Bruno Podalydès Movies

Directed by Bruno Podalydes (who helmed the "Montmartre" segment of the omnibus Paris, I Love You), Bancs publics chronicles three intersecting stories in the city of Versailles: an office worker who hangs a banner reading "Lonely Man" beneath his window, the feuding families and couples in a busy town square, and the employees and customers of a local shop. This sprawling and droll exploration of the estrangement of modern life boasts a star-studded supporting cast that features a veritable who's who of French cinema, including Olivier Gourmet, Emmanuelle Devos, Mathieu Amalric, Chiara Mastroianni, Hippolyte Girardot, Pierre Arditi, and the grande dame herself, Catherine Deneuve. ~ Sandra Bencic, All Movie Guide

A father who is determined to enjoy his vacation even if it kills him hits the high seas -- and the high seas hit back -- in this comedy from France. Jacques Monot (Denis Podalydes) is spending a few weeks of the summer at the seaside with his wife, Albertine (Guilaine Londez), and their four children. However, the resort community where they've landed is not proving to be very entertaining, and Jacques is looking for a way to make their stay more exciting. An encounter with a persuasive (if less than scrupulous) salesman leads to Jacques purchasing a rattletrap sailboat, and despite the fact that he's never handled a sailboat in his life, Jacques decides to take his new craft out for a spin on the ocean with chaotic results. Liberte-Oleron was directed by Bruno Podalydes, the brother of leading man Denis Podalydes; the siblings also collaborated on the film's screenplay. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Twenty acclaimed filmmakers from around the world look at love in the City of Lights in this omnibus feature. Paris, Je T'Aime features 18 short stories, each set in a different part of Paris and each featuring a different cast and director (two segments were produced by two filmmakers in collaboration). In "Faubourg Saint-Denis," Tom Tykwer directs Natalie Portman as an American actress who is the object of affection for a blind student (Melchior Belson). Christopher Doyle's "Porte de Choisy" follows a salesman (Barbet Schroeder) as he tries to pitch beauty aids in Chinatown. Nick Nolte and Ludivine Sagnier are father and daughter in "Parc Monceau" from Alfonso Cuarón. Animator Sylvain Chomet turns his eye to a pair of living, breathing mimes in "Tour Eiffel." An interracial romance in France is offered by Gurinder Chadha in "Quais de Seine." In "Le Marais" from Gus Van Sant, a man (Gaspard Ulliel) finds himself falling for a handsome gent (Elias McConnell) who works in a print shop. Isabel Coixet tells the tale of a man (Sergio Castellitto) who is making his final choice between his wife (Miranda Richardson) and his lover (Leonor Watling) in "Bastille." Juliette Binoche plays a grieving mother in Nobuhiro Suwa's "Place des Victoires," in which she's greeted by a spectral cowboy (Willem Dafoe). Richard LaGravanese's "Pigalle" finds a long-married man (Bob Hoskins) turning to a prostitute for advice on pleasing his wife (Fanny Ardant). Gérard Depardieu and Frédéric Auburtin direct Gena Rowlands and Ben Gazzara as longtime marrieds meeting for one final pre-divorce encounter in "Quartier Latin." Steve Buscemi learns a lesson about local etiquette in the Paris Metro in "Tuileries" from Joel and Ethan Coen. In "Loin du 16ème" by Walter Salles, a housekeeper (Catalina Sandino Moreno) longs for her own child as she tends to the infant of her wealthy employer. Elijah Wood stars in "Quartier de la Madeleine," a vampire tale from Vincenzo Natali. Wes Craven presents another fantasy in "Père-Lachaise," in which an engaged young man (Rufus Sewell) receives romantic advice from the spirit of Oscar Wilde (Alex Payne). A postal worker from Colorado (Margo Martindale) shares her thoughts on her visit to Paris in mangled French in Alexander Payne's witty "14th Arrondissement." Other segments include "Place des Fêtes" from Oliver Schmitz, Bruno Podalydès' "Montmartre," and "Quartier des Enfants Rouges" by Olivier Assayas, which stars Maggie Gyllenhaal. Paris, Je T'Aime received its world premiere at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this very short comedy, Arnaud has planned a quiet, romantic dinner with a pretty woman at his apartment. He is a mild-mannered young man and has charms that only become evident over time, so he needs plenty of time and space to woo anyone successfully. The last thing that he needs is for his brash brother, who lives next door, to come barging in. Of course, that is exactly what happens. His brother no doubt thinks that the girl is far too pretty to be left in the company of such a lackluster fellow as Arnaud. Worse yet, once his castle door is breached, more and more uninvited interlopers come in to rain on Arnaud's parade. He attempts to maintain a civil demeanor while his longed-for romantic evening is reduced to a shambles. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide