In this edition of arts24, Manon Kerjean from Lost in Frenchlation joins Charlotte Lam to take a closer look at three French films of the moment: From a terrifying birthday party to a relationship that slowly turns toxic, this month’s French cinema brings plenty of tension, drama and dark humour.
First up is Léa Mysius’ The Birthday Party (Histoires de la nuit), a claustrophobic home-invasion thriller starring Hafsia Herzi, Benoît Magimel, Bastien Bouillon and Monica Bellucci. Based on Laurent Mauvignier’s novel, it follows a family celebrating a birthday at their isolated farmhouse – until three unexpected visitors arrive and turn the evening into a nightmare.
Next is Géraldine Nakache’s Think Good (Si tu penses bien), a striking departure from the director’s previous comedies. Monia Chokri and Niels Schneider play a couple whose seemingly perfect relationship gradually becomes one of control and manipulation. Told through six years of their relationship, the film explores coercive control and the warning signs that can be difficult to see when you are inside an abusive relationship.
We then turn to Jeanne Herry’s Garance, starring Adèle Exarchopoulos. The film charts eight years in the life of a young woman whose drinking gradually takes over her relationships, work and everyday life. Rather than portraying addiction as a sudden downfall, Herry focuses on how it can develop almost invisibly. Exarchopoulos gives an intensely physical performance in the lead role.
And finally, we travel back 80 years for Jean Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast. The French cinema classic is returning to the big screen in a new 4K restoration, offering a chance to rediscover its extraordinary sets, costumes and makeup and the unforgettable transformation of Jean Marais into the Beast.
