LA BELLE EPOQUE. Dir. Nicolas Bedos. 2019

Imagine if you could be taken back, to re-enact your most special memory? Could surrendering to your fantasy be dangerous?

Two couples; one middle-aged, with love gone sour, and the other young and creative, who are tormenting each other with the intensity of their passion. All of them are on personal journeys.

Fanny Ardant plays Marianne, a career woman enthusiastic about the present and future, with depressed husband Victor (Daniel Auteuil) who is alienated by digi-tech, and a constant irritant to his wife. Actress Margot (Doria Tiller) and Antoine (Guillaume Canet) are also driving each other crazy.

Antoine is a brilliant entrepreneur, directing a historical reconstruction company, selling clients the chance to live their dreams. Victor accepts his invitation to re-live the evening in 1974 when he met his wife, to a simpler time when ‘people talked to each other.’

This is a clever, charming, and very funny film, well-crafted with excellent writing and direction, and terrific acting throughout. Insightful and surprising screenplay, with its fine observations of human behaviour, it is also touching, wise and compassionate. Highly recommended.

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GLORIOUS 39. Dir Stephen Poliakoff. 2009

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LOVERS OF THE ARCTIC CIRCLE. Dir. Julio Medem 1998

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HARRIET. Dir. Kasi Lemmons. 2019

Astonishing true story of early freedom fighter, Harriet Tubman, enslaved in the Southern states of America. Despite her marriage to a freeborn African-American, she was unable to protect any of their hoped-for children from being born into that same slavery, and being owned by the farm proprietor. Her overpowering sense of injustice compelled her to act. She escapes, and eventually becomes one of America’s great heroes. Her audacity is astonishing, the level of courage she sustained, her extraordinary tenacity and physical endurance, not to mention cunning and excellent planning. One of those qualities would be worthy of high praise but she is exceptional for having all of them, created by her determination to rescue her family and then other captives. She was responsible for the escape of almost 300 slaves Her religious faith was absolute and she felt guided by God to help others, aided by Abolitionists and free African-Americans. Filmed in glorious colour, with deft...

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