05/04/2006

Four European fiction features are being released on French screens today. They are up against four US productions including Ice Age 2, and a South African film (Carmen, Golden Bear 2005 at Berlin).

But this week in France the spotlight is on Locked out [+see also:
trailer
film profile], directed by the very original Albert Dupontel who also plays a starring role in the film. Produced by Eskwad and distributed on 340 prints by UGC, this third feature from the actor (Irreversible, Cash Truck, Orchestra Seats [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) has had much positive criticism in the press and from exhibitors. The film tells the delirious misadventures of a homeless man who accidentally finds a police uniform and wears it in order to be able to eat in police canteens, the film is a mix between a burlesque comedy and a social satire shot under pressure.

Frenchman Laurent Tuel’s comedy Jean-Philippe [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (see article) which features a cast of Fabrice Luchini and Johnny Hallyday in a Fidélité production released on an impressive 550 prints by Mars Distribution . But Belgian outsider L'iceberg [+see also:
trailer
film profile] from trio Dominique Abel - Fiona Gordon - Bruno Romy (see interview) has also been a hit with critics and will try to make the most of its 15 prints distributed by MK2. Meanwhile Portuguese film The Fatalist [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] from Joao Botelho (Portugal) – in competition at last year’s Mostra (critique) – will try to do likewise with its 10 prints distributed by Gémini Films.

Finally, this Wednesday marks the release of three documentaries and an experimental film: Novociné has released Tabac, le conspiration by Nadia Collot on 26 screens; Pierre Grise Distribution the Belgian/French co-production Congo River – Beyond Darkness [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Thierry Michel (screened in the Forum section at Berlinale 2006) on six screens; and Parisian cinema La Géode has programmed US/Spanish co-production Expédition Nil Bleu (lit. “Blue Nile Journey”) by Jordi Llompart.

As for France’s Pierre Coulibeuf, he is offering audiences Somewhere in between an experimental film portrait of the choreographer Meg Stuart (Regards Distribution - 2 prints).

(Translated from French)