The Five French Films to Watch on TV5MONDE in December
On the agenda for December, TV5MONDE provides unforgettable César Award winners, such as Chocolat with the charasmatic Omar Sy, and Au revoir-là haut, a compelling tale of two World War I veterans who become scam artists in order to survive.
Rêves de jeunesse (2019)
December 5 at 8.30PM ET/5:35PM PT, in French with English subtitles
"A sensitive, offbeat portrait of youth in quiet revolt.." - Hollywood Reporter
Cast : Salomé Richard (Salomé), Yoann Zimmer (Clément), Estelle Meyer (Jessica), Jacques Bonnaffé (the man on a bike), Christine Citti (the mother), Aude Briant (Salomé's manager), Carl Malapa (Kevin), Iliana Zabeth (Aline), Paul Spera (Julien), Eberhard Meinzolt (the father), Théo Cholbi (Mathis)
Genre : comedy
Les drapeaux de papier (2018)
December 8 at 8.30PM ET/5.30PM PT, in French with English subtitles
An energetic, lighthearted and incredibly tender feature film about a reunion between a brother and sister, captured by a 19 year old director!
At 23, Charlie leads a simple life, dreaming of becoming an artist. When her brother finds her again after a long prison sentence, everything changes. Vincent is 30. How can he fit into a world he no longer recognizes? Charlie wants to help him but his violent reactions frighten her...
“Gestures, faces, hands in the light, shadows on the walls, small symbolic objects: the director (who edited the film himself) has an innate sense of image, which allows him to tackle a very harsh human topic in a relatively delicate manner..." - Cineuropa
Cast: Noémie Merlant (Charlie), Guillaume Gouix (Vincent), Sébastien Houbani (Pierre), Jerôme Kircher (Jean), Alysson Paradis (Emma), Anne Loiret (the psychologist)
Genre : Drama
L'autre continent (2018)
December 12 at 8:30PM ET/5:30PM PT, in French with English subtitles
Romain Cogitore avoids melancholy overload by producing a one of a kind, delicate love story that somehow turns a painful love story into something uplifting.
Maria, 30, a tour guide, is impatient and rebellious. Olivier is slow, shy and speaks fourteen languages. They meet in Taiwan and fall in love. But their lives change when Olivier is diagnosed with a serious illness. Hospitalized in France, the young man falls into a coma.
"Convincingly acted continent-hopping drama." - Hollywood Reporter
Director : Romain Cogitore
Cast :Déborah François (Maria), Paul Hamy (Olivier), Daniel Martin (Jacques), Christiane Millet (Sophie-Charlotte), Vincent Perez (Professor Deglacière), Aviis Zhong (Professor Chen), Nanou Garcia (Danouta)
Genre : Drama
Au revoir là-haut (2017)
December 29 at 8:35PM ET/5:35PM PT, in French with English subtitles
Poetic, off the wall, moving, hilarious - Albert Dupontel's masterpiece is everything you want in a film and is undoubtedly one of the best made in France in recent years.
November 1919.
Two survivors from the Great War, Édouard Péricourt and Albert Maillard,
put together a war memorial scam. A plan that, in the France of the Roaring Twenties, turnsout to be as dangerous as it is spectacular...
"Dupontel's film version of the ambitious Victor Hugo-like tome accomplishes precisely what modern cinema seems to be lacking when old-timers complain that "they don't make 'em like they used to." - Variety
Cast : Nahuel Pérez Biscayart (Édouard Péricourt), Albert Dupontel (Albert Maillard), Laurent Lafitte (Pradelle), Héloïse Balster (Louise), Niels Arestrup (Marcel Péricourt), Émilie Dequenne (Madeleine Péricourt), Mélanie Thierry (Pauline), Kyan Khojandi (Dupré)
Genre : Dramatic Comedy
Chocolat (2016)
December 15 at 8:30PM ET/5:30PM PT, in French with English subtitles
"Zem's spirited evocation of Paris bohemia, fin-de-siecle style, has turned the film into a box-office hit in France, as well as exciting debate about race relations." - Sydney Morning Herald
Avec : Omar Sy, James Thiérrée, Noémie Lvovsky