What to Watch in May on TV5MONDE
This month, discover, among others on TV5MONDE, Les petits meurtres d'Agatha Christie, one of the best French series of the moment. Also, airing May 24, don't miss the documentary film Hauts les filles!, which combines interviews and iconic footage to recount the untold history of French female rock stars like Edith Piaf, Vanessa Paradis, Charlotte Gainsbourg and more.
Ceux qui travaillent (2018)
May 8 at 8:30PM ET/5:30PM PT, in French with English subtitles
A poignant social drama about the cynicism of today's capitalism. The film's style is uncompromising and unrelenting.
After having devoted his entire existence to work, Frank, a senior executive in a large ocean freight company, is forced to resign. He is lost. Unemployed, he no longer knows where he belongs. Realizing he has neglected his family for too long and needs to take a long, hard look at him life.
"A compellingly social, and broodingly existential, look at unemployment." - Hollywood Reporter
Cast: Olivier Gourmet (Frank), Adèle Bochatay (Mathilde), Michel Voïta (Jérémy), Pauline Schneider (Hilde), Delphine Bibet (Nadine), Louka Minnella (Harold), Isaline, Prévost (Jeanne), Lalia Bron (Inès)
Genre: Drama
Je me suis fait tout petit (2011)
May 10 at 8.30 PM ET/5.30 PM PT, in French with English subtitles
Denis Ménochet is exceptional as an endearing and tender anti-hero. A splendid debut film.
There's nothing to keep Yvan in Paris. His wife has left him to live in Thailand. His daughters have chosen to live with his sister. But, ready to leave, his plans suddenly need a total rethink as the beautiful Emmanuelle arrives in his life, accompanied by Léo, his wife’s son!
"A first film that's impressively realistic, which gives pride of place to excellent actors, starting with the masterful Denis Ménochet." - Écran Large
Directed by: Cécilia Rouaud
Cast: Denis Ménochet (Yvan), Vanessa Paradis (Emmanuelle), Léa Drucker (Ariane), Laurent Lucas (Luc), Laurent Capelluto (Simon), Angèle Garnier (Manon), Louise, Grinberg (Élise), David Varvalho-Jorge (Léo), Valérie Karsenti (Claire)
Genre: Comedy
Le vent tourne (2017)
May 14 à 8.30 PM ET/5.30 PM PT, in French with English subtitles
A captivating and disturbing atmosphere takes hold of this romantic film, which is most certainly not over-sentimental, which once again highlights the talent of Mélanie Thierry.
In the Jura mountains, Pauline and Alex are small farmers living in harmony with nature and dreaming of self-sufficiency. But when Samuel, who's come in install a wind-turbine, asks Pauline about her choices, doubts creep in. It's the only life she knows. Is the modern world as hostile as they say?
“The film nicely explores the unpredictable intersection of ideals and passion, making a parallel between mankind's inability to control the natural world and human fallibility when it comes to keeping emotions in check.]– Variety
Directed by: Bettina Oberli
Cast: Mélanie Thierry (Pauline), Pierre Deladonchamps (Alex), Nuno Lopes (Samuel), Anastasia Shevtsova (Galina), Patrick Lapp (Willy)
Genre: Drama
Haut les filles (2019)
May 24 at 8:30PM ET/5:30PM PT, in French with English subtitles
An exciting and dynamic musical documentary that does not fail to lift the veil on a patriarchal industry.
What if French Rock was born with Edith Piaf? From sweet sixties pop to today’s gender in different anthems, from feminist rebels of the seventies to fashion icons of the social media age, from Françoise Hardy to Christine & The Queens, via Vanessa Paradis, Catherine Ringer, Charlotte Gainsbourg and many more, Oh Les Filles! tells the untold story of French female rock stars. This groundbreaking documentary combines interviews and iconic footage to radically reverse perspectives and give the patriarchy a kick! Welcome to France, the land where women rock!
"The biggest merit of Armanet and co-writer Bayon, who like Armanet worked at the left-leaning Liberation newspaper, is that their interviews feel very raw and at times even soul-baring.."- Hollywood Reporter
Directed by: François Armanet
Cast: Sophie Marceau
Genre: Documentary
Les petits meurtres d'Agatha Christie: Ding Dingue Dong (2018)
May 31 at 11 PM ET/8 PM PT, in French with English subtitles
A Hitchcockian series with a tongue-in-cheek humor and investigations that are always well put together. One of the best French series of the moment.
A patient is brutally murdered in Dr. Rodier's psychiatric clinic. As Marlène is suffering from depression, Swan Laurence persuades his faithful secretary to become a patient at the establishment. Shortly afterwards, Rodier's wife is murdered. Laurence, who was her lover, is immediately the prime suspect.
"Macabre humor, social criticism and burlesque à la Tati punctuate the new opus of Les Petits Meurtres d'Agatha Christie." - Télérama
Directed by: Christophe Campos
Cast: Samuel Labarthe (Swan Laurence), Blandine Bellavoir (Alice Avril), Élodie Frenck (Marlène), Cyril Gueï (Timothée Glissant), Arnaud Binard (Louis Rodier), Marie Berto (Arlette Carmouille), Dominique Thomas (Ernest Tricard), Bérénice Baoo (Clarisse Rodier), Kevin Garnichat (Nathan Steiner), Chloé Chaudoye (Marie Steiner), Maïra Schmitt (Adèle Rodier)
Genre: Thriller