Huppert Glam in SOUVENIR

Posted on September 18, 2017

Isabelle Huppert (Liliane Cheveny); Catch SOUVENIR and many more in the 20th Edition of Cine Europa from Sept 16-26, 2017 at Shang Cineplex, Shang Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong. SOUVENIR photo from:
http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm-241070/photos/detail/?cmediafile=21403166

My Warmth, Beloved,

Written by

Jude Bautista

Joli garçon, je dis oui (Pretty boy, I say yes) Bras de béton, je dis oui (Arms of concrete, I say yes) Coeur de bonbon, je dis oui (Heart of candy, I say yes) Seul vit l’amour ou vit l’envie… (Love only lives where there is desire…) Oui mon amour (Yes, my love) Cueillons les fruits (Let’s gather the fruits) Sans perdre un jour (Without losing a day) ni même une nuit! Mon cheri…(or another night My darling…) Joie du retour, (The joy of returning) tu chasses mes ennuis (You chase away my unhappiness) Tu peins de ta main (You paint with your hand) Les couleurs de ma vie…(The colors of my life) These are lyrics from the song Joli Garçon (Pretty Boy) sung in the French film SOUVENIR by the eternal and peerless Isabelle Huppert.

4th from left: Danish Amb Jantop Christiansen, EU Delegation Chargé D’Affaires Mattias Lentz, 7th from left: Hungarian Amb Jozcef Bencze, Dutch Amb Marion Derckx, from left: PIA GM Alessandro Milani, French Cultural Attaché Diane Roblin, British Council Head of Arts & Creative Industries Malaya Del Rosario, Shang Plaza Mall Operations Mgr Johnny Rios, FDCP Chairman Liza Diño, Italian Deputy Head of Mission Fabio Schina, Swedish Press, Information and Cultural Officer Charlene Balaan, EU Delegation First Secretary Jerome Riviere, Czech Rep Trade Officer Madeleine Diolanda, Spanish First Sec. Guillermo Escribano and Austrian Press & Cultural Officer Zelpha Bombais. Catch SOUVENIR and many more in the 20th Edition of Cine Europa from Sept 16-26, 2017 at Shang Cineplex, Shang Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong. Photo by Jude Bautista

SOUVENIR is part of the 20^th Edition of the Cine Europa film fest and is free on a first come first served basis. The fest runs from September 16-26, 2017 at Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong, Philippines.

Now on its 20^th year, the film festival has become stronger and bolder as it brings to the Philippines 24 films from 16 EU countries including from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and Norway.

from left: EU Delegation Chargé D’Affaires Mattias Lentz, Shang Plaza Mall Operations Mgr Johnny Rios and FDCP Chairman Liza Diño. Catch SOUVENIR and many more in the 20th Edition of Cine Europa from Sept 16-26, 2017 at Shang Cineplex, Shang Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong. Photo by Jude Bautista

SOUVENIR is truly European as it has a Belgian Writer director in Bavo Defurne leading a French Production. The story revolves around Liliane Cheveny played by Isabelle Huppert who was a former French representative to a wildly popular European song contest (with stage name Laura) but did not gain the superstardom of ABBA. After a failed marriage with her music mogul husband, she lives humdrum life working in a paté factory. To non-French viewers such as myself, they may initially mistake the paté as fruitcake or enormous bread. The size is around a generous loaf of bread even my friends who’ve lived in France had the same mistaken impression.

Glamorous Isabelle Huppert

She falls for a young 22-year-old boxer in Jean Leloup played by Kévin Azaïs. Although there is a considerable age gap between them, one can easily see how Jean falls for Liliane. She may not be a buxom blonde, but her red hair still holds its fire. Isabelle Huppert makes Liliane’s frailty lovable even sexy. And when she sings that’s when she pulls you in. The vocals aren’t necessarily operatic or Celine Dion-like. But the passion is certainly there. There’s both romance and insecurity in it that’s very relatable even charming that makes a song well…a hit.

The cinematography of Philippe Guilbert and Virginie Saint-Martin brought out the glam in Isabelle Huppert, almost a throwback to old Hollywood. Huppert certainly has the face and body for it; this film only enhances that iconic beauty of a star.

There is this misty, dream-like look in selected shots from the macro photography of bubbles in the champagne glass to the motorcycle scenes of Liliane and Jean. Liliane’s face was happy with an almost orange glow of sunset in the background that was used in the 60s or photographs in the 70s. The cinematography was dreamy but not too much that it takes away from the realism of the story.

Isabelle Huppert (Liliane Cheveny) and Kévin Azaïs (Jean Leloup). Catch SOUVENIR and many more in the 20th Edition of Cine Europa from Sept 16-26, 2017 at Shang Cineplex, Shang Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong. SOUVENIR photo from:
http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm-241070/photos/detail/?cmediafile=21403166

Filipino fans were introduced to Huppert in Brillante Medoza’s CAPTIVE (2012), which also had its Philippine premiere in Shang Cineplex. It was attended by Amb Gilles Garachon, Sen. Grace Poe, Sen. Loren Legarda, Ces Drilon, cast member Angel Aquino and National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose.

CAPTIVE was very gritty in terms of look as it followed the story of Thérèse Bourgoine, a French social worker kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf Group. As their captors were hauling them through the jungles, it wasn’t an opportunity to appreciate the glamorous side of Huppert unlike here in SOUVENIR.

Kévin Azaïs

Kevin has the classic Gaelic features of piercing blue eyes and almost platinum blonde hair. He has ripped abdominals enough to be convincing as a lightweight boxer Jean. But his physique is not too rough that he overpowers Huppert. He maintains his boyish charms that catch her eye.

Much needed comic relief is from Jan Hammenecker who plays Jean’s father Eddy Leloup. The overweight dad is an even bigger fan of Laura from the 80s, that’s how Jean is familiar with her. It was so funny watching him fall all over himself the first time he meets her, while this irritates Jean’s mother.

Producers hired Thomas Lauderdale of PINK MARTINI to score the soundtrack for SOUVENIR. Pink Martini photo credit: CHRIS HORNBECKER from http://sacksco.com/notes/pink_martini.html

Joli Garcon

Music especially in this film played a crucial role in telling the story. Belgian Writer director Bavo Defurne and co screen writer/producer Yves Verbraeken tapped songwriter and PINK MARTINI pianist Thomas Lauderdale to score the film. Lauderdale spent months getting to know Huppert as she was supposed to perform the lead songs. The title track SOUVENIR, was the original hit from the European song competition that made Laura famous. While the song JOLI GARCON was supposed to be descriptive of Laura’s love for Jean: ‘arms of concrete’, ‘heart of candy’.

from right: Czech Republic Amb Jaroslav Olsa Jr., EU Delegation First Secretary Jerome Riviere, Shang Plaza Mall Pres. & GM Lala Fojas and French Cultural Counselor Yves Soberman. Catch SOUVENIR and many more in the 20th Edition of Cine Europa from Sept 16-26, 2017 at Shang Cineplex, Shang Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong. Photo by Jude Bautista

For JOLI GARCON Defurne and Verbraeken were also credited as co songwriters along with Pink Martini’s China Forbes, Valentin Hadjadj and Thomas Lauderdale.

The music has a very catchy Latin rhythm with a very strong LSS (last song syndrome) effect. After watching the film don’t be surprised if you start singing the chorus: Je Dis Oui !

PINK MARTINI’s album JE DIS OUIS ! has 2 of the songs from the SOUVENIR soundtrack. Pink Martini photo credit: CHRIS HORNBECKER from http://sacksco.com/notes/pink_martini.html

Pink Martini

PINK MARTINI is a group founded by former U.S. politician turned musician Thomas Lauderdale in Portland, Oregon. He describes the band, “Our repertoire is wildly diverse. At one moment, you feel like you’re in the middle of a samba parade in Rio de Janeiro, and in the next moment, you’re in a French music hall of the 1930s or a palazzo in Napoli. It’s a bit like an urban musical travelogue. We’re very much an American band, but we spend a lot of time abroad and therefore have the incredible diplomatic opportunity to represent a broader, more inclusive America… the America which remains the most heterogeneously populated country in the world… composed of people of every country, every language, every religion.”

Top row 3rd from left: Czech Republic Amb Jaroslav Olsa Jr. Top row from left: French Cultural Counselor Yves Soberman, Spanish Emb Officer Inigo Celdran, Czech Republic Deputy Amb Jana Peterkova, FDCP Festival Dev. Lead Officer Jo Andrew Torlao and Shang Plaza Mall Operations Mgr Johnny Rios. Bottom row from left: Danish Cultural Affairs Officer Angelo Cruz, German Press & Cultural Officer Cyril Constantino, British Council Head of Arts & Creative Industries Malaya Del Rosario, German First Sec for Culture Thorsten Gottfried, Shang Plaza Mall Pres. & GM Lala Fojas, French Cultural Attaché Diane Roblin, EU Delegation First Secretary Jerome Riviere, Shang Plaza Mall Mktg Mgr Ayen Florendo, EU Delegation Information Officer Robert Leon, Austrian Press & Cultural Officer Zelpha Bombais, French Audio Visual Attaché Martin Macalintal and EU Delegation Public Affairs Officer Thelma Gecolea. Catch SOUVENIR and many more in the 20th Edition of Cine Europa from Sept 16-26, 2017 at Shang Cineplex, Shang Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong. Photo by Jude Bautista

Pres. Emmanuel Macron

Similarly it is this multicultural sentiment that the European Union and even the Cine Europa film fest celebrates. Diversity is something that should be preserved and feted. This is a facet of French ideals in Liberte, Egalite and Fraternite that President Emmanuel Macron believes in and campaigned for. He squarely defeated rightist, ultra-nationalist Marine Le Pen who ran on a campaign that was anti immigration. French voters agreed with Macron’s beliefs via a landslide victory over Le Pen during the last presidential election.

French Pres. Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron. Photo from https://www.thelocal.fr/20170507/emmanuel-macron-wife-brigitte-trogneux-teacher-lover-french-presidential-election

President Macron also has similarity with the character Jean Leloup in SOUVENIR as he has fallen in love and married an older woman. First Lady Brigitte Trogneux, was his drama teacher in high school. She is 25 years older but is seen as one of the most striking First Ladies in the world. This is more acceptable these days especially after his election. ‘The statistics are changing when it comes to a woman having a younger “monsieur” according to a new study by France’s official statistics bureau Insee.’ [From thelocal.fr article: French women going for younger lovers, study shows]

EU Delegation Chargé D’Affaires Mattias Lentz; Catch SOUVENIR and many more in the 20th Edition of Cine Europa from Sept 16-26, 2017 at Shang Cineplex, Shang Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong. Photo by Jude Bautista

Cine Europa Partners

Cine Europa, according to EU Chargé D’Affaires Mattias Lentz, has earned a niche among film enthusiasts in the country because of its strong partnership and collaboration with its partners including Shangri-La Plaza, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, Arts Council of Cebu, Ayala Center in Cebu, the University of the Philippines- Visayas in Tacloban, the Visayas State University in Baybay Leyte Liceo de Cagayan in Cagayan de Oro City, Palawan State University and recently, Ateneo de Naga University. “We also owe a lot to our Filipino moviegoers who have supported Cine Europa for the last 20 years since the European Union started the film festival as a gift to the Philippines for the latter’s centennial celebrations”, said Mr Lentz.

French Chargé D’Affaires Laurent Legodec; Catch SOUVENIR and many more in the 20th Edition of Cine Europa from Sept 16-26, 2017 at Shang Cineplex, Shang Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong. Photo by Jude Bautista

Cine Europa Roadshow

After its edition in Shangri-La Plaza, Cine Europa takes a road trip to the cities of Baguio, Cebu, Iloilo, Tacloban, Baybay, Puerto Princesa and back to Manila. For the first time, Cine Europa is travelling to Ateneo de Naga University.

Website: http://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/philippines

Facebook: EU Delegation to the Philippines

Shang Plaza Mall Operations Mgr Johnny Rios; Catch SOUVENIR and many more in the 20th Edition of Cine Europa from Sept 16-26, 2017 at Shang Cineplex, Shang Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong. Photo by Jude Bautista

from left: French Chargé D’Affaires Laurent Legodec, EU Delegation Chargé D’Affaires Mattias Lentz and Spanish First Sec. Guillermo Escribano. Catch SOUVENIR and many more in the 20th Edition of Cine Europa from Sept 16-26, 2017 at Shang Cineplex, Shang Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong. Photo by Jude Bautista

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