“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.
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| 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.
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| 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.”
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures. |
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Director Daniele Thomson. Photo by José Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA
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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.
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| 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
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| Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures. |
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| 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.
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| The “Cezanne and I” soundtrack Photo by José Alberto Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA |
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| Erik Neveux (film composer) and film critic José Alberto Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA |
