North American Premiere
A woman gets interviewed by a young journalist for her heroic act of saving children, but she’s a moody and reluctant participant. A tough and poignant drama about how people are more than their actions, and how heroes can be ordinary people who were not really thinking about the danger they faced. This is a thoroughly enticing story that keeps you on edge with a gripping, eerie, and unpredictable lead character. The sounds of the rushing river and torrential rain build the tense mood and add to the emotional impact. It’s a wonderfully different two-hander with terrific performances that show us different degrees of trauma as the film slowly reveals the act of bravery she still has difficulty talking about.
Community Partner
Pauline Lorillard, Soumaye Bocoum, Damien Lemercier
France
2021
In French with English subtitles
Featured in:
International Shorts: Having a Bad Day
Misadventures, bad choices, and a series of unfortunate events are all present in this program of short films. There is some serious drama and a bit of comedy on display in these exhilarating, thoughtful, and unpredictable tales.
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The Holdovers
Destined to become a seasonal staple, this bittersweet comedy reunites Sideways director and star Alexander Payne and Paul Giamatti in the portrait of a surly classics teacher forced to babysit five "orphans" at boarding school over the holidays.
Who by Fire
Jeff, a 17-year-old aspiring filmmaker, goes on vacation with his friend Max and his family to an isolated lodge. Philippe Lesage’s film is a tense, mesmerizing tour de force that is both agonizing and cathartic. A Berlinale award winner.
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Aardman Animation's handcrafted mix of dad jokes, slapstick, mock dramatics and understated emotion makes this return for the claymation odd couple a constant delight. The villainous Feathers McGraw is back to no good, commandeering Norbot the robot. Rated: G
Gremlins (40th Anniversary)
The perfect last minute Xmas gift: give your special someone a cute ball of fur and don't worry about where it came from. Just don't put it under bright lights, don't get it wet, and whatever you do, please, please don't feed it after midnight... Rated: PG
Image: © 1984 WBEI
The Count of Monte Cristo
You can't beat this evergreen Alexandre Dumas tale for adventure, intrigue and romance. This lavish French blockbuster from the writers of the recent Three Musketeers movies pulls you in from the first scene and doesn't let off for the next three hours. Rated: PG
Credits
Producer
Thierry Lounas, Claire Bonnefoy
Screenwriter
Julie Debiton
Cinematography
Robin Fresson
Editor
Baptiste Petit-Gats
Original Music
Maurice Marius
Director
Julien Gaspar-Oliveri
Julien Gaspar-Oliveri directed Passe with Laure Calamy and then Villeperdue, a medium-length film released in theatres in 2017. The film received the Jury and Audience awards at the Festival International du Film Francophone de Namur. His short film, L’âge tendre, was broadcast on Arte in 2020, selected by many festivals, and nominated for the 2022 César Awards for Best Short Film. Gaspar-Oliveri also teaches theatre and cinema at the Cours Florent in Paris.