The thorny subject of child abuse is depicted delicately and with great attention to detail in this affecting debut feature from young Belgian filmmaker Emanuelle Nicot. The film is part of this year’s Cannes Critics’ Week programme and features an impressive turn by newcomer Zelda Samson. Les Miserables and The Eddy stars Alexis Manenti also stars alongside Marie Denarnaud and Jean-Louis Coulloc’h.
Twelve year old Dalva (Samson) lives alone with her father Jaques. One evening, the police storm into their home and arrest her father. Confused about the series of events that took place, a terrified Dalva demands to be reunited with the father she calls by his first name, but is instead given a physical exam and taken into care. Later the teenager befriends her feisty new roommate Samia who reluctantly agrees to teach her naive new friend about things she should have known by now.
Meanwhile Dalva...
Twelve year old Dalva (Samson) lives alone with her father Jaques. One evening, the police storm into their home and arrest her father. Confused about the series of events that took place, a terrified Dalva demands to be reunited with the father she calls by his first name, but is instead given a physical exam and taken into care. Later the teenager befriends her feisty new roommate Samia who reluctantly agrees to teach her naive new friend about things she should have known by now.
Meanwhile Dalva...
- 4/28/2023
- by Linda Marric
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
"I'm scared... of being alone." 606 Distribution has revealed an official trailer for a lively French drama titled Love According to Dalva, marking the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Emmanuelle Nicot. This originally premiered in the Critics Week sidebar section at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival last year, and also Camerimage in Poland, and just won the Audience Award at the 2023 Rotterdam Film Festival. The film stars newcomer Zelda Samson as the young woman at the center of it all. Dalva is 12, but she dresses and lives like a woman. One day, she's taken away from her house. Dumbfounded at first, she later meets Jayden, a social worker, and Samia, a teen with a temper. A new life seems to start for Dalva. The film also stars Alexis Manenti, Fanta Guirassi, Marie Denarnaud, & Jean-Louis Coulloc'h. There's still no US release set, but it'll open this April in the UK - which...
- 2/24/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
A chilling, controlled pressure cooker of a film, Charlène Favier’s Slalom brings attentive nuance to a story of psychological and sexual abuse. Set amongst the slopes of the French alps, the Cannes-selected drama centers on Lyz Lopez (Noée Abita), a 15-year-old skiing prodigy whose life is more or less controlled by her callous instructor Fred (Jérémie Renier). With his predatory advances shrouded and twisted in the mutual desire for competitive success and filtered through the young girl’s initial intrigue, Favier expertly delves into the psychological prison that soon becomes her daily existence. Far from a one-note #MeToo message movie, Slalom brings a poignant sense of restraint with fleshed-out characters for a thoroughly unnerving experience.
Clearly Fred’s favorite student, Lyz becomes ostracized by her fellow pupils in this high-stakes training program, with no one wanting to date her much less befriend her. Leaving only room in her life for skiing,...
Clearly Fred’s favorite student, Lyz becomes ostracized by her fellow pupils in this high-stakes training program, with no one wanting to date her much less befriend her. Leaving only room in her life for skiing,...
- 4/8/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
"I told you. Hard work pays off." Kino Lorber has released a new official US trailer for a French film titled Slalom, which was supposed to premiere at the 2020 Cannes Film Festival last year before it was cancelled. Under the guidance of a strict ex-champion, a promising 15 year old girl named Lyz trains as a professional skiing star. She ends up becoming an object of desire for the coach. The director uses "brilliant camera work to stage a highly topical story about the crossing of boundaries in the field of world-class sports... She takes a deep look into the psyche of a young athlete who unexpectedly finds herself faced with the fact that even the biggest dream is not worth any price. The story of an emancipation." Starring Noée Abita as Lyz, with Jérémie Renier as Fred, Marie Denarnaud, Muriel Combeau, Maïra Schmitt, and Axel Auriant. This looks very, very...
- 3/12/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
"I wanna see what you're made of or you go home!" Jour 2 Fete has released the official French trailer for an indie drama titled Slalom, which was originally set to premiere at the 2020 Cannes Film Festival earlier this year before it was cancelled. Under the guidance of a strict ex-champion, a promising 15 year old girl named Lyz trains as a professional skiing star. But will she be able to endure the physical and emotional pressures? Director Charlène Favier uses "brilliant camera work to stage a highly topical story about the crossing of boundaries in the field of world-class sports. With the focus invariably on her protagonist, she takes a deep look into the psyche of a young athlete who unexpectedly finds herself faced with the fact that even the biggest dream is not worth any price. The story of an emancipation." Starring Noée Abita as Lyz, with Jérémie Renier,...
- 11/4/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
There is a moment — little more than a sidelong glance that lingers fractionally too long — when the uneasy, sinking feeling that Charlène Favier’s Cannes 2020-labeled debut has created to that point becomes an abrupt, stomach-dropping plunge. It’s when you realize that of course this was the story it was going to tell, and almost feel foolish for holding out the hope that its wildly imbalanced central relationship might play out any other way. After that glance, “Slalom” has fewer surprises to pull than fears to confirm, which is not a criticism — that the film remains compelling despite the depressing familiarity of its beats is impressive. It’s also part of the point: We know how this story goes; doesn’t mean it doesn’t need to be told.
And so instead of following the usual dramatic rhythm of revelation and reaction, Favier draws us deep into the psychology of her 15-year-old protagonist,...
And so instead of following the usual dramatic rhythm of revelation and reaction, Favier draws us deep into the psychology of her 15-year-old protagonist,...
- 6/25/2020
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
A fragile new relationship is imperilled when tragedy strikes.
Mélanie Laurent's directorial debut is a Gallic romantic drama underpinned by alternately wistful and dark edges.
In it, we follow Marine (Marie Denarnaud) who meets tall, dark and handsome food critic Alex (a brooding but, of course, terribly sensitive type played by Denis Menochet) in the bookshop at which she works. She sells him some short stories by Raymond Carver, but he's not much of a reader; he came into the shop to shelter from the rain and because he saw a beautiful woman. Thankfully, she likes him too,...
Mélanie Laurent's directorial debut is a Gallic romantic drama underpinned by alternately wistful and dark edges.
In it, we follow Marine (Marie Denarnaud) who meets tall, dark and handsome food critic Alex (a brooding but, of course, terribly sensitive type played by Denis Menochet) in the bookshop at which she works. She sells him some short stories by Raymond Carver, but he's not much of a reader; he came into the shop to shelter from the rain and because he saw a beautiful woman. Thankfully, she likes him too,...
- 4/22/2012
- by James Benefield
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Marine (Marie Denarnaud) works in a bookshop and lives with her adopted sister and best friend Lisa (Melanie Laurent) and Lisa’s young son Leo. One day Alex (Denis Menochet) comes into the shop and he and Marine fall quickly and deeply in love. Their idyllic and care-free love affair is soon tested by disagreements before being beset by tragedy and what began as an almost whimsical romance soon segues into a heartfelt and considered dissection of love, loss, hope, despair and what it means to belong.
*****
Melanie Laurent will be familiar to anyone who has seen Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds and here she makes her debut as a director, simultaneously doing a lot of the heavy lifting as the deeply caring but slightly more staid big sister of Denarnaud’s more free-wheeling Marine. It is to her great credit that she carries off both sets of responsibilities with such aplomb.
*****
Melanie Laurent will be familiar to anyone who has seen Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds and here she makes her debut as a director, simultaneously doing a lot of the heavy lifting as the deeply caring but slightly more staid big sister of Denarnaud’s more free-wheeling Marine. It is to her great credit that she carries off both sets of responsibilities with such aplomb.
- 4/4/2012
- by Dave Roper
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Rampart (15)
(Oren Moverman, 2011, Us) Woody Harrelson, Robin Wright, Anne Heche, Cynthia Nixon, Ned Beatty, Sigourney Weaver, Ice Cube. 108 mins
Harrelson looks scarily at home as the most corrupt cop in Los Angeles: drinking, smoking, cheating and brutalising his way to notoriety, then stubbornly denying all culpability. It's less a straight cop story than a fragmented study of a – personally as well as professionally – rotten man. There's almost too much in the mix, but it's told with great style and anchored by a fearsomely committed performance.
Safe House (15)
(Daniel Espinosa, 2012, Us) Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds, Vera Farmiga. 115 mins
A spy thriller that gives you what you'd expect: Washington as a suave rogue spy; Reynolds as the rookie who brings him in; frenetic action; double crosses; shifting allegiance; and a bit of waterboarding for kicks.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (12A)
(John Madden, 2011, UK) Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel. 124 mins
Aah,...
(Oren Moverman, 2011, Us) Woody Harrelson, Robin Wright, Anne Heche, Cynthia Nixon, Ned Beatty, Sigourney Weaver, Ice Cube. 108 mins
Harrelson looks scarily at home as the most corrupt cop in Los Angeles: drinking, smoking, cheating and brutalising his way to notoriety, then stubbornly denying all culpability. It's less a straight cop story than a fragmented study of a – personally as well as professionally – rotten man. There's almost too much in the mix, but it's told with great style and anchored by a fearsomely committed performance.
Safe House (15)
(Daniel Espinosa, 2012, Us) Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds, Vera Farmiga. 115 mins
A spy thriller that gives you what you'd expect: Washington as a suave rogue spy; Reynolds as the rookie who brings him in; frenetic action; double crosses; shifting allegiance; and a bit of waterboarding for kicks.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (12A)
(John Madden, 2011, UK) Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel. 124 mins
Aah,...
- 2/25/2012
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Inglourious Basterds star Mélanie Laurent's debut directorial feature might be strangely familiar to fans of Cold Feet
Her performance in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds made Mélanie Laurent a French star to watch – and incidentally woke us up to the fact that she was also a writer and director, with an interesting short film called Less and Less shown at Cannes four years ago. Now she has graduated to her first feature, The Adopted, and sadly it doesn't quite come off, despite interesting moments. It has the feel of a 1990s relationship drama, which might remind Brits of the television series Cold Feet. Laurent herself plays Lisa, a single mother in Lyon who has the faintly preposterous job of singing and playing guitar in a club. She is very close to her sister Marine (Marie Denarnaud), who works in a bookshop, and Lisa feels strangely excluded and hurt when...
Her performance in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds made Mélanie Laurent a French star to watch – and incidentally woke us up to the fact that she was also a writer and director, with an interesting short film called Less and Less shown at Cannes four years ago. Now she has graduated to her first feature, The Adopted, and sadly it doesn't quite come off, despite interesting moments. It has the feel of a 1990s relationship drama, which might remind Brits of the television series Cold Feet. Laurent herself plays Lisa, a single mother in Lyon who has the faintly preposterous job of singing and playing guitar in a club. She is very close to her sister Marine (Marie Denarnaud), who works in a bookshop, and Lisa feels strangely excluded and hurt when...
- 2/24/2012
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Mélanie Laurent, known up to now as that-girl-from-Inglourious Basterds, makes her directorial debut with The Adopted (Les Adoptés), a story of the ties that bind us in life and love. While it might not be breaking any moulds any time soon, The Adopted is a generally promising if occasionally flawed feature-length debut from first-time director Laurent, with a strong visual imprint and some top performances.
Reserved wallflower and lover of English literature Marine (Marie Denarnaud) has been inseparable from her adoptive family – alcoholic matriarch Millie (Clementine Célarié), frustrated musician Lisa (Laurent) and unreasonably cute son Léo (Théodore Maquet-Fouchet) – since her own parents died when she was young. But this tight family unit is shaken up when Marine meets charming bachelor Alex (Denis Ménochet) and a tentative relationship blossoms between the two. Jealousy and thoughtlessness begin to take their toll as the family struggle to adapt to the new status quo.
Reserved wallflower and lover of English literature Marine (Marie Denarnaud) has been inseparable from her adoptive family – alcoholic matriarch Millie (Clementine Célarié), frustrated musician Lisa (Laurent) and unreasonably cute son Léo (Théodore Maquet-Fouchet) – since her own parents died when she was young. But this tight family unit is shaken up when Marine meets charming bachelor Alex (Denis Ménochet) and a tentative relationship blossoms between the two. Jealousy and thoughtlessness begin to take their toll as the family struggle to adapt to the new status quo.
- 2/22/2012
- by Guest
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Jordan Mintzer
Paris -- Inglourious Basterds star Melanie Laurent makes her debut behind the camera with The Adopted (Les Adoptes), a saccharine family drama that turns on the waterworks full-force (at least for its cast), yet never develops into an engaging portrait of love and loss among a trio of thirty-something Frenchies. With workable performances but not much cinematic tact, this StudioCanal release should find early adopters via the actress’ fan base, followed by a decent theatrical run in Francophonia. Offshore fests and Gallic film weeks beckon. Aspiring musician, Lisa (Laurent), and her adopted bookworm sister, Marie (Marie Denarnaud), spend the
read more...
Paris -- Inglourious Basterds star Melanie Laurent makes her debut behind the camera with The Adopted (Les Adoptes), a saccharine family drama that turns on the waterworks full-force (at least for its cast), yet never develops into an engaging portrait of love and loss among a trio of thirty-something Frenchies. With workable performances but not much cinematic tact, this StudioCanal release should find early adopters via the actress’ fan base, followed by a decent theatrical run in Francophonia. Offshore fests and Gallic film weeks beckon. Aspiring musician, Lisa (Laurent), and her adopted bookworm sister, Marie (Marie Denarnaud), spend the
read more...
- 11/24/2011
- by Jordan Mintzer
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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