Julie-Marie Parmentier Movies

An aimless adolescent who hasn't yet found his way in life befriends an outspoken and slightly older prostitute in director Islid Le Besco's frugally plotted but emotionally resonant sophomore feature. Fourteen year-old Nicolas (Kolia Litscher) is an average student who just can't seem to identify with his geriatric foster parents. One day, after discovering a play by Wedekind, the cheerless and solitary boy begins to feel a powerful force swelling somewhere deep inside. Though he has little idea of where life's journeys will take him or what he will become as an adult, Nicolas steals some money and begins hitchhiking his way to the coast - the image of the Belle-lle-en-Mer on the postcard he uses as a bookmark seeming to summon him to the sea. Somewhere along the way, Nicloas becomes stranded and crosses paths with a young prostitute named Charly. Charly isn't much older than Nicolas, yet her identity already seems fairly well established and she never hesitates to speak her mind. Nicolas lacks vision and words, yet Charly seems to have both in abundance; their differences seeming to bring them much closer than their similarities ever could. Now, as these newfound friends begin to rehearse the play, a mysterious writer appears to contribute some original lines of dialogue. In the course of this creative process, the young boy who once lacked ambition gradually begins to make the transition into adulthood. Much like 2004's Demi-Tariff - Le Besco's first film as a director - Charly is something of a family affair: In addition to his brother Jowan assuming the role of cinematographer, Litscher, the youngest member of the family, steps into the title role. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Robert Guediguian's Marie-Jo and Her 2 Loves is an intimate, straightforward look at a woman having an affair. Marie-Jo (Ariane Ascaride) is married to Danielle (Jean-Pierre Darroussin). They have a teenage daughter, Julie (Julie-Marie Parmentier). For the last year, Marie-Jo has been involved with Marco (Gérard Meylan). Eventually, Danielle learns of his wife's indiscretions, although he says nothing to her. Although she loves both men equally, she eventually leaves her husband and moves in with Marco, causing Danielle to abandon his once stoic approach to the situation. Marie-Jo et ses 2 amours was screened in competition at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Racism, violence, and drug abuse run rampant in this ensemble drama set in the southern French city of Marseilles. Michele (Ariane Ascaride) spends her days working in a fish factory, where she earns a living to support her unemployed husband and her teenage daughter Fiona (Christine Brucher). In addition to being the mother of a three-month-old, Fiona is also a heroin addict and a prostitute. Thanks to her habit, Fiona is increasingly unable to work, and Michele helps her daughter by exchanging sexual favors for money with Paul (Jean-Pierre Darroussin), an ex-dock worker with more than a few problems of his own. Michele gets drugs for Fiona from Gerard (Gerard Meylan), the sullen proprietor of a small bar who engages in such shady pastimes as political assassination. Meanwhile, Abderramane (Alexandre Ogou), a young African man recently out of prison, finds himself attracted to Vivienne (Julie-Marie Parmentier), a social worker married to a womanizing high-society snob whom she detests. Her spite towards her husband leads Vivienne to claim that she respects poor people who vote for the Far Right more than moneyed individuals who talk a lot about helping the poor but do almost nothing. Vivienne's frustration, coupled with that of the other characters, illustrates the overriding tension that threatens to build to society's collapse. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

Following the international success of her first film Oblie-moi (1994) for which she was also the co-writer, Noémi Lvovsky has concentrated mostly on screenwriting until Petites, a "buddy film" for girls. Emilie, Stella, Ines and Marion come from different social backgrounds but share the same problems. Their escape is the group. As they grow older and get attracted to the opposite sex, each one picks out an ideal but inaccessible fiancé, chosen from the older boys at school. Life has its twists and turns, but the girls know that they will never be separated. A tender approach to the feelings of young women as only a woman can truly know, Petites is about the bittersweet experiences of growing up in a world which is not always friendly. The film is also a good representative of the New French Cinema by one of its several women directors. Petites was screened in the Spotlight on the New French Cinema section of the Thessaloniki Film Festival, 1998. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, Rovi