Serge Toubiana Movies

Henri Langlois was, in many respects, the ultimate film fan. In 1936, at the age of 22, Langlois became (along with Jean Mitry and Georges Franju) one of the founders of the Cinémathèque Française, a theater and museum devoted to preserving the history of the motion picture. Initially a tiny operation financed by private funds, the Cinémathèque, with time, grew into Europe's most important film archive, collecting and preserving prints of rare films from all over the world and protecting many rare gems of the French cinema from destruction during the Nazi occupation of World War II. Langlois' enthusiasm for sharing the treasures of his collection with others helped spawn a film-crazy generation who created the French New Wave of the '50s, and in time, the French government acknowledged the importance of the Cinémathèque's work by financing their endeavors. In 1968, the French minister of culture, André Malraux, responded to Langlois' difficult personality and sloppy bookkeeping by pulling the government's financing of his projects, which led to an international outcry leading to the shutdown of the Cannes Film Festival by activists and film buffs. The Cinémathèque's funding and Langlois' leadership were later restored, and in 1973, his work in film preservation was honored with a special Academy Award. Henri Langlois: The Phantom of the Cinémathèque is a documentary which chronicles the life, times, and passions of the legendary archivist and includes interviews with his friends, contemporaries, and colleagues -- including Claude Berri, Claude Chabrol, Jack Valenti, and Daniel Cohn-Bendit. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This realistic and disturbingly grim French drama centers on a May/December romance that goes tragically awry resulting in a brutal murder. The dark tale begins in Dunkirk where police inspectors attempt to reconstruct the murder of Frederique who is found sodomized by a broomstick and stabbed to death on a kitchen table. The killer is Christophe who stands around in total, numb shock. It is Frederique's teenage daughter who tells of the terrible romance in a statement to police. Christophe was 28 when he met the ten-years-older Frederique at a wedding. Both successful professionals, sparks fly and soon begin courting. Eventually they become lovers, but are only briefly happy before large fissures appear in their relationship. Christophe loves her, but does not want an exclusive relationship. Frederique, who has already been twice divorced wants more and becomes bitter when it doesn't happen. They fight and it is during their break up that the tragedy ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide