FFM 2006 (1)

Well well, one does see things better with a schedule in paper. I took down a number of films, including many of which are free screenings on the Place des Arts esplanade...

Zazie dans le Metro (France, 1960): I actually saw it in cegep, for the last class of our French literature course. It's based on Raymond Queneau's novel, and is delightfully 60s, feel-good and remarkably nonsensical. A lot of people I know would be pleased to discover this pearl of retro cinema. [Monday at 8:30PM, on the Esplanade]

Daisy (South Korea, 2006): But the cineast is HK-based, and is probably best remembered for Infernal Affairs, although I am told that he made quite a bunch of blockbusters. It's rather romantic, and is the story of a young woman in Amsterdam meeting two men attracted to her, but each respectively hiding something from her. Umm, so the action happens in the Netherlands, but the cast is all Asian? [Aug 25, 26 and 27]

Taiyo no Uta / Midnight Sun (Japan, 2006?): Sounds like one of those minor-ish Japanese films I've been putting under my belt at Fantasia, the FFM, and the Nouveau Cinema fest (and whatever other reason they show minorish Japanese films in Mtl). Another romantic filck - the story of a young woman with a rare skin disease that forces her to hide from the sun. She meets a boy student who will change her life, blabla. [Aug 31, Sept 2 and 3]

Les Filles Du Botaniste (France-Canada, 2006): Another Dai Sijie film. One probably knows him for Balzac and the Little Seamstress (with Zhou Xun casted as the seamstress). And I'm not sure whether to appreciate the intro to China, or despise the extremely romanticized of China for Westerners. 'Cause, you know, Dai Sijie is probably more famous in France, and the West than he'll ever be in China? At least, that seems to be the impression I'm getting, that he is not genuine Chinese, like Francois Cheng, and every other Chinese author writing in French (so, why is every Chinese author going to France? I connected the dots... Mao and the others studied in France, duh). But Les Filles Du Botaniste is probably more controversial b/c it's a story on lesbian love in communist China. And if you scan the FFM schedule looking for ambiguous / potential lesbian stories, you will find aplenty (but then, there are probably more than 100 films showing this year...).

À Bout De Souffle (France, 1959): La Nouvelle Vague. I am a fan of Wong Kar-Wai, but have failed to go watch what inspired him, and seen too many LJ icons to think of missing this chance. XD This one has J-P Belmondo, Jean Seberg, and is directed/written by Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut, so I immediately assume it borders on the classic of classics. [Sept 2 (a Saturday), 10:30PM, Esplanade]

In The Mood For Love (HK, 2000): Ok, no comments. [Sept 1, 10:30PM, Esplanade]