A Preview of the 2022 Rendez-Vous with French Cinema | Festivals & Awards

Music also plays a key role in “Magnetic Beats” (March 5, 9), Vincent Mael Cardona’s energetic-if-familiar drama set in early 1980s Brittany centered on two brothers—the charmingly self-destructive Jerome (Joseph Olivennes) and his shyer younger sibling Philippe (Thimotée Robart) who operate their own pirate radio station. Both fall in love with the same single mother (Marie Colomb) just before Philippe is sent off to Berlin for his year of compulsory military service. Similarly, “The Horizon” (March 8, 10), the debut feature from Emilie Carpentier (who will appear with the film on the 10th), tells a fairly unexceptional story of an 18-year-old named Adja and her gradual shift from self-absorption to political engagement; the film derives most of its energy from the undeniably compelling performance by Tracy Gotoas in the central role. Skewing even younger, Axelle Ropert’s “Petite Solange” (March 7, 12) focuses on Solange (Jade Springer in her screen debut), a 13-year-old girl trying to negotiate the emotional minefield that is the rapidly disintegrating marriage of her parents (Philippe Katerine and Léa Drucker).

Of all the films on display, the bleakest by far has to be “Bruno Reidal, Confessions of a Murderer” (March 9, 11), Vincent Le Port’s sure-to-be-controversial directorial debut. Based on a real-life case, the film opens with 17-year-old seminary student Bruno (Dimitri Doré) confessing to the gruesome murder of a 13-year-old boy. Unable to understand what could have motivated such an act, the doctors charged with determining his sanity ask him to write his memoirs so that they can get a better idea of who he is, to help them render a verdict. His recollections make up the bulk of the film. Many will be appalled by some of the imagery on display, ranging from sexual molestation to a startlingly visceral reenactment of the murder, but even though there were many points when I seriously considered bailing on the film, it’s made with undeniable skill and intellect. Whether you will love it or loathe it, I could not say. One thing is for sure—if ever there was a movie tailor-made to appear on the annual list of the year’s best films that John Waters compiles for Artforum, it’s this one. 

Crime also figures into the remaining two titles in the program. Thierry de Peretti’s “Undercover” (March 6, 10) recounts another real-life crime story, this one recounting the three-year investigation beginning in 2017 inspired by a police informant (Roschdy Zem) who approaches a journalist from Liberation (Pio Marmaï) with evidence suggesting that the chief narcotics officer (Vincent Lindon) is in fact a top-level drug trafficker himself. Last, but certainly not least, Jim Jarmusch will introduce a screening of “Touchez pas au grisbi” (March 4), Jacques Becker’s 1954 classic about a pair of aging criminals, Max (Jean Gabin, who won the Best Actor award at the Venice Film Festival for his performance) and Riton (René Dary), who have just stolen 50 million francs in gold, money that will allow Max to retire comfortably and Riton to help keep a hold of his showgirl girlfriend (an early appearance by the legendary Jeanne Moreau). Alas, those plans inevitably end up falling apart in the face of greed, violence, and betrayal in what is generally considered to be one of the greatest of all French crime films and one which, despite its age, feels just as fresh and innovative as any of the other picks in this year’s lineup. 

For more information on screening times, ticket availability, and scheduled appearances, go to the Film at Lincoln Center website at filmlinc.org. The Rendez-Vous with French Cinema program runs from March 3-13.