WATCH A FRENCH FILM.... During the Alliance Fancaise French Film Festival. March 6-24. Palace Cinemas. I love a good film, but especially one with a gorgeous frenchman in it (see my suggestions below). There is something totally scintillating about the 'language of love' (I should know, I'm married to a frog), it gets me every time. So grab your BFF, a Kir Royale at the bar & sit back & indulge. Dont miss out. Jouir!
Another woman’s life

LA VIE D’UNE AUTRE 

Audience favourite and Oscar winner Juliette Binoche stars in this charm-filled romantic comedy about second chances.

Twentysomething Marie (Binoche) meets and falls madly in love with Paul (Mathieu Kassovitz). After spending the night with him, Marie wakes to find she has skipped a decade of her life! She is now married to Paul with a son and a successful career. What happened? Has she deliberately forgotten her missing years? If so, why?

Marie’s new life is not all good. She learns she is feared by her colleagues and is about to be divorced from her husband – the romance she thought was just beginning is actually ending. With her world crumbling around her, Marie realises she has only days to seduce her husband, salvage her marriage and straighten up her life.

Juliette Binoche is wonderful in this high concept and utterly delightful comedy, based on the bestselling book by Frédérique Deghelt. 

Happiness never comes alone

UN BONHEUR N’ARRIVE JAMAIS SEUL 

Sacha (Gad Elmaleh) loves partying and seducing pretty girls. His mantra is “no alarm clock, no wedding ring, no taxes”. Charlotte (Sophie Marceau) has two ex-husbands, three children and a career. When they meet they are completely incompatible and instantly smitten, but will their relationship survive demanding offspring and Charlotte’s wealthy ex-husband who just happens to be Sacha’s boss? Happiness, it seems, never comes without complications.

Gad Elmaleh, a popular stand-up comic, was voted “the funniest personality of France”. He has also been building an impressive resume as an actor in recent years with Woody Allen’s Midnight In Paris and The Round-up. After playing opposite Audrey Tautou in Priceless, Elmaleh now cements his romantic lead appeal. At the same time, Sophie Marceau, with a 30-year acting career and a James Bond movie behind her, adds a wonderful comedy to her repertoire.

The chemistry between the two leads, the hilarious supporting characters, a sensational soundtrack and non-stop laughs make this a delightful romantic comedy that should make everyone happy.

 Louise Wimmer

LOUISE WIMMER 

The comfortable life of middle-aged Louise Wimmer has been turned upside down. Separated and drowning in debt, she now finds herself homeless, forced to sleep in her car and barely scraping together money for food from shiftwork as a hotel maid. Preferring to keep to herself, Louise must somehow build a new life on her own – even if it means accepting the help of others.

This uncompromising character study, and honest look at daily life on the fringes of French society today, has been hailed at film festivals from Venice to London. Critics have praised this first fictional feature from filmmaker Cyril Mennegun, especially the unforgettable performance of relative newcomer Corinne Masiero.

Louise Wimmer is a riveting and uplifting portrait of a brave woman who finds the strength to keep her dignity in the face of adversity and to begin her life again. After premiering in the Venice Critics’ Week (where it was dubbed the “Revelation of the year”), the film has enjoyed continued success at film festivals across Europe.