Beloved / Les Bien-Aimés (2011)
★★★☆☆
A razzledazzle musical reprise of Man At Bath, Christophe Honoré’s Beloved is a fractured but enjoyable romp through the swinging Sixties and the nervous Noughties.
France
Elles (2011)
★★★★☆
A devastating bedroom battle of the sexes, Malgorzata Szumowska’s Elles offers a glimpse into the secret lives of women behind closed doors.
The Woman In The Fifth (2011)
★★★☆☆
Filmed in French, English and Polish, Pawel Pawlikowski’s The Woman In The Fifth offers a uniquely European look at love, literature and lunacy.
Hadewijch (2009)
★★★☆☆
A compelling insight into the mind of a Christian terrorist, Bruno Dumont’s Hadewijch is a hotbed of religious delusion and misplaced fervour.
The Artist / L’Artiste (2011)
★★★★★
With dazzling performances from Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo, Michel Hazanavicius’ The Artist is a vibrant homage to silent films and the talkies’ falling stars.
Mademoiselle Chambon (2009)
★★★★☆
A tender waltz of self-restrained romance, ex-couple Vincent Lindon and Sandrine Kiberlain quietly explode in Stéphane Brizé’s autumn-hued Mademoiselle Chambon.
Tomboy (2011)
★★★☆☆
The portrait of the cross-dresser as a young boy, Céline Sciamma’s Tomboy explores a summer of sexual awakening and the limits of identity.
The Hedgehog / Le Hérisson (2010)
★★★☆☆
Mona Achache’s adaptation of The Hedgehog is a touching, tragic tale of unlikely friendships and a contemporary take on the malaise of the Parisian bourgeoisie.
Sarah’s Key / Elle s’appelait Sarah (2010)
★★★☆☆
With Kristin Scott Thomas charmingly exposing family secrets, Sarah’s Key combines the horror of the Vel d’Hiv round-up with modern traumas and untold stories.
Beautiful Lies / De Vrais Mensonges (2010)
★★★☆☆
With a happiness drive worthy of Amélie, Pierre Salvadori’s Beautiful Lies transcends its farcical plotting and ropey characterisation to deliver a masterclass on filmmaking.
The Princess of Montpensier (2010)
★★★☆☆
Revisiting the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, Bertrand Tavernier’s The Princess of Montpensier tones down the sexy intrigue in favour of female self-determination.
Film Socialisme (2010)
★★★☆☆
JLG is back to his impenetrable best with Film Socialisme, a cascading multi-lingual mosaic of ideas and comment presented as a symphony in three reassuringly dense movements.
Potiche (2010)
★★★★★
A return to form for François Ozon, Potiche is a melting pot of satire, farce and high camp with a sprinkling of stardust.
Love Like Poison / Un Amour Violent (2010)
★★★★☆
Ivorian director, Katell Quillévéré’s first feature, Love Like Poison is a tender coming of age tale set amid the religious fervour of small-town Brittany.