La France (2007)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Serge Bozon

Writers:

Serge Bozon (writer)
Axelle Ropert (writer)

Release Date:

11 July 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical | Romance | War

Plot:

As the First World War echoes in the background, Camille lives peacefully in the North-East of France...

Plot Keywords:

France | World War | Soldier | Male Female Relationship | Lieutenant

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Sylvie Testud	...	Camille
Pascal Greggory	...	Le Lieutenant
Guillaume Verdier	...	Le cadet
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Pascale Bodet	...	La fille de la colline
Bob Boisadan	...	Le guitariste
Jean-Christophe Bouvet	...	Elias
Didier Brice	...	Jean
Philippe Chemin	...	L'agent de liaison
Guillaume Depardieu	...	François
Benjamin Esdraffo	...	Pierre
Michel Fossiez	...	Le hautboïste
Vincent Fraiscinet	...	Le gendarme
Laurent Lacotte	...	Frédéric
Pierre Léon	...	Alfred
Emmanuel Levaufre	...	Elias's son
François Négret	...	Jacques
Cécile Reigher	...	Camille's sister
Laurent Talon	...	Antoine
Lionel Turchi	...	Le violoniste
Laurent Valéro	...	Le bandonéoniste
Mehdi Zannad	...	La sentinelle

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Company:

Les Films Pelléas

Trivia:

Bozon stated in a Cinema Scope interview that the film was shot using "a film stock never used before to shoot a movie, Kodak 5299, which is usually used as an intermediate film in numerical post-production." This was used to achieve the so-called "aquarium feeling" of the film's night scenes.

No, You're Not Crazy

I aim the title at any who have seen this movie and had friends remind them that their mouth was hanging open as they viewed. To potential new viewers, let these remarks serve as a warning.

I will say that the musical element of the film was actually quite charming and wonderful in an absurd sort of way. It had absolutely nothing to do with the story line and initially contributed to our confusion. We soon abandoned all hope of understanding why anything occurred, but the musical interludes were always welcome.

Heaven forbid you are amongst a group or encounter others who feel the movie is worthy of analysis or discussion beyond: "What the hell was THAT all about?" It had some interesting moments, but since they never really contributed to understanding, I had to limit my rating to 3 stars.

I saw this with a large audience at the Seattle Int. Film Festival, a fairly sophisticated and accepting group of aficionados. Many still had mouths agape even as we filed out of the theater, as their disbelief and confusion was not easily overcome.