April 12th
Antoinette in the Cevennes
Collectiv
Short and sweet this week: one doco nominated for two major Oscar awards, plus a sweet and funny French film about an immature woman growing up, with the help of a donkey.
Antoinette in the Cevennes
Dir: Caroline Vignal
Length: 97 mins
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© Palace - he may be stubborn, but
he's a good listener. |
Antoinette Lapouge (Laure Calamy) is a fun-loving, free spirited, naive, romantic, young teacher who is having an affair with Vlad, the father of one of her students. When Vlad reneges on a planned escape with Antoinette, saying he is going away hiking with his wife and kid, she decides to head off to the same region, renowned for its rugged walks. When she books her hike, she adds the option of walking with a donkey. I'm not usually a big fan of French comedies, but this one is a winner, not the least because of the entertaining relationship between Antoinette and Patrick, her sturdy equine companion to whom the garrulous Antoinette bares her soul as they walk. As well as having glorious scenery in the mountainous southern part of France, the film is a delightful tale of a woman learning about herself and gaining a bit of much-needed maturity.4 - highly recommended!
Collectiv
Dir: Kornel Mundruczo
Length: 126 mins
Cinema Nova Exclusive
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© Madman - corruption at the highest levels
exposed in nightmare scenario |
In 2015 a horrific fire in a Romanian nightclub claimed the lives of 50 victims. Many died under ghastly conditions in hospital; some survived with horrendous burns. A local newspaper started investigating only to discover a massive fraud around the quality (or lack thereof) of hospital disinfectants, but this investigation went deeper, further exposing the scale of corruption in the Romanian hospital system and the government itself. Nominated for a Best Documentary and a Best Foreign Film Oscar, this is gruelling, and at times tedious viewing, as it mulls over the ins and outs of meetings between health activists, journalists and politicians. But, as with every expose of this nature, it is important viewing, as without films like this, corrupt leaders will never be held to account. For my taste there is too much "talking heads", but fortunately an alternate focus upon one brave burns victim, the subject of a poignant photographic exhibition, brings an intensely personal gaze to a nightmare story.3.5 - well recommended
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