Les Misérables: Boyz n the French Hood

By José Alberto Hermosillo

COLCOA FILM REVIEW: Brilliant, compelling, and merciless masterwork, “Les Misérables” is a fresh new approach to Victor Hugo’s magnum opus, to today’s urban, conflicting suburbs in France.

The winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes 2019 endures universal themes of inequality, marginalization, greed, violence, and social injustice.

 

Lodj Ly, director of  Les Misérables at COLCOA. Photo José Alberto Hermosillo, Festival in LA ©2019

 

Director Lodj Ly, influenced by his experiences during the 2005 big-city project riots, adapted Les Misérables from his 2017 Award-Winning short film.

 

The timing of this astonishing film debut couldn’t be better. Lodj’s story begins with the eruption of collective euphoria on the streets of Paris, sparked by the victorious celebration of France’s 2018 FIFA World Cup win in Russia. The event unified the country and also highlighted its social differences.

 

The film moves from the iconic Parisian monuments to the not-so-charming projects of Montfermeil, 10 miles east of Paris. Inside those tiny apartments in the middle of the raucous construction site, people crowd in, surviving on limited resources and in difficult circumstances.

 

As the camera moves in, conspicuously, we start to learn more about the composition of the new French society, integrated by Africans, Muslims, and Middle Eastern immigrants. Their descendants: hundreds of young people out on the streets, as a chorus in this never-ending operatic composition, trying to tell us something more meaningful and substantial about people’s struggles.

From the very beginning, the antagonistic groups line up. Among them are the gypsies, owners of a colorful circus; the black immigrants; the mafia guys; the Muslim Brotherhood; and the shady cops.

 

The officers’ actions trigger out-of-control chaos, and the anarchy could jeopardize their well-being. The compromising situation can be overwhelmingly dangerous and explosive, like a Molotov cocktail.

In her more serious role as Le Commissaire, Jeanne Balibar (known for “Barbara” and “I Hate Love”) instructs her police officers about the concept of “solidarity” at the police station: “There is no solidarity without a team; we are alone; you only have each other.” She introduces a new member, Brigadier Stéphane Ruiz, played by Damien Bonnard (from “The Trouble with You” and “Dunkirk”), to the squad. The other two officers, Chris and Gwada (portrayed by Alexis Manetti and Djibril Zonga), are hesitant to accept the rookie.

 

In the patrol, Chris takes the lead, acting above the law and feeling like the new sheriff in a cowboy movie town. He thinks he can do whatever he wants.

 

The officers’ felonies begin with harassment of teenage girls at a bus stop. They must also deal with merchants and informants at the open market or mediate between gypsies and Muslims over a stolen lion cub.

 

As the story unfolds rapidly, only some trends become fully resolved. The audience wants to follow up on a video taken by a drone operated by a kid who witnessed police brutality. We want to know whether the video went viral and what viewers’ reactions are in the story - after all, things get out of control effervescently. 

Lodj Ly, director of  Les Misérables, and actors Damien Bonnard and Djibril Zonga at COLCOA. Photo José Alberto Hermosillo, Festival in LA ©2019

This new, more visceral adaptation of Les Misérables was inspired by director Lodj Ly’s witnessing of police brutality. 

 

He said his film was hard to finance because of its subject matter. It took him nearly ten years to make. Two hundred people participated in his epic production. The young actors were primarily children from the immigrant community with no experience, hope, or future. By participating in this film, they found new meaning in their lives. 

 

In Lodj Ly’s words, he compromises with the marginalized, underprivileged immigrant community. Therefore, he is creating a film school to introduce children to the visual arts and to let them tell their stories through powerful images of their surroundings. 

 

Lodj Ly, director of  Les Misérables at COLCOA. Photo José Alberto Hermosillo, Festival in LA ©2019

French society unifies when the World Cup is won. Soccer gives a feeling of belonging to a country. But when the game is over, everyone goes back to their differences. 

 

The reality presented in Les Misérables shakes the viewer by juxtaposing collective happiness with the anarchy caused by corrupt cops. The award-winning project vividly depicts young people struggling with a lack of future in an alienating society.

 

The French film is cathartic, offering a small window of hope and the possibility of constructing an inclusive society soon, in an idealistic sense. 

 Djibril Zonga, actor. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo, Festival in LA ©2019

Lodj Ly, director of  Les Misérables. Film critic José Alberto Hermosillo, Festival in LA, ©2019

 

 

Les Misérables. Official trailer.

 

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Cyrano, My Love: A Fine French Comedy of Love and Errors

By José Alberto Hermosillo

COLCOA FILM REVIEW: ‘Cyrano, My Love’ is an exhilarating, crowd-pleasing, subtle French comedy.

The success of “Shakespeare in Love” inspired young French actor/director Alexis Michalik to write “Cyrano, My Love,/Edmond,” an opulent period piece set at the end of the 1800s.

Alexis Michalik, director. Photo by Jose Alberto Hermosillo. Festival in LA ©2019

When Michalik was ready to produce the film, he had no one to back him up. 

Before he gave up trying to find the money, he traveled to London - where he saw the play version of the 1998 Best Picture Oscar winner “Shakespeare in Love.” Then, he decided to adapt his film script to the theater. “Cyrano, My Love” becomes one of the biggest hits in French theater history. The play is still running in Paris for more than three years.

Alexis Michalik, director. Photo by Jose Alberto Hermosillo. Festival in LA ©2019

Thanks to the success of his comedy in the theater, Michalik was able to direct his first feature. 

Unfolding in the world of Parisian theaters in 1897  - “Cyrano, My Love” chronicles the frantic struggle of young playwriter Edmond Rostand to deliver an entire play in verse named, ‘Cyrano de Bergerac.’ The problem was that Edmond only had the title and nothing else.

Actor Thomas Solivérés is magnificent, playing Edmond Rostand. His histrionic characteristics have the potential to reach up to the level of the great Buster Keaton. Solivérés' elegant performance connects with the audience rapidly. The young and talented French actor also worked in other transcendental French films such as “The Intouchables,” continuing his ascendant career with “Les gorilles,” “The Tournament,” “Love at First Child,” and “Honey Bunny.” 

In the story, Edmond must leave behind his previous flops, jealous wife, and two children and move on to something bigger-than-life to fulfill his destiny. He only needs divine inspiration, a muse, a pal, or an event that could ignite his passion for writing. The luck will be on his side – he will have more of what he bargains for in a series of fun-to-watch trials and errors.

The task of writing a brilliant piece won’t be easy the constant pressure of the legendary performer Constant Coquelin, magnificently played by the prolific actor Oliver Gourmet (“Conviction,” “Madame Bovary,” “Violette,” and “Black Venus”).  

Coquelin challenges Edmond to have the play done as soon as possible. In the mise-en-scene, the ambition of the Corsican producers has no limits. They impose an elderly diva for the female lead. 

Everyone’s reputation and prestige are in peril without a script. They also need the theater’s permits, another necessary point to accelerate the pace and to have the promised play ready for the Holidays,

Edmond Rostand was satisfied with the first and second acts in the writing process. Feeling motivated, he continues adding three more to this masterpiece - written in rhyming couplets and Alexandrine verses.

Cyrano de Bergerac is the fascinating story of the tragic hero with a long nose who wants to gain the love of his cousin Roxanne. In literature, to be considered a “Tragic Hero” is a character who must arouse pity from the audience, have a downfall, and possess admirable traits.

Alexis Michalik’s passion for theater started when he was three-year-old. In “Cyrano, My Love,” he mixes accurate historical facts surrounding the life of such a talented writer and actors with some literary liberties that make this piece enjoyable and fun to watch.

Alexis Michalik, director. Photo by Jose Alberto Hermosillo. Festival in LA ©2019

For Michalik, the most challenging part of making the film was to adapt the screenplay to the stage because theater has other specifications and arrangements for actors to deliver their lines. He had to place on hold the movie he had in mind due to the lack of interest of the potential producers. 

The talented director added. “It was an excellent experience to do the play before the movie because everyone involved in the film saw how the story evolves in the theater.” - Both a considerable successes.

CYRANO, MY LOVE. LA PREMIERE. Festival in LA ©2019

“Cyrano, My Love” was shot entirely in the Czech Republic, said Alexis Michalik in a Q&A after screening his U.S. Premiere during the 2019 COLCOA French Film Festival. 

For Michalik, acting and directing his first feature film was easy. Michalik considers himself an excellent auto-critic even though, sometimes, he is too harsh to himself.

Alexis Michalik, director Festival in LA ©2019

“Cyrano, My Love” is a highly gratifying romance to watch. 

The farce and the entanglements are funny  - not only for the talented actors who played their parts stunningly but for audiences worldwide who fell under the spell of Cyrano and his pursuit of love.

 “Cyrano, My Love.” Official trailer.

 Alexis Michalik, director. José Alberto Hermosillo, a film critic. Festival in LA ©2019

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Polina: From the Classic Russian Ballet to the World of Contemporary Dance

By José Alberto Hermosillo

Inspiring and beautiful, “Polina,” or in French, “Polina, danser sa vie,” recites the incredible journey of a young Russian ballerina with big dreams and great expectations. 

“Polina” still courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories© 2017 

Based on the graphic novel by Bastein Vivès, “Polina” opens with an unforgettable, recurring image of a seven-year-old girl performing in the woods.

Polina grows into a beautiful teenager. With discipline and talent, she continues to develop as a ballerina at a prestigious Academy in Moscow.

“Polina” still courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories© 2017 

At the Academy, Professor Bojinski’s military methods make Polina’s life more stressful. The tutor challenges his pupils with pain and strict discipline. “A real artist always longs for perfection,” he says.

The Bolshoi Ballet is one of the most significant contributions to Russian culture, a national symbol of pride. Every year, many young aspiring Russian dancers compete to be part of it. The Bolshoi is the ultimate goal. Polina is not the exception. She, as well, will do the impossible to be part of the most prestigious dance company in the world.

“Polina” still courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories © 2017 

In life, love always plays a tricky game -- Polina falls for Adrien, played by Niels Schneider (“Heartbeats,” “I Killed My Mother”), a charming French dancer who introduces her to the world of contemporary dance.

In France, Polina lands in the hands of a famous modern dance guru named Liria Elsaj, played by Oscar-winning Juliette Binoche (“The English Patient”).

Binoche is a chameleon of an actor who transforms herself into an extraordinary character with perfection in every film. 

Liria is a professional coach who demands that her talented dancers tap into the best of their inner selves if they want to continue pursuing their dreams.

She firmly believes, “When you dance, it is important to feel the absence of someone you love.” 

She continues, “An artist observes, looks around, and masters his technique. A real artist is always looking for perfection. You must learn your craft and be ready for your big moment.”

In the streets, Polina bounces with the underground dancers of Paris, the unprivileged, marginalized immigrants who like to dance to contemporary music in the free spaces, plazas, and alleys. She is amazed to see the dancers moving with the freedom she never had. 

Jérémie Bélingard is a real-life star of the Paris National Opera. He plays a motivator who helps troubled kids improve through modern dance with striking techniques. 

“Polina” still courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories© 2017 

Bélingard’s presence is sublime. His interaction with Polina marks a turning point in the story and gives Polina’s life real meaning. 

For the role of Polina, directors Angelin Preljocaj and Valérie Müller-Preljocaj auditioned 700 dancers before they discovered Anastasia Shevtsova at the Mariinsky Theater in Saint Petersburg.

Anastasia Shevtsova is a real virtuoso. Her breakthrough performance in “Polina” is extraordinary - she has exceptional acting abilities and professional dancing skills.

“Polina” graces some of the most stunning locations across Russia, France and Belgium. The gorgeous cinematography is by George Lechaptois. He displays Polina’s world with elegance and beauty.

The original music score is by 79D. “Polina’s” musical evolution seamlessly goes from the classics to the contemporary sounds of modern dance.

“Polina” is enjoyable and original, and it breaks conventions, although the editing could be more timely, with smoother transitions to lend the film a sense of modernity.

Polina’s final conflict is within herself—she has to make important decisions about her life. Will she play a character in “The Nutcracker,” perhaps in “Snow White,” or will she merely perform herself in contemporary ballet?

Remember, the best role of your life is the one where you can be yourself.

“Polina” trailer

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Cezanne and I: An Extraordinary Journey of Art and Friendship

By José Alberto Hermosillo

 

“Cezanne et moi” is a highly accomplished period film about art, love, and the friendship between two of the most important French artists of the 19th century who achieved lasting fame: Paul Cezanne, the overlooked painter, and Émile Zola, the famous author. It is magnificent!

 

The beautiful French production unfolds into an intimate biopic that reflects the lives and camaraderie of these two legendary artists.

 

The nonlinear story shifts between the present and various stages of their childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

Their friendship begins when Émile Zola, bullied by classmates for being the son of an Italian immigrant father who is absent, meets Cezanne, the wealthy boy who defends him at a Catholic school located in a small province of France.

Their ambitions drive them to move from Aix-en-Provence’s peaceful Mediterranean hillside town to Paris. In Montmartre and Batignolles, Inglewood, they meet other emerging and established artists such as Monet, Renoir, Bazille, Morisot, and Cassatt.

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

Zola and Cezanne became roommates. They slept with the same women and fell in love with many questionable reputations. During tough times, the artists struggled almost to the point of starvation.

 

Zola’s background was not French, but his writing was eloquent and descriptive. Fame and fortune came first for the writer, while the painter battled his inner demons.

 

Cezanne hated himself so much that he destroyed some of his most valuable artwork. He was not alone; his unique, groundbreaking Impressionist style received negative reviews from other traditional artists, despite the connection it made with young art lovers.

Guillaume Gallienne (Cezanne). Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

 

This feature film perfectly illustrates how the two friends lived in their opposite worlds, facing their trials and failures. The artist followed his true passions.

Frustrated by being ignored by the Academy of Arts, Cezanne hit rock bottom. However, Zola always cared for his friend.

Cezanne openly expresses his emotions to Zola, saying, “I would like to paint as well as you write.” He continues, “If I live with a man I love, I should live with a woman who hates me, yes?” Then, when their friendship becomes tiring, he ends with a sentimental note: “I can’t remember why you love me so much.”

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

The prestigious Academy of Arts labeled Zola’s “Germinal” and “Nana” as vulgar and obscene. Despite the scandal, French readers had a strong appetite for those stories, so his success was inevitable.

Guillaume Canet (Zola). Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

The film does not portray Zola’s experiences in brothels, as he details those in his controversial novels. A brief comparison of Zola’s wild parties highlights his tumultuous lifestyle. This may be one reason why the ambitious biopic received mixed reviews in France. Conversely, showing the darker side of Parisian nightlife would shift the focus away from the main theme—the friendship between two great artists. 

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

 

Actors Guillaume Gallienne (Cezanne) and Guillaume Canet (Zola) excel in their respective roles and give outstanding performances. 

 

 Director Daniele Thomson. Photo by José Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA

The film is skillfully directed and written by Daniele Thomson (“Avenue Montaigne,” “It Happened in Saint-Tropez/Des Gens Qui s’embrassent”). Mrs. Thomson’s years of experience in filmmaking create an essential and transcendental film about the lives of two of the most celebrated artists in French history.

Director Daniele Thomson and film critic José Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA

Daniele Thomson’s comedy writing is subtle, sharp, and elegant—delightful. She focuses on the dynamics of conversations and expands the dialogue to convey the actors’ true emotions to the audience. Mrs. Thomson can be considered the WooFrench equivalent FreWoody Allen

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

The stunning photography is evocative and completely beautiful. Legendary French cinematographer Jean-Marie Dreujou (“Two Brothers,” “Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress”) did remarkable work, highlighting those incredible visuals that vividly connect to the contrasting lives of the writer and the painter.

 

 Erik Neveux (film composer). Photo by José Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA

The music features a rich collection of natural and evocative sounds that gracefully create the perfect atmosphere of the period with harmony and elegance.

The original music by Erik Neveux (Intimacy, The Attack) is exquisite. The violins, cellos, guitars, and flutes resonate flawlessly, enriching the mood to match the story’s setting.

Viewers will experience a stunning film filled with art, passion, and those unforgettable moments that define a lifetime of friendship.

 

The “Cezanne and I” soundtrack
Photo by José Alberto Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA

 

Erik Neveux (film composer) and film critic José Alberto Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA

 

Cezanne and I” official trailer

 

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