Portraits chinois (1996)

Ada and Lise are both costume designers, the first is around 20, the other around 30. Both are working hard on their break through. There are also jobs for the movies. This is where Lise ... See full summary »

Director:

Martine Dugowson

Writers:

Martine Dugowson (scenario), Peter Chase (scenario)

Stars:

Helena Bonham Carter, Romane Bohringer, Marie Trintignant

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Helena Bonham Carter	...	Ada
Romane Bohringer	...	Lise
Marie Trintignant	...	Nina
Jean-Philippe Écoffey	...	Paul
Elsa Zylberstein	...	Emma
Yvan Attal	...	Yves
Sergio Castellitto	...	Guido
Predrag Manojlovic	...	Alphonse (as Miki Manojlovic)
Jean-Claude Brialy	...	René Sandre
Sophie Simon	...	Agnès
Emmanuelle Escourrou	...	Stéphanie
Katerina Mechera	...	Emilia (as Katia Mechera)
Mathilde Seigner	...	Fanny
Artus de Penguern	...	Gérard
Pierre Baillot	...	Monsieur Verdoux

Storyline

Ada and Lise are both costume designers, the first is around 20, the other around 30. Both are working hard on their break through. There are also jobs for the movies. This is where Lise meets producer Alphonse, who is nearly 20 years older than she. Because he is unhappy with his girlfriend a secret relationship evolves. Ada has problems as well, but she's not the only one. There are also the young Emma and Nina, as well as Yves and Guido - enough people to get into complicated relationship entanglements.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Details

Country:

UK France

Language:

French

Release Date:

25 June 1997 (France)

Also Known As:

Shadow Play

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$3,972 (USA) (5 November 1999)

Gross:

$16,367 (USA) (8 September 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

IMA Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Features Senso (1954)

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Soundtracks

"Maman, Papa"
Written by Georges Brassens

User Reviews

A delightful French satire on the young French bourgeoisie

I very much enjoyed this delightfully unusual film. The French are noted for their style, their self-assurance, their savoir-faire and savoir-vivre, and French films from Rohmer to Sautet present us with a world of elegance, intelligence, and charm. The inner angst of this world is normally shown in dramas like Un Coeur en Hiver or Une Femme Française, and there is no question that the French are, in fact, very self-aware and conscious of their own limitations. Portraits Chinois, however, uses humour and wit to convey the inner lives of its characters, their fantasies, the lies they tell themselves, and the ways in which they resolve their (mainly romantic) dilemmas. There isn't a false note anywhere, and there are several very fine performances, among which Helena Bonham-Carter's stands out. Her French is nothing less than flawless. It's just the sort of film that is worth re-watching once one knows how their stories pan out. The reviewer who thought it was awful rubbish obviously hasn't watched much French cinema.