Looks like a romcom, but isn’t one. ‘Ceci n’est pas une pipe’, so to speak. Or is it? De Nijverheid and cinema-out-of-place Opgedoekt screened two films under the stars that strike a light-hearted counter-note. A stand against cheesy Hollywood clichés, against megalomaniacal film productions that prioritise genre conventions over humanity and individuality. And that results in films that are fresh and fun, and that seem to bear the hallmarks of the familiar romantic comedy, with its recognisable patterns and set rules. Both evenings kicked off with a performance by Nadia Schambach and Charlotte Puebla Coenen, inspired by the film.
Wednesday 23 September: Simple comme Sylvain
Monia Chokri, Canada/France (2023), 110 minutes, French with English subtitles
When the well-read and well-off Sophia meets Sylvain, she quickly leaves her comfortable but stagnant relationship behind for a far more exciting affair with this attractive builder. Everything is (quite literally) sunshine and roses until they step into each other’s social circles. It smacks of a rom-com, yet the saccharine music and over-the-top zooms make it abundantly clear: this is satire. Simple comme Sylvain is the third feature film by Quebec-born director and actress Monia Chokri, who rose to fame through her roles in films by Denys Arcand and Xavier Dolan – and who also appears in this film. This outspoken, charming and funny film from French-speaking Canada explores class differences and the complexities of love and desire, whilst paying a cheeky tribute to the rom-com genre.
Thursday 24 September: Italiensk for Begyndere
Lone Scherfig, Denmark/Sweden (2000), 94 minutes, Danish with English subtitles
What do a vicar who has just been widowed, a lonely hairdresser, a baker’s daughter with a difficult father, a shy hotel clerk, and a barman with behavioural problems have in common? They are all just as gloomy as the Danish suburb where they meet on a beginners’ Italian course. Lone Scherfig, best known for An Education, adhered to the Dogma 95 manifesto’s oath of purity for this ensemble comedy. To obtain the accompanying certificate, a Dogma film must be shot with a handheld camera, in natural light and in the here and now. Special effects and pre-prepared props are forbidden, and all music must be recorded on location. It is, therefore, a movement that is anti-Hollywood, anti-big-budget and anti-artificial. In short: anti-polished. Always with the aim of bringing film back to its core: story, acting and theme. Previous Dogma films used these rigid rules of purity to depict outrageous scenes: Thomas Vinterberg’s Festen won an Oscar for it, whilst Lars von Trier’s Idioterne gained fame for its over-the-top scenes. Italian for Beginners is a lot more approachable and is about people you might come across anywhere – on the bus, in a restaurant, at church, or, yes, on an Italian language course.