DAVID THION

THE TROUBLE WITH YOU (2019)
Starring Adèle Haenel, Pio Marmaï, Audrey Tautou, Damien Bonnard, Vincent Elbaz, Octave Bossuet, Hocine Choutri, Alexandre Marouani and Jean-Louis Barcelona. Directed by Pierre Salvadori.

On the French Riviera lives detective Yvonne, the principled young widow of the local police chief who was killed in the line of duty. Each night she puts their young son to sleep with tales of his daring and bravery, so naturally Yvonne is horrified to learn that her husband was not the embodiment of virtue as she had been led to believe, but rather that an innocent man, Antoine, has spent eight years falsely imprisoned as a result of his corruption.

Yvonne decides to do everything she can to help return the hapless parolee to his regular life and devoted fiancé. Unfortunately, Antoine has trouble adjusting back to society, and soon blows a fuse that leads to an hilarious trail of destruction, where moral, social and romantic obligations are put to the test in a spectacular way.

SORRY ANGEL
Starring Vincent Lacoste, Pierre Deladonchamps, Denis Podalydès, Rio Vega, Adèle Wismes, Thomas Gonzales, Clément Métayer, Quentin Thébault, Tristan Farge and Marlène Saldana. Directed by Christophe Honoré.

The intertwining journeys of Jacques, a worldly Parisian writer, and Arthur, a curious, carefree and much-younger university student who is just beginning to live. Brought together by chance, the two men find themselves navigating a casual fling that gradually deepens into a tender, transformative bond.

ROOM 212
Starring Chiara Mastroianni, Vincent Lacoste, Camille Cottin, Benjamin Biolay, Carole Bouquet, Marie-Christine Adam, Harrison Arevalo, Stéphane Roger and Charlie Morgan. Directed by Christophe Honoré.

Maria is a formidable university professor, whose stale marriage of two decades has seen her seek out affection elsewhere. After their latest squabble, Maria checks into the hotel directly across the street from their apartment; article 212 of the French civil code states spouses “owe each other respect, fidelity, support and assistance”, so it’s no coincidence that the room she’s allocated bears this number. >{? As it happens, the room offers more than a bird’s eye view of her home; she’s magically able to scrutinise not only her husband but scenes from their marriage. The arrival of some unexpected visitors from their past complicates things further: they have opinions too, and plan to share them.

THE GIRL WITHOUT HANDS
Starring Anaïs Demoustier, Jérémie Elkaïm, Philippe Laudenbach, Sacha Bourdo, Olivier Broche, Françoise Lebrun and Elina Löwensohn. Directed by Sébastien Laudenbach.

In hard times, a miller sells his daughter to the Devil. Protected by her purity, she escapes but is deprived of her hands. Walking away from her family, she encounters the goddess of water, a gentle gardener and the prince in his castle.

REVIEWS The Girl Without Hands - A dreamily animated survival story