Saturday, February 26, 2011

Preparing RENDEZ-VOUS, TrustMovies takes a break....

Even as the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Unifrance prepare for the annual RENDEZ-VOUS WITH FRENCH CINEMA series, TrustMovies is preparing his annual and complete coverage of this event, which means viewing every one of the 22 new films, mulling and then posting.  

TM can tell you now, however, that the question What do we do with our immigrants? hovers over many of the films in the fest in some manner, major to minor. Whether those immigrants are in prison (above, in Free Hands), singing and dancing in a new musical (below, from Leila), part of a grand comedy of escalating events (as in Top Floor, Left Wing, shown at bottom) or -- as in one of the gems of this year's fest -- opening up the heart and soul of a bourgeiois gentleman of a half century ago in Service Entrance, shown at top), they play their parts sadly, comically, beautifully, meaningfully. And they keep that immigrant question bubbling on the front burner.

With 22 movies to cover (TM has seen almost all at this point), it'll take awhile, so when you hear from him again (early next week), that post will be up.  Meanwhile, you can peruse the entire festival, which this year has four separate venues, here (where you'll find the Walter Reade Theater schedule), here (that of the IFC Center), and here (the BAMcinématek). Opening night this year is at Manhattan's Paris Theater (but, as usual, opening night is already sold out).

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