For the Festival de Cannes 2019, BLINKCO Magazine is pleased to introduce Lara Gaillard, special correspondent in France for the coverage of the events surrounding the film festival.
Making new discoveries is one of the many perks of being in Cannes, as for my sixth day at the festival, I attended the screening of Nicolas Bedos’ latest, La Belle Époque. Presented out of competition, it is a dramatic comedy starring Daniel Auteuil in the lead role, Guillaume Canet, Doria Tiller and Fanny Ardant. Auteuil plays Victor, a 60-year-old man given the chance to relive the time when he met his wife (Ardent). Setting the scene forty years earlier, Nicolas Bedos offers us a film focusing on melancholy, and the importance of beautiful memories. Even with its very few shortcomings, La Belle Époque allows Daniel Auteuil to deliver one of his most authentic performance, taking the role with genuine passion. As for Guillaume Canet, his performance as a brilliant entrepreneur who’s company gave their client an opportunity to return to an era of their choice, solidified his talent on both sides of the camera. My only minor hangup would be Doria Tiller’s acting that I found rather forced and annoying, but maybe that was also the intended effect.
Ira Sachs’ Frankie was screened right after this important evening for Nicolas Bedos at the Grand Théâtre Lumière. Although starring the talented Isabelle Huppert, her strength could not carry the film as it lacked the pace compared to others such as Sorry We Missed You (Ken Loach) or Les Misérables (Ladj Ly), as the audience’s reception was rather lukewarm.
A film I would’ve liked to see is Chicuarotes by Gael García Bernal, presented as a Séance Spéciale. Due to conflicting time schedule with La Belle Époque, I did not make it to this screening but there was much anticipation buildup at the Red Steps as the film’s cast and crew made it up to the Palais des Festivals.
Lara Gaillard (Cannes, France)
BLINKCO Taste Curators are not just a collection of skilled writers. They are valuable content creators who live and breathe our brand’s lifestyle and wish to share their experiences with the world. We are constantly looking for more talented contributors, please email info@blinkco.ca to discuss further collaborative considerations.
