SIFF watch: French Friday
By josh
June 16th, 2006 @ 2:08 PM
film
- In François Ozon’s Time to Leave (Le Temps Qui Reste) [siff], a hot young French fashion photographer learns that he has incurable cancer that will kill him within a few months. The film, a moving but not melodramatic document of his last days, follows as he copes with his impending demise. Although terminal illness does not turn him to syrup in his relationships with his boyfriend or family, he gains our symptahy and makes very believable if unconventional choices. Occasional flashbacks remind him of his youth, Jeanne Moreau shows up as a sexy grandmother, and 5×2‘s Valérie Bruni-Tedeschi drops in for one of the festival’s stranger menage a trois scenes. This also marks Ozon’s first foray into widescreen Cinema Scope; the results are quite lovely. [4/5]
(tonight at 7 & tomorrow at 1:30, Neptune)
- Backstage [siff] is an oddly compelling story of celebrity and romantic obsession. A pop star with a cult-like following makes a surprise appearance at the home of one of her biggest fans, who completely freaks out on walking into her house to find herself surrounded by camera crews while her favorite song is sung to her by her favorite singer and object of her teenage fantasy lust. Following the freakout, she follows the star to Paris and penetrates the inner circle, gaining groupie confidante status. From there, it’s a high wire act of shifting power and allegiance. It’s hard to look away. [4/5]
(tonight at 9:30, the Egyptian; Sunday at 3:30, Neptune)
