The rain-gods, who blessed my Versace jacket before I went for the Italian National Day Celebrations yesterday, were kind enough to hold off the downpour until I got home from watching a masterpiece of a French Film: Un Coeur en Hiver (A Heart in Winter)
This film was my introduction to legendary French author and film-maker Claude Sautet. I would be over-simplifying things by calling the central plot a love triangle.
This film exposes various angles of love and all shades of it. Sautet leaves it to the viewer to interpret the kind of love that Stephane (Daniel Auteuil) has for Camille (Emanuelle Beart). Completing the triangle is Maxime (Andre Dusollier). The film, made in 1992, was years ahead of its time in cinematography and the screenplay was one of the best I have seen come out of France.
With Beart playing the role of a up and coming violinist, music forms the background of the film and there's an impressive use of Maurice Ravel's chamber music played by Jean-Jacques Kantorow (violin), Jacques Rouvier (piano) and Philippe Muller (cello). Kiwi musician Jeffrey Grice appears in the film in the role of the pianist.
I wonder whether it's humanly possible to be a Stephane, someone who is introverted, enigmatic and with the coldest of exteriors with a complete inability to express emotions, and yet ironically be in love. I can see why women would find the type attractive in a dark way.
The on-screen chemistry between Beart and Auteuil would have been unbelievable if I didn't know that they were having an affair during the shooting of the film.
Special Thanks to the Bhavan's Cultural Centre in Andheri for screening this film.
This film was my introduction to legendary French author and film-maker Claude Sautet. I would be over-simplifying things by calling the central plot a love triangle.
This film exposes various angles of love and all shades of it. Sautet leaves it to the viewer to interpret the kind of love that Stephane (Daniel Auteuil) has for Camille (Emanuelle Beart). Completing the triangle is Maxime (Andre Dusollier). The film, made in 1992, was years ahead of its time in cinematography and the screenplay was one of the best I have seen come out of France.
With Beart playing the role of a up and coming violinist, music forms the background of the film and there's an impressive use of Maurice Ravel's chamber music played by Jean-Jacques Kantorow (violin), Jacques Rouvier (piano) and Philippe Muller (cello). Kiwi musician Jeffrey Grice appears in the film in the role of the pianist.
I wonder whether it's humanly possible to be a Stephane, someone who is introverted, enigmatic and with the coldest of exteriors with a complete inability to express emotions, and yet ironically be in love. I can see why women would find the type attractive in a dark way.
The on-screen chemistry between Beart and Auteuil would have been unbelievable if I didn't know that they were having an affair during the shooting of the film.
Special Thanks to the Bhavan's Cultural Centre in Andheri for screening this film.
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