Tomas is from Hungary and has loved French cinema since he was a child. It has been part of his culture for years and he thinks French cinema always produces the best comedies and dramas.
‘Les-Bien Amies’, or it’s literal English translation, ‘Beloved’ is a romantic musical comedy that spans four decades from 1960s Paris to modern London. Starring cult French actress Catherine Deneuve, the film is heavily influenced by French new-wave cinema and is considered a throwback to such classic films the likes of ‘The Umbrellas of Cherbourg’ and ‘9 Women’. This film marks French director Christophe Honore as one of France’s new and exciting cinematic auteurs to grace it’s film scene. His homage to artists the likes of Francois Truffaut and Jean Luc-Godard has set himself out as the director who has brought French new-wave back to life with this quirky effort, ‘Beloved’, honouring France’s cinematic heritage. The film was the closing picture for the 2011 Cannes film festival and has since gone on to receive critical praise. Bringing French cinema back with a bang, the film has earned mass appeal with audiences both at home and abroad. On Wednesday 21st March 2012, ‘Les-Bien Amies’ or ‘Beloved’ had its London premiere at the Curzon Soho cinema. An intimate venue to showcase this film, this small, quirky picture house seemed to be appropriate for the film and mirrored its whimsical qualities. Star of the film, French film actress Catherine Deneuve was also in attendance at the premiere and to take the time to speak to die hard fans. At the Curzon Soho cinema to report on events were WinkBall video reporters Laurent and Lucie. Speaking to cinema goers that had come to see the show, fans were asked what is it in particular that they love about French cinema and what makes it so special as an art form? Also, with the film exploring love from two different periods of time, fans were asked how does modern love compare to love only a few decades ago?