Movies Unlimited. Strawberry and Chocolate d. Thomas Guttierez (Cuba; 1994, 110 mins.) The Opposite of Sex d. Don Roos (USA; 1998, 100 mins.) Sixteenyear-old Dedee Truitt moves in with her homosexual half-brother, and quickly makes advances on his lover. The love triangle erupts into a full-fledged scandal. La Virgen de los sicarios (aka La Vierge des tueurs) d. Barbet Schroeder (France/ Columbia/ Spain; 2000, 97 mins.) Gouttes d eau sur pierres brûlantes [Water Drops on Burning Rocks] d. François Ozon (France; 2000, 82 mins.) Male relationship becomes complex when unusual women enter the scene.

238 240 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Homosexuality: Documentaries Not All Parents Are Straight (USA; 1986, 58 mins.) The parent-child relationship in households headed by homosexual parents is examined. Facets: VHS S God, Gays and the Gospel d. Mary Anne McEwen (USA; 1991, 58 mins.) A profile of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, a Christian church with a special outreach program for gays and lesbians. Facets: VHS S Fresh Talk d. Teresa Marshall/Craig Berggold (USA; 1992, 85 mins.) A look at homosexuality through the eyes of young men and women, aged fifteen to twenty-four. Facets: VHS S The March on Washington d. John Scagliotti (USA; 1993, 30 mins.) Chronicles the April, 1993 March on Washington for Gay Rights and Liberation. Facets: VHS S School s Out: Lesbian and Gay Youth (USA; 1993, 30 mins.) Administrators at New York City s Hetrick-Martin Institute discuss the assaults and verbal abuse directed at homosexuals, then detail the programs available to them. Facets: VHS S A Transsexual Journey d. Behzad Sedghi (USA; 1995, 44 mins.) A documentary profile of Katherine Cohen (formerly Bruce Cohen), who made the decision to undergo male-to-female reassignment surgery. Facets: VHS S Jim Loves Jack: The James Egan Story d. David Adkin (Canada; 1996, 53 mins.) An inspiring story that spans nearly fifty years of gay history in North America. Kamikaze Summer d. Chris Collins (USA; 1996, 60 mins.) Religious bigotry against homosexuals in the American heartland. A lesbian and a gay filmmaker try to find out why the religious right views their lifestyle as a threat. Facets: VHS S Reaching Out to Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Youth (USA; 1996, 21 mins.) Homosexuals, and also doctors and psychologists, show how homophobic attitudes can negatively affect school work and levels of accomplishment. Facets: VHS S Anatomy of Desire d. Jean-Francois Monette/Peter T. Boullata (Canada; 1996, 48 mins.) Leading historians, psychiatrists and writers address the most enigmatic questions of sexuality. Facets: VHS S Before Stonewall d. Robert Rosenberg, John Scagliotti, and Greta Schiller (USA; 1984, 87 mins.) PBS. Gay and lesbian history. Stonewall d. Robert Schiller (USA; 1984, 87 mins.) After Stonewall: From the Riots to the Millennium A Film by John Scagliotti, Janet Baus, and Dan Hunt.(USA; 1999, 88 mins.) PBS.

239 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 241 Companion to Before Stonewall. More history. When in 1969 the police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village, leading to three nights of rioting, the Gay Liberation Movement began. Human Rights (See also Women s rights ) Women of Niger d. Anne-Laure Folly (Niger/Togo; 1993, 26 mins.) Incest L Ombre du doute (A Shadow Of Doubt) d. Aline Isserman (France, , 106 mins.) De l autre côté du cœur d. Suzy Cohen (Canada [Québec]; 1997, 96 mins.) Plaisir honteux d. Michelle Desaulniers (Canada [Québec]; , 52 mins.) Le Marchand de sable d. Nadine Fournelle (Canada [Québec]; 1999, 25 mins.) Maman, il y a un monstre dans mon lit! d. Martine Fortin with Guy Bonneau (Canada [Québec]; , 18 mins.) By Men Forbidden Relations d. Zsolt Kezdi-Kovaks (Hungary; 1983, 82 mins.) The War Zone d. Tim Roth (UK; 1999, 99 mins.) Violent and very dark British film, unfolding in rural Devon. Les Blessures assassines d. Jean-Pierre Denis (France; 2002, 1 hr. 34 mins.) Justice (Women and the Question of...) Mrs. Soffel d. Gillian Armstrong [Australian] (USA; 1984, 110 mins.) La Santé: Une prison dans la ville d. Isabelle Martin (France; 1985, 24 mins.) WomeninFury d. Michele Massimo Tarantini (Brazil; 1985, 90 mins.) VHS & DVD: Facets. Prisonnières d. Charlotte Silvera (France; 1988, 100 mins.)

240 242 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Par Amour d. Solveig Anspach (France; 1989, 9 mins.30 secs.) A Dry White Season d. Euzhan Palcy (USA; 1989, 106 mins.) Interdit d Amour d. Catherine Corsini (France; 1991, 88 mins.) Mea Culpa d. Sylvie Ayme (France; 1992, 15 mins.) La Ballade d un condamné d. Anne-Laure Brénéol (France; 1993, 13 mins.) La Fleur des Morts d. Françoise Pasquini (France; 1993, 8 mins.) Vizi et Vizirette d. Solveig Anspach (France, 1993; 12 mins.) Un certain goûtd herbe fraîche d. Fabienne Godet (France; 1994, 18 mins.) Ki prizon pou fame ak timoun? (aka Quelle prison pour femmes et mineurs?) d. Rachèle Magloire (Haiti; , 35 mins.) Documentary. Femmes en prison d. Marie-Anne Thunissen (Belgium; 1996, 45 mins.) Une part de ciel d. Bénédicte Liénard (France/Belgium/Luxembourg; 2002, 85 mins.) The Execution of Wanda Jean d. Liz Garbus ( USA; 2002, 88 mins.) Documentary. The battle of Wanda Jean Allen, the first black woman to be executed in the United States in modern times. An exploration into the roles that poverty, race, sexuality and mental health play in the criminal justice system. By Men Nella città l inferno d. Renato Castellani (Italy; 1958; 85 mins.) Mutilated version in USA under title: And the Wild, Wild Women (aka Hell in the City). Story of a young girl s experiences in a woman s jail. (Available from Movies Unlimited.) In the Line of Duty III d. Arthur Wong/Brandy Yuen (Hong Kong; 1988, 88 mins.) A police detective finds herself both the hunter and the hunted after she kills one of the Chinese nationalists behind a bloody jewel heist. Also known as Force of the Dragon and Ultra Force 3. Facets: DVD (Letterboxed) DV La Femme Nikita d. Luc Besson (France/Italy; 1990, 117 mins.) Girls in Prison d. John McNaughton (USA; 1994, 82 mins.) A mildly satirical take on the women-behind-bars genre. Available from Facets. Prisoner Maria The Movie d. Siuji Kataoka (Japan; 1995, 90 mins.) Convicted of a crime she did not commit, Maria is blackmailed into service as a government assassin. (Cf. La Femme Nikita.) Facets: VHS (Letterboxed) S Women s Prison(aka Zenda-e Zanan) d. Manijeh Hekmat (Iran; 2002, 106 mins.)

241 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 243 Lesbianism see Homosexuality Marital strife (African) By Men Visages de femmes (Faces of Women) d. Désiré Ecare (Ivory Coast; 1995, 105 mins.) Marriage, including Polygamy To Be a Woman in Burkina Faso (14 mins.) Available (for viewing only) at UCB (see under Sources ). Cœurs belges (aka Flemish title: Belgische harten) d. Aimée Navarra (Belgium; 1923, 69 mins) Silent Senõra de nadie d. Maria Luisa Bemberg (Argentina; 1982, 98 mins.) El Fatha d. Rachida Krim (France/Algeria; 1992, 18 mins.) Women of Niger d. Anne-Laure Folly (Niger/Togo; 1993, 26 mins.) La Femme mariée à trois hommes d. Cilia Sawadogo and Danièle Roy (Burkina Faso; 1993, 6 mins.). Le Voile et le silence d. Yamina Benguigui (France; 1994, 52 mins. x 3) Found in film entitled Femmes d Islam. Girls Still Dream (aka Ahlam El Banat) d. Atteyat el Abnoudy (Egypt; 1995, 24 mins.) Addresses early marriage. At present, millions of Egyptian girls are married before the legal age of 16. This film tells of the girls dreams for a better life. Miel et cendres d. Nadia Fares. (Switzerland/Tunisia; 1996, 80 mins.) Reveals that Arab women can find their path in a reputedly male chauvinist society. Un Mariage riche en couleur d. Josephine Bertrand Tchakoua (Cameroon; ) Short. Nettoyage à sec d. Anne Fontaine (France; 1997, 97 mins.) In My Father s House d. Fatima Jebli Ouazzani (Netherlands; 1997, 67 mins.) A human rights story; a stunning personal journey through Moroccan traditional views of virginity. Two Women d. Tahmineh Milani (Iran; 1999, 96 mins.) An arranged marriage is only one of the issues explored in this film. Eu, Tu, Eles (Me, You, Them) d. Andrucha Waddington (Brazil; 2000, 107 mins.) A ménage à quatre. Trolosa (aka Infidèle) d. Liv Ullman (Sweden; 2000, 2hrs. 35 mins.) Glacial film based on an unedited or unpublished scenario of Ingmar Bergman. Concerned with Protestant guilt.

242 244 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Always a Bridesmaid d. Nina Davenport (USA; 2000, 98 mins.) Davenport uses her personal life and her job as a photographer to look at love and marriage and to ponder why the latter hasn t come her way. Monsoon Wedding d. Mira Nair (India; 2001, 114 mins.) Explores the vibrant Punjabi culture with five interweaving stories, told in the four days and nights leading up to an elaborate upper-class wedding. By Men Woman in a Dressing Room d. J. Lee Thompson (Great Britain; 1957, 93 mins.) A middle-aged couple has grown apart. Xala (aka The Curse; aka Impotence) d. Ousmane Sembene (Senegal; 1975, 123 mins.) Involves polygamy. La Séparation d. Christian Vincent (France; 1994, 85 mins.) The portrayal of the disintegration of a marriage. Facets: VHS: S Taafe Fange (aka Pouvoir du Pagne; akaskirt Power) d. Adama Drabo (Mali; 1997, 95 mins.) A film in which women force men into an exchange of roles. Polygamy and child-bearing entailed in plot. Tableau Ferraille d. Moussa Sène Abba (Senegal; 1997, 85 mins.) The misadventures caused by polygamy in an urban society. Available from California Newsreel. Esmeralda Comes by Night d. Jaime H. Hermosillo (Mexico; 1998, 103 mins.) Esmeralda has five husbands and is about to marry the sixth when she is charged with bigamy. Satire of middle-class values. Bàttu d. Cheikh Oumar Cissokho (Senegal; 2000) Based on novel of Aminata Sow Fall entitled La Grève des Bàttu. See Orange Light (January 2000: 19). In the Mood for Love d. Wong Kar-wai (Hong Kong; 2000, 1 hr. 40 mins.) Marriage (refusal) Between Pancho Villa and a Naked Woman d. Sabina Berman/Isabelle Tardan (Mexico; 1995, 100 mins.) Medicine (Women and the practice of medicine) Une goutte dans l océan d. Lise Ethier (Canada [Québec]; 2001, 49 mins.) About Dr. Claudette Picard in Liberia.

243 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 245 Sans-Souci, l art d Aloïse d. Muriel Edelstein (France; 2000, 53 mins.) Documentary. By Men Maangamizi and The Ancient One d. Martin Mhando and Ron Mulvihill. (United Republic of Tanzania; 2001, 110 mins.) Centers around a woman doctor, her patient and the mysterious ancestor who takes them on a journey into their past and delivers them to a place of healing. Mother/Daughter relationship Measures of Distance d. Mona Hatoum (England; 1988, 15 mins.) Palestinian-born director explores the renewal of friendship between mother and daughter during a brief family reunion in wartorn Lebanon in La Vie d un héros d. Micheline Lanctôt (Canada [Québec]; 1994, 103 mins.) B&W. Documentary Rosine d. Christine Carrière (France; 1994, 100 mins.) Antonia s Line(aka Antonia) d. Maureen Gorris (Netherlands; ; 102 mins.) Linda d. Vivien Lesnik Weisman (USA; 1996, 25 mins.) Linda finds a mother substitute in a nun. Album de famille d. Shiri Tsur (France; 1996, 13 mins.) Va dove ti porta il cuore (aka Go Where Your Heart Leads You) d. Cristina Comencini (Italy/France/Germany; 1996, 110 mins.) Unveiled: The Mother/Daughter Relationship d. Janis Lundman and Maureen Judge (Canada; 1997, 56 mins.) Documentary. Emporte-moi d. Léa Pool (Canada [Québec]; 1998, 94 mins.). Dieu est grand, je suis toute petite d. Pascale Bailly (France; 1999, 100 mins.) Maintenant d. Inès Rabadàn (Belgium; 2002, 18 mins.) Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood d. Callie Khouri (USA, 2002, 116 mins.) Satin rouge d. Raja Amari (France/Tunisia; 2002, 1 hr. 40 mins.) In Arabic (with some French). Stated in some places as made in By Men Mildred Pierce d. Michael Curtiz (USA; 1945, 109 mins.) Lady Snowblood d. Toshiya Fujita (Japan; 1973, 97 mins.) A young girl s father and brother are murdered and her mother raped and

244 246 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS imprisoned. After her mother dies, Yuki gets training in the arts of death so she can fulfill her mother s dying wish for vengeance. Facets: VHS: S38513; DVD: DV Rosetta d. Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne (Belgium; 1999, 95 mins.) Born in poverty and neglected by an alcoholic mother, a young adolescent woman is obsessed with the idea of having a steady job. This idée fixe becomes her only reason for living. Anywhere But Here (N importe où sauf ici) d. Wayne Wang (USA; , 114 mins.) La Pianiste (aka The Piano Teacher) d. Michel Haneke (France; 2001, 130 mins.) A mother-dominated woman s hang-ups. Motherhood/giving birth Giving Birth d. Tobe Carey (USA; 1972, 23 mins.) A Mayan midwife delivers a baby as mother lies in a hammock. Filmed in the Yucatan. Available from Facets. Midwives: A Living Tradition d. Cassandra Doughty/Valerie Ann Toizer (USA; 1998, 69 mins.) The mission and practice of American midwives is explained, with an emphasis on the benefits of natural childbirth. VHS: S Facets. Le Premier Fils d. Philomène Esposito (France; 2000, 90 mins.) Several dates are found for this film: 2000; 2001; 2002; even 2003 which is clearly incorrect. By Men See The Sea d. François Ozon (France; 1997, 67 mins.) Tatiana, a scruffy and sullen backpacker, pitches her tent in the yard of Sasha and her ten-month-old daughter; Tatiana is rapidly and mistakenly welcomed into the house for dinner by lonely Sasha. (Abortion also a subtext.) Older Women/Younger Men (and Vice Versa)(gender gap) Une vraie jeune fille (A RealYoungGirl) d. Catherine Breillat (France; 1977, issued in 2000, 93 mins.) 36 Fillette d. Catherine Breillat (French; 1988, 86 mins.) Parfait amour (Perfect Love) d. Catherine Breillat (France; 1996, 110 mins.)

245 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 247 Post Coïtum, animal triste d. Brigitte Roüan (France; 1997, 100 mins.) C est la tangente que je préfère (aka Love, Math and Sex) d. Charlotte Silvera (France/ Belgium; 1997, 100 mins.) Suddenly Naked d. Anne Wheeler (Canada; 2001, 105 mins.) Patrick enters into a relationship with Jackie, twenty years older than he. My First Mister d. Christine Lahti (USA; 2001, 109 mins.) Young girl in crisis meets a solitary man of fifty. This is a drame larmoyant: the man dies at the end. Cet amour-là d. Josée Dayan (France; 2001, 98 mins.) An aging and still sexual Marguerite Duras and her young lover. Brève Traversée d. Catherine Breillat (France; 2001, 81 mins.) By Men Sunset Blvd. d. Billy Wilder (USA; 1950, 110 mins.) Lolita d. Stanley Kubrick (USA; 1962, 152 mins.) Remake also called Lolita; d. by Adrian Lyne (1997, 137 mins.). The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone d. Frank Tuttle (USA; 1964, 104 mins.) L Amant (The Lover) d. Jean-Jacques Annaud (France/Great Britain; 1991, 113 mins.) From the memoir of Marguerite Duras. La Vieille qui marchait dans la mer (akathe Old Lady Who Walked in the Sea) d. Laurent Heynemann (France; , 94 mins.) Tadpole d. Gary Winick (USA; 2002, 78 mins.) Actress Bebe Neuwirth seduces a fifteen-year-old boy (Aaron Stanford). Last Love d. Chatree Chalerm Yokol (Thailand; 2002, 120 mins.) Remake of his 1975 film. A thiry year old single mother vows never to marry again. When she meets and falls in love with a much younger man, she begins to change her mind. Oppression of women Two Women d. Tahmineh Milani (Iran; 1999, 96 mins.) Politics Rachida, Lettres d Algérie d. Florence Dauchez (France; 1993, 50 mins.) Friends d. Elaine Proctor (1994, 109 mins.) South African politics and women s friendship are interwoven issues.

246 248 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS Days of Democracy (aka Ayyam Al demokrateyya) d. Atteyat (al) Abnoudi (Egypt, 1996) This report details the difficulties faced by Egyptian women who wish to participate in the political life of the country. Le Gardien de la colline (aka Custodian of the Hill) Claudette Jaiko (Canada; 1999, 50 mins.) NFB Deux femmes à Paris d. Caroline Huppert (France; 2000, 1hr. 30 mins.) Yanina, guérillera ou coopérante? d. Sylvie LaPointe (Canada [Québec], 2000, 50 mins.) Dist. Cinéma Libre. Re Guatemalan politics. Mea Culpa: pour ceux qui ne connaissent pas la honte d. Nathalie Cloutier and Hughes Fortin (Canada [Québec]; 2001, 85 mins.) The Hidden Half d. Tahmineh Milani (Iran; 2001, 103 mins.) Ocoee: The Legacy of the Election Day Massacre d. Sandra Krasa and Bianca White (USA; 2002, 26 mins.) Documentary. Explores the tragic events of a 1920 election, when two black men attempted to vote. [Women in] Politics You Have Struck a Rock! d. Deborah May and the United Nations (South Africa; 1981, 28 mins.) Documents the role of women in the struggle for South African overthrow of Apartheid rule. Available (for viewing only) at UCB; also University of Minnesota Film and Video. (See Sources ). A Veiled Revolution d. Elizabeth Fernea and Marilyn Gaunt (Algeria, 1982, 26 mins.) Today the grand-daughters of early Egyptian feminists are sometimes putting on a full-face veil and gloves. The film explores this new veiling. Available (for viewing only at UCB (See Sources below). For distribution information see Videography for the African Continent, University of Wisconsin. Women of Niger d. Anne Laure Folly (Niger; 1993, 26 mins.) Elles ont suivi de Gaulle d. Dominique Torres (or Torrès Créteil 2001; 78) (France; 1999, 51 mins.) Georgie Girl d. Annie Goldson (New Zealand; 2001, 1 hr. 10 mins.) First transsexual Maori woman elected to N.Z. parliament. Available from Women Make Movies. Pornography Bad Girl d. Marielle Nitoslawska (Canada [Québec]; 2001, 58 mins.) See under Nitoslawska.

247 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 249 Pregnancy Madame a des envies d. Alice Guy-Blaché (France; 1906, 5 mins.) B&W. L Attente/Expectations d. Suzanne Gervais and Jacques Giraldeau (Canada [Québec]; 1993, 7 mins.) Haut les cœurs! d. Sólveig Anspach (France/Belgium; 1999, 110 mins.) La Vie moderne d. Laurence Ferreira-Barbosa (France; 2000, 120 mins.) (Unwanted) Nénette et Boni d. Claire Denis (France; 1996, 103 mins.) Lila Lili d. Marie Vermillard (France; 1998, 105 mins.) By Men Erotikon d. Gustav Machaty (Czechoslovakia; 1929, 88 mins.) Examines the moral consequences of a night of passion between a Prague playboy and a provincial station master s daughter who becomes pregnant. Available from Facets. Luna Papa d. Bakhtiar Khudojnazarov (Russia; 1999, 1 hr. 45 mins.) Felicia s Journey d. Atom Agoyan (Canada; 1999, mins.) Prostitution Magdalena Viraga d. Nina Menkes (USA; 1980, 90 mins.) See: Puk Nini (aka Ouvre les yeux) d. Fanta Nacro (Burkina Faso; 1995, 30 mins.) Miel et cendres d. Nadia Fares (Switzerland/Tunisia; 1996, 80 mins.) Sugar-Howling of Angel d. Akinabu Ishiyama (Japan; 1996, 80 mins.) A widow turns to crime and prostitution. Tu as crié: Let Me Go d. Anne Claire Poirier (Canada [Québec; ] 1997, 98 mins.) Also concerns murder and drugs. ONF. Emporte-moi (Set Me Free) d. Léa Pool (Canada [Québec]; 1998, 94 mins.) Claire Dolan d. Lodge H. Krigan (USA/France; 1998, 95 mins.) Portrait of a call girl trying to go straight. Des Marelles et des petites filles (aka Of Hopscotch and Little Girls) d. Marquise Lepage (Canada [Québec]; 1999, 52 mins.) Chaos d. Coline Serreau (France, 2001, 109 mins.)

248 250 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS By Men Taxi Driver d. Martin Scorsese (USA; , 114 mins.) Modern Girls d. Che Chuen Yee (Hong Kong, 1993, 94 mins.) Leaving Las Vegas d. Mike Figgis (USA; 1995, 111 mins.) Moll Flanders d. Pen Densham (UK; 1996, 2 hrs. 5 mins.) Adaptation of the novel by Daniel Defoe. (Earlier versions of this story exist.) Who the Hell is Juliette? d. Carlos Marcovich (Mexico; 1997, 91 mins.) Sixteen-year-old Juliette Ortega is unashamed about prostituting herself, which she sees simply as a matter of survival. Facets: VHS S Sugar-Howling of Angel. See Crime above. Racial Relations Deux femmes à Paris d. Caroline Huppert (France; 2000, 1 hr. 38 mins.) Mamlambo d. Pelesa Katleka-Nkosi (South Africa; 1997, 26 mins.) Mamlambo (the first episode of the long film, Africa Dreaming) tells the story of friendship between the black street boy Malusi and a Chinese adolescent prostitute in a magical world; narrated by Pelesa. [Africa Dreaming- Mamlambo by Zola Maseko (South Africa; 1997, 165 mins.) Producer: Jeremy Nathan, Catalyst Films.] Rape Johnny Belinda d. Jean Negulesco (USA; 1948, 103 mins.) Lady Snowblood d. Toshiya Fujita (Japan, 1973, 97 mins.) See Mother/daughter above. Facets: VHS S38513, DVD: DV Calling the Ghosts: A Story about Rape, War and Women d. Mandy Jacobson and Karmen Jelincic (USA / Kroatia; 1996, 63 mins.) About the Bosnia-Herzegovina war. Artémisia d. Agnès Merlet (France; 1997, 98 mins.) Bloody Angels d. Karin Julsrud (Norway; , 100 mins.) Rape and murder of a young trisomic girl in a small village. Risking Life and Limb in Sierra Leone d. Cecile Antonie (2001, 25 mins.) Exposes assassination, rape, mutilation and torture in wartorn Sierra Leone. (Screen Africa News Bulletin 15 May 2002.) By Men The Virgin Spring d. Ingmar Bergman (Sweden; 1960; 88 mins.) I Spit On Your Grave d. Meir Zarchi (USA, 1978, 100 mins.) This

249 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 251 film has earned its place in exploitation movie history. A violent revenge drama, it starts with the brutal rape of its heroine, then follows her acts of retribution. Facets: VHS S Fatma, la Tunisienne d. Khaled Ghorbal. (Tunisia/France; 2001, 2 hrs. 4 mins.) Ghorbal is the spokesperson for women in this film. Religion Miscellaneous Religious Subjects: Teresa de Jesús four videos from Pauline Video (50 St. Paul s Avenue, Boston MA Copyright 1983.) Fascinating! Camila d. Maria-Luis Bemberg (Argentina; 1984, 90 mins.) Yo la peor de todas (aka I the Worst of All) d. María Luisa Bemberg (Argentina; 1990, l05 07 mins.) Lesbian passion seething behind convent walls. Story of the famed poet Sor Juna Iñes de la Cruz. Longing d. Amalia Margolin (Israel; 1998, 50 mins.) The spiritual journey of a young woman to the arrival of a deep understanding of Judaism, especially of Hasidism. Available from Facets in Hebrew with subtitles. The Mother of Light and Her Daughters d. Viola Shafiq (Egypt; 1999, 54 mins.) Coptic women discuss religion and changes in Egyptian women s lives. Facets, institutional use only; $ Dieu est grand, je suis toute petite d. Pascale Bailly (France; 2001, 100 mins.) The Third Miracle d. Agnieszka Holland (USA; 1999, 119 mins.) Written by John Romano and Richard Vetere, based on Vetere s novel. By Men Thérèse d. Alain Cavalier (France; 1986, 100 mins.). The Magdalene Sisters d. Peter Mullan (UK/Ireland; 2002, 119 mins.) The story of four girls interned in the Magdalene Asylums in Ireland in the 1960s and their struggle against the daily brutality of the Sisters of Mercy. Religion [and Fertility rites]: The Women s Olamal: The Organisation of a Maasai Fertility Ceremony d. Melissa Llewelyn-Davies (Kenya; 1986, 114 mins.) BBC. Examines the events that lead up to a fertility ceremony of the Maasai women in Loita, Kenya. For distribution: Videography for the African Continent, Univ. of Wisconsin. (See Sources below.) Voices of the Morning d. Meena Nanji (USA, 1992, 15 mins.) A med-

250 252 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS itation on women s roles as defined by orthodox Islamic laws. Examines familial and societal restrictions placed on South Asian women. Available (for viewing only) at UCB. (See Sources. ) Also available from Women Make Movies. Monday s Girls d. Ngozi Onwurah (Great Britain/Nigeria; 1993, 50 mins) BBC. The traditional Iria, awomen s initiation ceremony which involves spending five weeks in a fattening room. Available from California Newsreel. Religion Fundamentalism and modernity clash: By Men 100% Arabica d. Mahmoud Zenmouri (Algeria; 1997, 85 mins.). On Joan of Arc all by men: Over 30 films have been made re Jeanne d Arc. Study Robert Bresson s book, Procès dejeanned Arc (Paris: Mercure de France, 2002). Jeanne d Arc d. Méliès (France; 1899, 10 mins.) Joan the Woman d. Cecil B. Demille (USA; 1916) The Passion of Joan of Arc d. Carl Theodor Dryer (France; 1928, 117 mins.) Regularly labeled one of the ten best films of all times, as it should be. The Marvelous Life of Joan of Arc d. Marc de Gastyne (France; 1929, 124 mins.) Popular historical reconstruction. Joan of Paris d. Robert Stevensen (USA; 1942, 91 mins.) Stars Michèle Morgan. Joan of Arc d. Victor Fleming (USA; 1948, 100 mins.) Stars Ingrid Bergman. Joan the Maid d. Jacques Rivette (France; 1993, 227 mins.) Also in two parts: Joan the Maid The Battles (112 mins.) and Joan the Maid The Prisons (115 mins.). The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc d. Luc Besson (France; 1999, 160 mins.) See Journal français (Dec. 1999; Jan. 2000). Joan of Arcadia: A new American TV series embodying the tale of Joan of Arc. Jewish Issues: See works of Chantal Akerman See works of Nina Companeez Europa, Europa d. Agnieszka Holland (Germany/France/Polan; 1990, 112 mins.) About a Jewish boy who conceals his religion to survive the Holocaust. Diabolo Menthe (aka Peppermint Soda) d. Diane Kurys (France, 1977, 97 mins.)

251 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 253 Entre nous d. Diane Kurys (France; 1983, 110 mins.). Moi Ivan, Toi Abraham d. Yolande Zauberman (France; 1993, 105 mins.). Vers une terre promise d. Ina Fichman (Canada [Québec]; ) Longing d. Amalia Margolin (Israel; 1998, 50 mins.) In Hebrew w/ subtitles. A young woman arrives at a deep understanding of Judaism, especially of Hasidism. Available from Facets. Warshaw sur la Main (aka Warshaw on the Main) d. Tally Abecassis (Canada [Québec]; 1999, 52 mins.) Documentary. Mémoire moire des souvenirs (aka Remembering Memory) d. Lara Fitzgerald (Canada [Québec]; 1999, 53 mins.) Les Enfants de Dana (aka Danas Kinder) d. Véronique Taveau (France; 1998) About the Jewish Diaspora. Le Premier du nom d. Sabine Franel (France; 1999; 1 hr. 50 mins.) Documentary. Petite conversation familiale d. Hélène Lapiower (France, 1999; 1 hr. 5 mins.) La Bûche d. Danièle Thompson (France; 1999, 106 mins.) Les Fantômes de Louba d. Martine Dugowson (France; 2001, 107 mins.) Deux femmes à Paris d. Caroline Huppert (France, 2000, 1 hr. 30 mins.) On est venu me chercher d. Ilana Navaro (France; 2001, 23 mins.) La Petite Prairie aux bouleaux d. Marceline Loridan-Ivens (France; begun 2002 completed 2003, 91mins.) La Guerre à Paris d. Yolande Zauberman (France; 2002, 85 mins.). Anne Trister ( , 101 mins.) and Emporte-moi (1998, 94 mins.) d. Léa Pool (Canada [Québec]). By men Liberty Heights d. Barry Levinson (USA, 1999; 2 hrs. 12 mins.) The Pianist d. Roman Polanski (UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland; 2002, 2 hrs. 28 mins.) A Polish Jewish musician struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II. Revenge/Rape (See also Rape ) Thelma and Louise d. Ridley Scott (USA; 1991, 128 mins.) Baise-moi (aka Rape Me) d. Virginie Despentes (France; 2000, 1 hr. 17 mins.)

252 254 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS By Men I Spit On Your Grave (aka: I Hate Your Guts; aka The Rape and Revenge of Jennifer Hill) d. Meir Zarchi (USA; 1978, 100 mins.). Banned or at least cut in many countries. Manon des sources d. Claude Berri (France; 1986, 113 mins.) Scientific inquiry vs/ superstition or censorship L Œuvre au noir d. André Delvaux (France; 1988, 110 mins.) Adaptation of the work by Marguerite Yourcenar concerning Zénon of the sixteenth century. Sexual abuse of children (see also under Children ) Des marelles et des petites filles (aka Of Hopscotch and Little Girls) d. Marquise Lepage (Canada [Québec]; 1999, 52 mins.) Le Chapeau d. Michèle Cournoyer (Canada [Québec]; , 6 mins.) ONF; Animated Short. Solitude and Exile 2, rue de la Mémoire d. Marilú Mallet (Canada [Québec]; 1996, 42 mins.) Sports (Women and Sports) Algérie, les crampons de la liberté d. Véronique Taveau (Algeria; 1998, 42 mins.) Documentary re women s soccer teams. A League of Their Own d. Penny Marshall (USA; 1992, 128 mins.) Secret Society d. Imogen Kimmel (UK & Germany; , 95 mins.) Concerns Summo wrestling. Gaea Girls d. Kim Longinotto, Jano Williams (UK/Japan; 2000, 106 mins.) Documentary about Japanese women wrestlers. But I m a Cheerleader d. Jamie Babbit (USA; 2000, 84 mins.) Involves the question of homosexuality as well. The Coral Gardens and Wonders Under Water (aka Underwater Impressions aka Impressions sous-marines ) d. Leni Riefenstahl (Germany; 2002, 45 mins.) A record of Riefenstahl s dives in the Indian

253 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 255 Ocean between 1974 and Available from Facets. See all her films; this, her most recent, was made at the age of ninety-nine. I Was Made To Love Her: The Double Dutch Documentary d. Nicole Franklin (USA; 2000, 92 mins.) Explores this skipping game involving two ropes and three or more people. By men Personal Best d. Robert Towne (USA; 1982, 124 mins.) Poles Apart d. Greg Stiever (USA; 2000, 85 mins.). In 1993 polar explorer Ann Bancroft led the American Women s Expedition team in the first trip to ski from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole. Even before the AWE left America she discovered misogyny and homophobia from prospective sponsors. Rocks With Wings Rick Derby (USA; 2002, 113 min.) Chronicles the story of Jerry Richardson, a black man from Texas, who takes a teaching job in New Mexico coaching a women s basketball team in a Navajo community. Suicide L Idée noire d. Mireille Dansereau (Canada [Québec]; 2000, 52 mins.) Suspense Pancake on a Hot Tin Roof d. Lois Siegel (Canada; 1990; 26 mins.) Temptress, Woman as... Temptation of a Monk d. Clara Law (Great Britain; 1997, 80 mins.) War (Women and) Algeria: Women at War Produced by Parminder Vir (Algeria; 1992, 52 mins.) Mudjahadines, the women fighters during the war of

254 256 FRANCOPHONE WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS independence from the French ( ), recall their own experiences. A new generation of women seeks a path between democracy and the fundamentalism of Islam. Available from Women Make Movies. Women s Lives On various aspects of woman s life see the films of Margarethe von Trotta. (An article on her is found in Séquences 187 [November/ December 1996]: ) Also, the films of Allison Anders are useful: Gas, Food and Lodging; Mi Vida Loca; Grace of My Heart. For the Asian woman see the films of Clara Law: The Reincarnation of the Golden Lotus; Autumn Moon; Floating Life; Temptation of a Monk, etc. See Mathieu Perreault in Séquences 193 (November/ December 1997): Many films concerning African women are found at: film.html. Seas of Thirst (aka Behar El Attash) d. Attiyat Al-Abnudi (spelt in various ways) (Egypt; 1981,? mins.) In 1980, the inhabitants of this fishing village were fighting a daily battle by women and children to obtain potable water. The film s somewhat ironic title makes the images of the location so beautiful and so poignant even sadder. See below under Work. Reassemblage d. Trinh T. Minh-ha (USA/Senegal; 1982, 40 mins.) A complex study of women in rural Senegal. Available from Women Make Movies. Paris Was a Woman d. Greta Schiller (USA; 1995, 75 mins.) See Women Authors. Quatre Femmes d Egypte d. Tahani Rached (Canada [Québec]; 1997, 89 mins.) ONF By men Elles (Women) d. Luis Galva Teles (Portugal/Belgium; 1999, 115 mins.) Filmed in Lisbon in French; 5 women turn forty an age often demanding an evaluation of one s life. Visages de Femme d. Désiré Ecare (Ivory Coast; 1995, 105 mins.) See above under Marital Strife. Zandile: In the Light of Ubuntu d. Michel Regnier (Canada; 1997, 52 mins.) A look at the political struggle of South Africa s black

255 2: CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES 257 community today through the eyes of Zandile Gumede. Available from Facets: VHS: S The Mother of Light and Her Daughters d. Viola Shafiq (Egypt; 1999, 54 mins.) Coptic women discuss changes in Egyptian women s lives. Available from Facets for institutional use only; $ Le Harem de Mme Osmane d. Nadir Mokneche (Algeria; 1999, l hr. 40 mins.) Women in Algeria in Since her husband has left to live with a French woman, Madame Ousmane tyrannizes her entourage. See Le Pariscope (12 July 2000): 71. Also see Première (Summer 2000): 50. Women s Rights By Men Not for Ourselves Alone: Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony d. Ken Burns/Paul Barnes (USA; 1999, 210 mins.) Sheds light on friendship and the connections between two of the greatest figures in the fight for women s rights. Available from FacetsL VHS: S Quatre Femmes d Egypte. Tahani Rached. Photo used with permission of the National Film Board of Canada.