Lost In Frenchlation – Details, episodes & analysis

Today on Lost in Frenchlation we talk to the renowned director Diane Kurys about her most recent film Moi qui t’aimais (Me who loved you.) Diane has had a truly incredible career. In this episode she shares with us the story of her parents falling in love as Jews in Europe during the holocaust, how that influenced her films about the nuances of love and commitment, and of course we talk about what it was like to write and direct a film about the complicated marriage of two French Entertainment Icons, Simone Signoret and Yves Montand.

Moi qui t’aimais is the story of a famous love affair between French entertainment royalty: Simone Signoret and Yves Montand. They had a wild and deep, but also fraught love. They were married from the 50s until her death in 1981. During that time they became one of the most influential couples in France.

Find out more about the cinema club Lost In Frenchlation on https://lostinfrenchlation.com/

You can listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

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On November 13th, at L’Arlequin cinema, Manon Kerjean screened Revoir Paris for the 10th anniversary of the Paris terrorist attacks. Revoir Paris is set during the attacks of 2015.

During the screening, Manon and ARBL Murray (Alex Brook Lynn) were able to interview the filmmaker who captured that fateful day so remarkably, Alice Winocour. Alice talked to us about the impetus to make the film, using sound design to help the audience feel the memory fragmentation and trauma of the characters.

Alice also talks about how she immerses herself in a subject entirely while making a film and what it means to have represented this story, the story of so many victims, and of Paris itself.

Find out more about the cinema club Lost In Frenchlation on https://lostinfrenchlation.com/

You can listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Donate to World Radio Paris Here: https://worldradioparis.org/donate/

On this episode of Lost in Frenchlation, Manon Kerjean and ARBL Murray talk to the crew at the Luminor Cinema, one of the oldest movie houses in Paris, about what it’s like to run an art-house theater. From the Paris projectionist shortage to the regulations for film distribution, the story of the Luminor touches all facets of film culture in Paris and, more broadly, France.

Andy Sellitto is the cinema manager, and Anna Dichio coordinates events as well as heads the awareness campaign to Save The Luminor. They reveal for us what it’s like to run this place, in one of the most famous neighborhoods in the world (The Marais), while fighting for the attention of cinema-goers and dodging building owners who want to shut it all down.

For see what is playing at the Luminor go to:

https://www.luminor-hoteldeville.com

For more information about Lost in Frenchlation and to buy tickets go to:

https://lostinfrenchlation.com

More Information on World Radio Paris

For this holiday episode we are delving into cinema history with renowned cinephile, David Honnorat, and talking all bout French comedy film. Our focus is Santa Claus is a Stinker (Le père Noël est une ordure) 1982, and French Fried Vacation 2: The Bronzes go Skiing (Les Bronzés font du ski) 1979.

David is a renowned cinephile and video essayist. He runs a successful youtube channel called Calmos named after another film of the time by Bertrand Blier. He also wrote a movie guide and a Movieland map.

David unpacks the cultural influences that made this era of comedy so unique and gives us some background on the Parisian theater company (Le Splendid) that created the movement.

There are two of David’s videos with English subtitles on his channel Calmos

The essay on Kitchen with Apartment (1993)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj5aedz2iso

And OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (2006)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0fURk7ykLI

Show Hosts are ARBL Murray (Alex Brook Lynn) and Manon Kerjean

Show Notes:

We love giving our audience a little homework. Here are David’s recommendations for getting started with French Comedy:

OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (2006)

Spy comedy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSS_117:_Cairo,_Nest_of_Spies

La Grande Vadrouille (1966)

French civilians help a stranded British Royal Air Force crew navigate Nazi Occupied France to safety.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Grande_Vadrouille

Other French Comedy and Film Comedians mentioned in this episode:

Le splendid – Theater Troupe

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Splendid

Coluche – A French stage comedian

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coluche

Ettore Scola’s Ugly, dirty and nasty (Affreux, sales et méchants)

A dark Italian comedy about life in the outskirts of Rome.

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affreux,_sales_et_méchants

For More Information Go to Lostinfrenchlation.com

In this episode ARBL Murray (Alex Brook Lynn) and Manon Kerjean talk to director Simon Bouisson about his latest film DRONE, his past work as an interactive filmmaker, building stories around the many layers of truth behind emerging technologies, the male gaze, making electronic music with composer Paul Saban, and using Artificial Intelligence in cinema. We also find out about what it was like to work with the drone racing community and the famous drone pilot, Benoit Finck.

Drone is the story of Émilie, a young woman who has been accepted into an elite architecture program at one of Paris’ top schools. To support herself and her education she works as a cam girl on the side. She enters into a strange relationship with a drone that watches her from her window at night. At first the drone seems to be a protector and friend but soon things turn very sinister and she has to uncover the truth about where this mysterious drone comes from and who is behind it.

Simon Bouisson is a graduate of the prestigious La Fémis film school in Paris. After graduating he directed documentaries while exploring the possibilities of interactive filmmaking. His first feature narrative “Wei or Die”allowed the audience to switch between many points of view running simultaneously from a cell phone to a police body cam. Then he made “République,” a film about a terrorist attack. With an app the viewer could slide through three running narratives as single points of view or in split screen. He went on to work with the idea of “slow TV” n a 9 hour experience for France 4 in which a man walks forward around a reversed Tokyo with all its inhabitants moving backward. In 2020 he started directing a more linear type of series called STALK playing with the themes that are also present in DRONE: the digital world, its opportunities, its dangers, and how human nature can become warped by being so “online.” Most recently he has been working on a feature film utilizing AI technology. You can read about it here (in French).

This episode was recorded at The Luminor Cinema

For more information about Lost in Frenchlation and to buy tickets go to:

https://lostinfrenchlation.com/

Paris is the birthplace of Cinema culture and one of the most filmed cities in the world. On this episode of Lost in Frenchlation we talk about the history of films shot in Paris and the directors who love to shoot the city of light.

Juliette Dubois​​ is a cinema historian who gives intricate guided tours of Paris based on the films that have been set there. Her company is Ciné-Balade, and has been operating since 2011. She recently came out with her first cinema guide book

Juliette talks with ARBL Murray and Manon Kerjean about the history of French cinema, the history of film shot in Paris, and the different cinematic movements in Paris throughout the last century-and-a-half. Juliette also gives us a comprehensive “must-see” list of Parisian cinema in the episode.

“Paris ciné-balades: 15 parcours fléchés pour les amoureux du 7e art” or “Paris cinema walks: 15 signposted routes for lovers of the 7th art”

To Book a Tour with Juliette Dubois​​ for to Ciné-Balade.com

IN THIS EPISODE:

Must Know Directors

Alice Guy, the prolific and under known first female director. (Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blache/ A documentary by Jodie Foster)

Agnes Varda made films in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s she was part of but still distinct from the New Wave movement.

Must-See Agnes Varda Films: Faces Places, Cleo from 5-7

François Truffaut, Part of the French New Wave. Made his most well-known film about his boyhood in the 9th arrondissement of Paris.

Must-See Films: 400 Blows with actor Antoine Doinel.

Cédric Klapisch, Contemporary. A man who loves to film Paris.

Must-See Films: Encore

For more information about Lost in Frenchlation and to buy tickets go to:

https://lostinfrenchlation.com/

Just a Couple of Days (Quelques Jours Pas Plus) is a recent film by Julie Navarro which focuses on the plight of refugees in Paris as a romantic comedy unfolds in the background. A music journalist is assigned to cover “hard news” and ends up at a protest to keep the doors open at a refugee resource center. He meets the passionate Matilde, who he likes, and who convinces him to house a refuge for… “just a couple of days.”

The main character is played by Amruallah Safi. The actor was an Afghani asylum seeker who had never acted nor seen a film on the big screen. Manon Kerjean and ARBL Murray (Alex Brook Lynn) talk with Julie and Amruallah about how they managed to cross language barriers and make this film with an incredible cast including French cinema heavyweights Camille Cottin, and Benjamin Biolay.

Julie Navarro is a seasoned Assistant director and Casting director, and this is her first feature film as Director.

For more information about Lost in Frenchlation and to buy tickets go to:

https://lostinfrenchlation.com/

Could you tell me how your favorite film tastes? This week we talk with Emily Neff who makes custom ice cream flavors in Paris about making a flavor for the beach films of Éric Rohmer. Emily unpacks the allure of these films as summertime staples of French cinematic culture while Manon Kerjean and ARBL Murray (Alex Brook Lynn)ask questions trying to get to the heart of what these movies taste like as ice cream.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

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For More information on Lost in Frenchlation

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IN THIS EPISODE:

Movies We Talk About:

Summer’s Tale/Conte d’été (1996) -Éric Rohmer

Clair’s Knee/Le Genou de Claire (1970) -Éric Rohmer

The Green Ray/Le Rayon vert (1986) – Éric Rohmer

Benedetta (2021)- Paul Verhoeven

Simple Comme Sylvain/The Nature of Love (2023)- Monia CHOKRI

Le Deuxième Acte/The Second Act (2024) – Quentin Dupieux

Call Me by your name (2017)– Luca Guadagnino

La Piscine (1969) – Jacques Deray

Ice Cream Shop Recommendations in Paris:

Folderol

10 Rue du Grand Prieuré, 75011 Paris, France

JJ Hings

46 Rue Bichat, 75010 Paris, France

(@jjhings)

Movie Theaters in Paris We Discuss:

Summer Program Eric Rohmer:

https://www.epeedebois.com/

L’Arlequin

76 Rue de Rennes, Paris 75006

https://dulaccinemas.com/cinema/2625/l-arlequin/seances

A Few Good Reads on Éric Rohmer:

New Yorker Article on Eric Rohmer’s Movie Music

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/eric-rohmers-movie-music

New York Times Article on

“Make This an ‘Eric Rohmer Summer.’

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/18/style/summer-fashion-eric-rohmer.html

New York Times review of Clair’s Knee in 1971

https://www.nytimes.com/1971/03/07/archives/-claires-knee-close-to-a-perfect-movie-claire-close-to-a-perfect.html

Recorded for World Radio Paris at independent cinema Club de L’Étoile in Paris.

In this episode Yannick Champion-Osselin & Manon Kerjean interview Sionann O’Neill & Joan Lagache, the two translators for ‘Anatomy of a Fall.’ The thriller that was lauded internationally for its use of linguistics as a plot device.

‘Anatomy of a Fall‘ follows Sandra, a German writer, her French husband Samuel, and their eleven-year-old son Daniel in a remote town in the French Alps. When Samuel is found dead in the snow below their chalet, the police question whether he committed suicide or was killed, and Sandra becomes the main suspect.

Little by little the trial becomes not just an investigation of the circumstances of Samuel’s death, but an unsettling psychological journey into the depths of Sandra and Samuel’s conflicted relationship.

The film received the Palme d’or in Cannes last year, a Bafta, Golden Globes, one oscar, and six César, among other prizes.

Lost in Frenchlation’s host and founder Manon Kerjean recaps her time at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival with ARBL Murray. Manon talks about the French films that walked away with awards, the movies she found most moving, Greta Gerwig’s place as the new Jury president, and the prevalence of the #MeToo movement on the red carpet.

We talk about the aging Richard Gere, a great film with Demi Moore, 'The Substance' and the extraordinary actions of actress and activist Judith Godreche.

This episode is produced and hosted by ARBL Murray and recorded remotely from Paris and Cannes.