The Names of Love (2010)
"Le nom des gens" (original title)

A young, extroverted left-wing activist who sleeps with her political opponents to convert them to her cause is successful until she meets her match.

Director:

Michel Leclerc

Writers:

Baya Kasmi, Michel Leclerc

Stars:

Jacques Gamblin, Sara Forestier, Zinedine Soualem

3 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jacques Gamblin	...	Arthur Martin
Sara Forestier	...	Baya Benmahmoud
Zinedine Soualem	...	Mohamed Benhmamoud
Carole Franck	...	Cécile Delivet Benmahmoud
Jacques Boudet	...	Lucien Martin
Michèle Moretti	...	Annette Martin
Zakariya Gouram	...	Hassan Hassini
Julia Vaidis-Bogard	...	Annette à 30 ans
Adrien Stoclet	...	Arthur Martin adolescent
Camille Gigot	...	Arthur Martin enfant
Laura Genovino	...	Bahia Benmahmoud enfant
Rose Marit	...	Annette enfant
Youari Kime	...	Mohamed Benmahmoud enfant
Yann Goven	...	Le pianiste
Nabil Massad	...	Nassim

Storyline

Bahia Benmahmoud, a free-spirited young woman, has a particular way of seeing political engagement, as she doesn't hesitate to sleep with those who don't agree with her to convert them to her cause - which is a lot of people, as all right-leaning people are concerned. Generally, it works pretty well. Until the day she meets Arthur Martin, a discreet forty-something who doesn't like taking risks. She imagines that with a name like that, he's got to be slightly fascist. But names are deceitful and appearances deceiving...

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Plot Keywords:

activist | veterinarian | france | jewish | algerian | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content including graphic nudity, and some language

Details

Official Sites:

Music Box Films [us] Official site [us]

Country:

France

Language:

French English Greek Arabic

Release Date:

24 November 2010 (France)

Also Known As:

People's Names

Filming Locations:

Bagnolet, Seine-Saint-Denis, France

Box Office

Budget:

$4,600,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$30,372 (USA) (24 June 2011)

Gross:

$513,836 (USA) (18 November 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Delante Films, Karé Productions, TF1 Droits Audiovisuels

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Co-writer Baya Kasmi co-directed the film's making-of.

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Goofs

When Bahia's mother is characterized by her likes and dislikes, she can be seen as a hippie in the 70s, and it is mentioned that she hates films of the 70s starring Alain Delon with the word "flic" (cop) in them. Then a poster of the film Pour la peau d'un flic is briefly shown. Yet, that film only opened in 1981.

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Connections

References The Class (2008)

User Reviews

Amazingly rich and funny comedy

Imagine your second name is Leclerc, which is also that of a famous hypermarket chain. Now imagine you have a friend who writes scripts whose first name is Baya, only 26 other people in France have in common with you. Nobody would spare you the question, «Leclerc, ... like the hypermarket?» while your friend couldn't escape «Baya, where does it originate from? Brazil?» whereas her roots are North African. Why not take these two peculiarities as a starting point for a romantic comedy that would deal with questions that matter to you: emigration, identity, the duty to remember, family secrets, taboos, politics?

Michel Leclerc thus becomes Arthur Martin, an Avian Flu expert, whose name immediately calls to mind a well known French cooker brand. And Baya will be Bahia Benmahmoud, an extrovert girl who makes a point of sleeping with as many right-wingers as possible to win them over to the leftist cause. And on they are for a very original, very deep film which, by trying to unite two such dissimilar people, successfully spans the history of France, from the 1930's until today . And a very funny one too (the two most irrepressible scenes being the catastrophic dinner with the in-laws and the crazy cameo of former Prime Minister Lionel Jospin). The direction is particularly inspired, creative and unconventional (the characters who address the camera, Jacques Boudet playing a student and a young soldier whereas he is in his seventies because Arthur can't imagine him young, Arthur's dialog with his dead grandparents). «Le nom des gens» has less to do with a standard French comedy than with such brilliant oddities as «Toto le Héros», «Crazy» or «Le premier jour du reste de ma vie», also with Jacques Gamblin, who is perfect here as the dull biologist slowly opening himself to real life. In the role of his wild, passionate but insecure guide on his way to love and life, Sara Forestier gives her best performance since «L'Esquive». Also to be noted are Zinedine Soualem as Bahia's sweet Algerian- born father, Carole Franck as his energetic militant wife, Jacques Boudet and Michèle Moretti as Arthur's parents. And of course Lionel Jospin, who displays a great sense of humor in his only scene. If you like inventive movies that make you both smile and think over, this one is for you.