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Welcome to our foreign films page, featuring foreign movies in video and DVD format in languages from a host of countries. Note: unless stated otherwise, all videocassettes are in VHS and NTSC format, and all DVDs are for players that support Region 1 encoding (United States and Canada) and are in NTSC format. Check our DVD Compatibility FAQ for more information about region encoding, television formats, and other specifications. If you can't find what you need, please email us.
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Asterix 6-DVD Box Set A box set of hilarious animated adventures featuring Asterix, Obelix and his fellow Gauls. Includes The 12 Tasks Of Asterix , Asterix And Cleopatra, Asterix The Gaul , Asterix And Caesar. Asterix And The Big Fight and Asterix In Britain. 6-DVD Set | $99
Asterix 3-DVD Box Set Another box set of animated adventures featuring Asterix, Obelix and his fellow Gauls. Includes Le Gaulois / Les 12 Travaux D'Asterix / Et Cleopatre (Asterix The Gaul, The 12 Tasks Of Asterix, and Asterix And Cleopatra). French language, 212 min. 3-DVD Set | $69
Spirou and Fantasio DVD series, Volumes 1 and 2 Join Spirou and Fantasio on one of their many adventures! Spirou and Fantasio is a popular and classic Franco-Belgian comic series running since 1938, similar to Tintin and Asterix, and written and drawn by a succession of artists. Spirou and Fantasio are the main characters, two adventurous journalists who run into fantastic adventures, aided by Spirou's pet squirrel Spip and their inventor friend the Count of Champignac. Volume 1 contains 4 DVDs with 20 episodes in all, with a complete running time of 520 minutes; Volume 2 contains 4 DVDs with 19 episodes in all, with a complete running time of 494 minutes. In French language. Spirou and Fantasio DVD series, Volume 1 (4 DVD set) $75 Spirou and Fantasio DVD series, Volume 2 (4 DVD set) $75
The Accidental Hero Laurent Jaoui A troubled teen copes with tumultuous life changes in this coming-of-age story from the acclaimed French TV movie series The Rebel Years. Tom Maillard (Alexandre Hamidi, Code Unknown) is prone to angry outbursts that overwhelm his harried single mother. But when one of their arguments leads to a horrible car accident, their lives will forever be changed. Laurent Jaoui's intricate drama hews closely to themes of identity, memory, and family. With Anne Coesens (Ma Vie en Rose) and Isabelle Renauld (Monsieur Ibrahim). In French with English subtitles. France 2003 90 mins. DVD | $44.95
An Affair of Love Frederic Fonteyne Nathalie Baye (The Return of Martin Guerre, Godard's Detective) and Sergi Lopez (Western) star in this intelligent account of erotic fantasy turning to emotional attachment. What begins as a deliberately anonymous sexual affair becomes more complex and meaningful as the participants realize the growing love between them. "...so much of Affair's understated power is derived from its mastery of small details, its grasp of how seemingly insignificant gestures and comments can have life-altering ramifications" (Nathan Rabin, The Onion A.V. Club). French with English subtitles. France, 1999, 78 mins. DVD | $44.95
After Sex (Post Coitum) Brigitte Rouan A serious portrait of obsession with a comical edge, Post Coitum is a fine showcase for the directing and acting talents of Brigitte Rouan. Rouan stars as a married book editor in her forties who meets a client's much younger roommate and almost immediately falls into an intense, sexual relationship with him. When their affair ends, she has an emotional breakdown that takes a toll on all aspects of her life. "...inventive, angry and sardonically funny..." (Dave Kehr, New York Daily News). French with English subtitles. France, 1997, 97 mins. DVD | $44.95
Almost Peaceful Michel Deville In the era immediately following WWII, a group of Parisian Jews attempt to restart their lives and rediscover some possibility for happiness. The diverse cast of characters in Michel Deville's 2002 drama are brought together by a shared set of tragic experiences, and together they search for a way to escape the horrors of an unspeakable past. With Simon Abrkaryan, Zabou Breitman, Denis Podalydes, Stanislas Merhar, and Vincent Elbaz. "Captures the evanescence of joy and the burden of remembrance with acute detail and gentle irony" (Boston Phoenix). In French with English subtitles. France, 2002, 94 mins. DVD | $44.95
And God Created Woman Roger Vadim The film that made Brigitte Bardot an international sex symbol, Roger Vadim's directorial debut stars the amazing Bardot as an 18-year-old orphan with an unbridled sexual appetite. With Jean-Louis Trintignant, Christian Marquand and Curt Jurgens. "[Bardot] is undeniably a creation of superlative craftsmanship" (Bosley Crowther, New York Times). In French with English subtitles. France, 1956, 91 mins. DVD | $44.95
Another Woman / Une autre femme Jerome Foulon Before, Nicolas had a family, children, he was a young doctor. It was 10years ago. Today Nicolas has become Lea, "another woman". Transsexual.Unrecognizable.Lea lives in Geneva where she is a pharmaceutical products representative.Sent on an assignment in Paris, she can't resist the call of the heart, shewants to see her children again. Not daring to introduce herself directly, Leapretends to be a musical journalist with her daughter, Emma, a young pianist.The plan works so well that Lea is introduced to the family? recomposed.Nobody recognizes Nicolas behind Lea who plays the game, painfully.Soon, Lea, unable to bear hiding her true identity, reveals herself to theothers. It's the choc and rejection.Traumatized, Lucas, her 10 year-old son, shut himself in silence and incomprehension. Despite all these ordeals, Lea wants to continue to see herchildren whom she loves. Nobody will prevent her from this. In the face ofher determination, she's brought to justice. Lea comes very close to despairbut pursues her fight to get her family back, a fight of love that in the end she will win. In French with English subtitles. France, 2002, 106 min. $44.95
Artemisia Agnes Merlet From the director of Son of the Shark comes this lush, exquisitely photographed feature on the life of Artemisia Gentileschi, a pioneer female artist of 17th-century Italy. Forbidden to study painting because of her gender, she becomes the pupil and lover of the artist Agostino Tassi. With Valentina Cervi in the title role and Miki Manojlovic (from Kusturica's Underground) as Tassi. "A ravishingly lit and decorated romantic biography" (Ray Pride, New City). French with English subtitles. France, 1997, 95 mins. DVD | $44.95
Bad Company Jean-Pierre Ameris Based on real events, this coming-of-age drama tells the story of Delphine, a shy high school girl who is pulled into an after-hours world of drugs, alcohol and sexual experimentation by a new friend from the opposite side of the tracks. Awakened emotionally and sexually, Delphine falls madly in love with a boy she meets one night at a club. But her life takes a drastic turn when she begins to sacrifice her beliefs and her body in order to keep him. In French with English subtitles. France, 1999. DVD | $44.95
Balzac: A Life of Passion Josee Dayan Gerard Depardieu stars as the French literary genius Honore de Balzac in this epic television production that dramatizes the writer's professional and private passions. Balzac's relationship with the married Russian countess Eve Hanska plays a prominent part in this great looking presentation. The excellent supporting cast includes Jeanne Moreau, Fanny Ardant and Virna Lisi. In French with English subtitles. France/Germany, 1999, 210 mins. DVD | $37.95
The Bathers (Les Baigneuses) Viviane Candas Director Viviane Candas' erotic melodrama looks at one day in the lives of six women who work in a Paris peep show. The strippers endure crass conditions at the hands of the show's corrupt owner and their clientele of voyeurs, and their lives become even more strained when a mysterious stranger visits the show. In French with English subtitles. France, 2003, 83 mins. DVD | $44.95
Beach Cafe Benoit Graffin Adapted from a short story by Paul Bowles, this moody and unsettling drama is infused with the steamy, romantic atmosphere of its Moroccan coastal setting. When the charismatic drifter Driss stumbles into a run-down cafe, he finds himself drawn to its odd proprietor, Fouad. The two agree to a business proposition, but as their partnership develops, Driss learns some surprising facts about his enigmatic and unsavory new friend. Starring Ouassini Embarek and Jaques Nolot (Wild Reeds). In French and Arabic with English subtitles. France 2001 85 mins. DVD | $44.95
Black and White in Color Jean-Jacques Annaud A satire on racism, colonialism and war, Black and White in Color follows a group of French colonists in Africa who learn of their country's involvement in WWI a few months late and enlist the native population to attack a nearby German outpost. Brutal and hilariously unfortunate events ensue. Winner of the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 1976. The DVD is letterboxed, and includes the documentary The Sky Above, The Mud Below (Pierre-Dominique Gaisseau, 1961, 92 mins.), which traces a 1959 expedition into the jungles of Dutch New Guinea by an international team of explorers. An incredible glimpse into primitive societies. Winner of the Best Documentary Oscar in 1961. Also includes interviews with director Jean-Jacques Annaud and producer Arthur Cohn. France, 1976, 92 mins. DVD | $44.95
The Boat Is Full Markus Imhoof It is the summer of 1942 and the Swiss government, alarmed at the vast numbers of people fleeing Nazi Germany, has set up immigration policies so stringent that they have declared the country "a full lifeboat." Complications arise when a Swiss innkeeper's wife takes in a group of frightened refugees. A haunting film from noted Swiss Filmmaker Markus Imhoof. "Virtually a flawless movie….One I will not soon forget!" (Jeffrey Lyons). French and German with English subtitles. Switzerland, 1980, 100 mins. DVD | $44.95
Bon Voyage Jean-Paul Rappeneau Bordeaux just prior to the German occupation of Paris during WWII sets the stage for this beautifully filmed, nostaglic mixture of suspense, farce and dark comedy from director Jean-Paul Rappeneau (Cyrano de Bergerac). A myriad of characters stumble through romance and a Nazi plot to steal a top-secret formula, including a stunning French actress (Isabelle Adjani), an aspiring writer (Gregori Derangere), a government minister (Gerard Depardieu), a distinguished scientist (Jean-Marc Stehle), his young assistant (Virginie Ledoyen), and a journalist (Peter Coyote). "...a triumph of narrative ingenuity" (A.O. Scott, The New York Times). In French with English subtitles. France, 2004, 114 mins. DVD | $44.95
Borsalino and Co. Jacques Deray A historical mob saga, set in 1930's France. Screen giant Alain Delon (The Leopard) stars as Roch Siffredi, a well-manicured gangster impresario who's unwilling to relinquish his vice grip on pre-war Marseille. When an upstart Italian mob tries to move on in his territory, Siffredi's response is swift and violent. Jacques Deray (Flic Story) adorns a meticulous, multi-layered storyline with action-packed sequences and evocative period detail. The result is a top-notch piece of '70s pulp. The DVD is letterboxed and includes stills gallery, Alain Delon filmography, and trailer gallery. In French with English subtitles. France 1974 102 mins. DVD | $44.95
Breakin' Out Olivier Peray A young French teenager finds his life in shambles after a high-speed car crash kills his father and lands his mother in prison. Placed with a foster family, Nicolas (Erwan Demaure) finds it difficult to overcome the tragic turn his life has taken. But when he's introduced to a boy from a similar background (Ouassini Embarek, in a wonderful debut performance), Nicolas finds the courage to move forward--though the direction he takes could prove just as disastrous. The DVD is letterboxed and includes photo gallery and 5.1 sound. In French with English subtitles. France 2001 86 mins. DVD | $44.95
The Bridge Gerard Depardieu/Frederic Auburtin In his second directorial effort, Gerard Depardieu collaborates with Frederic Auburtin to craft a convincing portrayal of the price of adultery. Depardieu also stars in the film, playing a middle-aged laborer whose beautiful wife (Carole Bouquet) falls in love with the engineer of her husband's latest construction job. Modest yet very moving, The Bridge is a realistic depiction of a relationship torn apart. Also starring Charles Berling. In French with English subtitles. France, 1999, 92 mins. DVD | $37.95
Brotherhood of the Wolf Christophe Gans This international box office hit from France is a real genre-buster, mixing up elements of period piece costume drama, horror films, melodrama, swashbuckling adventure, and martial arts action. A scientist-adventurer and his mysterious Iroquois sidekick investigate attacks by an unknown beast that have been terrifying the countryside. They find the truth about the creature, and the corrupt man behind its violence. Fast-paced, violent, sexy, and suspenseful, Brotherhood of the Wolf is a thrill ride wolf in art-house sheep's clothing. With Samuel Le Bihan (Capitaine Conan) Monica Belluci (Malena), Emilie Dequenne (Rosetta), Vincent Cassel (Hate), and former martial arts champion Mark Dacascos as the mysterious Mani. French with English subtitles. France, 2001, 144 mins. DVD | $44.95
Camille Claudel Bruno Nuytten Intense performances by Isabelle Adjani and Gerard Depardieu add fire to this biography of overlooked sculptress Camille Claudel. After years of living with master sculptor Auguste Rodin (Depardieu) as pupil and lover, Claudel fell into a paranoid depression when he left her. Her disapproving family had her committed to a mental institution, where she wasted away for the remaining 30 years of her life. Adjani won a Cesar for her performance in this tragic story. French with English subtitles. France, 1988, 149 mins. DVD | $37.95
Carnage for the Destroyer Delphine Gleize Delphine Gleize's debut feature follows a dismembered Andalusian bull's bizarre journey through Europe and the labyrinth of startling coincidences, parallels and revealed secrets that follow in its wake. Each individual who comes in contact with the bull, who had been destroyed after goring a bullfighter, becomes a part of a large chain of circumstances connected through life, love and death. Winner of the Prix de la Jeunesse at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. "Sophisticated, coolly imaginative, and genre-carefree" (Michael Atkinson, Village Voice). In French, Italian and Spanish with English subtitles. France/Belgium/Spain/Switzerland, 2002, 130 mins. DVD | $44.95
Casque d'Or Jacques Becker One of the truly great French films: Jacques Becker's "elegant masterwork is a glowingly nostalgic evocation of the Paris of the Impressionists." Serge Reggiani plays a carpenter who is drawn into the underworld of pimps and thieves and eventually driven to murder because of his great love for Marie, a gangster's moll, in a glowing performance from Simone Signoret. Signoret brings a remarkable sensuality to her role in a film that is filled with the sun, open air and a kind of transcendence. The DVD is aCriterion Collection Edition, and includes audio commentary by film scholar Peter Cowie, 1995 video interview with Serge Reggiani, 1963 interview with Simone Signoret from the French television program Cinepanorama, excerpt from an episode of the French television series Cineastes de notre temps dedicated to Jacques Becker, behind-the-scenes footage of Becker on set with commentary by film scholar Philip Kemp, new essay by Philip Kemp, and new English subtitles. In French with English subtitles. France, 1952, 94 mins. DVD | $59.95
Chaos Coline Serreau A couple helps a young prostitute (Rachida Brakni) after witnessing her beating at the hands of a group of thugs. Upon hearing her harrowing life story, they are prompted to help her out of her situation. Director Coline Serreau (Three Men and a Cradle) addresses the serious issue of physical and psychological abuse of women with a light, yet serious, hand, balancing the film's satirical side with moments of real emotional resonance. "Darkly hilarious and brilliantly touching" (Ray Pride, Newcity Chicago). Nominated for five Cesar Awards, with Brakni taking home the Cesar for Best Female Newcomer. In French with English subtitles. France, 2001, 109 mins. DVD | $44.95
The Chorus Christophe Barratier Inspired by Jean Dreville's La Cage aux Rossignols, this debut film by French musician Christophe Barratier explores the uplifting effect that teachers can have on their students' lives. When an acclaimed orchestra conductor (Jacques Perrin) returns home to bury his mother, he finds his thoughts drifting to his childhood music instructor. Although his boarding school experience was drab and often cruel, Pierre (Perrin) always found a spark of light in Clement Mathieu's (Gerard Jugnot) music lessons. Christophe Barratier's film captures scenes from childhood and adulthood with great grace, lyricism, and poignancy. Featuring performances by Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc Choir. Nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Original Song, Best Foreign Language Film). In French with English subtitles. France, 2004, 97 mins. DVD | $44.95
The City of Lost Children Jean-Pierre Jeunet/Marc Caro This cross between a children's fairy tale and a hellish sci-fi nightmare questions the very nature of dreams, fantasy and the hope of a collective social fabric. Though heavy with ambition, the fantastic sets and backdrops, together with superb effects, animate a truly engrossing cast of characters, ranging from a villainous pair of Siamese twins to hitmen fleas. Amidst the tumult, children struggle in a world dominated by crime and perverse ambitions. Jean-Paul Gaultier did the costumes. French with English subtitles. France, 1995, 112 mins. DVD | $44.95
Close to Leo Christophe Honore A close-knit family tries to protect its youngest member from knowing that his older brother, named Leo, has contracted HIV in this intimate drama from French director Christophe Honore, who adapted the film from his own novel. When the boy becomes frightened after overhearing the rest of the family discussing his brother's health, Leo takes him on a trip to Paris to ease his mind and explain the situation. "A film of much perception in illuminating the complexities of truly loving relationships" (Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times). In French with English subtitles. France 2003 90 mins. DVD | $44.95
Comedy of Innocence Raul Ruiz An eerie and engrossing supernatural thriller from the director of Life is a Dream. On his ninth birthday, Camille (Nils Hugon) tells his parents that he wants to live with his "real" mother. He then leads them across town to a stranger's small flat where he announces that he is the reincarnation of the woman's dead son. Unsure of what to do, Camille's parents initially play along, but soon they must seek alternative solutions. Also stars Isabelle Huppert, Denis Podalydes, and Jeanne Balibar. In French with English subtitles. DVD includes an interview, trailer, filmographies, optional English subtitles and more. France, 2000, 99 mins. DVD | $37.95
The Count of Monte Cristo Josee Dayan Gerard Depardieu stars in this fine adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' classic novel about an unjustly imprisoned man who returns to seek revenge on the people who set him up. This eight hour mini-series ranks as one of the most watched programs in the history of French television. The supporting cast includes Ornella Muti and Jean Rochefort. In French with English subtitles. Four volume boxed set, with filmographies, episode summaries, and a photo gallery. France, 1998, 480 mins. DVD | $44.95
The Crazy Stranger (Gadjo Dilo) Tony Gatlif The director of Latcho Drom and Mondo delivers another seductive exploration of Gypsy culture in this vibrant tale of a young Parisian who comes to Romania to track down a legendary folk singer, finding romance along the way. "A spontaneity and freshness rare in movies…the talk is raw, the atmosphere is earthy, the drink is strong and the sex is not exactly refined" (Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle). "A great, free, emotionally powerful pageant that, at its best, makes your body and soul dance" (Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune). French and Romany with English subtitles. France, 1998, 97 mins. DVD | $44.95
Creezy Pierre Granier-Deferre A French melodrama with political undertones, Creezy shares its name with the beautiful fashion model (Sydne Rome) who has stolen the heart of a rising politician (Alain Delon). Plagued by guilt over the affair, he must choose between his wife and career or the woman he loves. With Jeanne Moreau. In French with English subtitles. France/Italy, 1974, 90 mins. DVD | $37.95
The Crimson Rivers Mathieu Kassovitz Mathieu Kassovitz (Hate, Cafe au Lait) steps into Silence of the Lambs and Seven territory with this film about two cops (Jean Reno and Vincent Cassel) trying to stop a string of gruesome killings. "...a breathtaking exercise in the macabre...even when the movie is perfect nonsense, it's so voluptuous that you're grateful to be watching it anyway. This is the work of a natural filmmaker" (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times). The DVD comes with French and English soundtrack and subtitle options, and is letterboxed, closed-captioned, and includes audio commentary by director Mathieu Kassovitz and the cast, "making of" and other behind-the-scenes segments, more. France, 2000, 105 mins. DVD | $44.95
Cyrano de Bergerac Jean-Paul Rappeneau Gerard Depardieu is magnificent as the poetic soldier with the prominent proboscis. Based on the classic play by Rostand in which a 17th century swordsman proves inarticulate only when it comes to expressing his love for his cousin Roxanne face to face. Packed with pageantry, poetry and robust performances. With Anne Brochet, Jacques Weber, and some 2000 extras. In French with English and Spanish subtitles, letterboxed. France, 1989, 138 mins. DVD | $37.95
Dangerous Moves Richard Dembo The game of chess mirrors the Cold War in this award-winning film. A Russian master (Michel Piccoli) is pitted in a high stakes game of chess against a Soviet exile (Alexandre Arbatt), who has dreamed since childhood of defeating the champion. Every move becomes dangerous when the KGB gets involved, using the exile's detained wife (Liv Ullmann) as a pawn to distract the challenger. Winner of the Best Foreign Language Academy Award in 1984. In French with optional English subtitles, letterboxed, and includes an interview with producer Arthur Cohn. France, 1984, 96 mins. DVD | $44.95
Diva Jean-Jacques Beineix A breathtaking series of visual images in this stylish romantic thriller; at the heart of the film is an opera-intoxicated 18-year-old mail carrier who becomes unwittingly entangled in a web of murder, intrigue and passion. French dialog with English subtitles. France, 1982, 123 mins. DVD | $44.95
Don Juan Jacques Weber The legendary tale of Don Juan, the 17th century Spanish nobleman who defaulted on his promise to marry the Donna Elvira, is retold here with high drama and visual flare. Jacques Weber stars as the womanizing protagonist, who roams the countryside with young Siganarelle (Michel Boujenah) while trying to evade his vengeful enemies. With Penelope Cruz. In French with English subtitles. France 1998 104 mins. DVD | $44.95
Don Juan (If Don Juan Was a Woman) Roger Vadim Also known as Ms. Don Juan and Don Juan '73, this film brought back together Brigitte Bardot and her ex-husband Roger Vadim for a sexy spin-off of the Don Juan legend. Bardot (in one of her last film appearances) confesses to her cousin, a priest, about all the men she has seduced. With Jane Birkin, Maurice Ronet, Mathieu Carriere and Robert Hossein. In French with English subtitles. France, 1973, 94 mins. DVD | $37.95
Don't Let Me Die on a Sunday Didier Le Pecheur Sexual transgression becomes the only alternative to an otherwise meaningless and empty modern existence for the despairing characters in this provocative feature. Elodie Bouchez (The Dreamlife of Angels) stars as a woman who is revived from an Ecstasy overdose by the lovemaking of a morgue attendant (Jean-Marc Barr). This necrophilic introduction leads her into an odyssey of erotic encounters among a group of people who see no boundaries for explorations into the pleasures of the flesh. In French with English subtitles. France, 1998, 86 mins. DVD | $44.95
Dry Cleaning Anne Fontaine Sexual temptation leads a married couple down a dark road in this provocative drama. The couple runs a dry cleaning business and seem content enough until they see a brother-sister drag act that awakens their imaginations to new erotic possibilities. When the act splits up, the bisexual brother is invited to stay with the married couple. Turning his amorous attention to both of his landlords, his presence changes their lives forever. "...marvelously unsettling..." (Ella Taylor, Atlantic Monthly). "...a hauntingly erotic fable..." (Stephen Holden, New York Times). In French with English subtitles. France, 1997, 98 mins. DVD | $44.95
The Fanny Trilogy Marius/Fanny/Cesar Marcel Pagnol French playwright, screenwriter and filmmaker Marcel Pagnol's charming humanist trilogy set amidst the seaside beauty of Marseilles is presented in its entirety in this impressive boxed set. The first entry, Marius (Alexander Korda, 1931, 120 mins.), introduces Marius, son of the cafe owner, Cesar, who longs to go to sea in spite of his love for Fanny. In Fanny (Marc Allegret, 1931, 120 mins.), the abandoned love discovers that she is pregnant by Marius, now at sea. She reluctantly accepts a marriage offer from an older man when Marius reappears. In the final film, Cesar (Marcel Pagnol, 1936, 121 mins.), set twenty years after Marius, Fanny's husband, and also Cesar's best friend, has died and her son is at last told about his true father, the legendary Marius. This is a four-DVD boxed set, and includes an introductory essay by Bertrand Tavernier; a 74-minute documentary; brief commentaries by Pagnol; trailers; poster, still and promotional material galleries; a biography; filmographies; and optional English subtitles. All films in French with English subtitles. France, 1931/1931/1936 DVD | $99.95
Farinelli Gerard Corbiau Farinelli, an 18th-century castrato, was one of Europe's most acclaimed singers. This lavishly designed, brilliantly costumed film focuses on his troubled artistic and personal life as he conquers the opera world and has women faint in his presence, yet needs his brother to consummate his sexual conquests. Corbiau ingeniously recreates the unique castrato sound by electronically blending a male and female voice; Jeroen Krabbe appears as Friedrich Handel. French with English subtitles. France/Belgium/Italy 1995 115 mins. DVD | $44.95
Fear and Trembling Alain Corneau Adapted from Amelie Nothomb's autobiographical novel, Alain Corneau's scathing, sexually charged psychodrama chronicles the efforts of a Japanese-born Belgian twentysomething (Sylvie Testud) to transform herself into "a true Japanese woman". Having landed an interpreter position at a large Japanese corporation, Amelie (Testud) immerses herself in the rigid protocols, vicious back-stabbing, and erotic innuendo of corporate life. "A comic nightmare that soothes spirits in the age of the computer and the culture of the samurai" (Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune). In French and Japanese with English subtitles. The DVD is letterboxed and includes making-of featurette, trailer, 5.1 sound, and essay by film critic Mark Peranson. France 2003 107 mins. DVD | $44.95
Flic Story Jacques Deray A 70's crime classic. Producer/star Alain Delon and director Jacques Deray team up for a hardboiled cat-and-mouse thriller based on the shocking memoir from French police detective Roger Borniche. Set in post-liberation France, Delon stars as an overtaxed French cop who's been assigned to a notorious psychopath with a penchant for murder. Faced with bureaucratic roadblocks, the frazzled cop decides to risk the safety of his lover (Claudine Auger) to put his nemesis behind bars. In French with English subtitles. The DVD is letterboxed and includes stills gallery, Alain Delon filmography, and trailer gallery. France 1975 107 mins. DVD | $44.95
Fogi Is a Bastard Marcel Gisler Set in Zurich during the early 1970s, this drama follows a gay teenager who falls madly in love with the sexy lead singer of a band called The Minks. He hits the road with the band, working as a roadie and enjoying a passionate fling with the singer, but soon their relationship turns to heartbreak. The selfish, cruel, and addicted rocker begins pimping the love-struck teen out to other men to pay for his drug habit, sending the young man into a spiral of alienation and possible self-destruction. In French with English subtitles. France/Switzerland, 1998, 92 mins. DVD | $44.95
Franck Spadone: Confessions of a Pickpocket Richard Bean Slick and fast-moving, this French noir stars Stanislas Mehrar as the eponymous pickpocket, who's drawn into an obsession with a Parisian stripper (Monica Bellucci) after swiping her wallet. Richard Bean wrote and directed this stylish mix of sultry romance and high-stakes crime. In French with English subtitles. France 1999 89 mins. DVD | $44.95
Furia Alexandre Aja Alexandre Aja's thriller unfolds in a dystopian future where a totalitarian government limits its citizens' freedom of expression. Graffiti artist Theo (Stanislas Merhar) continues to work covertly, however, thereby alienating family members who are loyal to the regime. When Theo meets fellow artist Elia (Marion Cotillard), he jeopardizes his safety by falling in love with the radical activist. "Aja appears to have talent to burn" (Variety). In French with English subtitles. France 1999 99 mins. DVD | $44.95
The Girl from Paris Christian Carion Sandrine, a successful Parisian businesswoman, is unhappy with her life, so she buys a goat farm in the French countryside to start anew. The farm's previous owner, an old man named Adrien, agrees to stay on for a while to insure a smooth transfer, but he only creates more obstacles with his resentment and hostile behavior toward Sandrine, making her work even harder to earn his respect. Nominated for two Cesar Awards. In French with English subtitles. France, 2001, 103 mins. DVD | $44.95
Girls Can't Swim Anne-Sophie Birot This deeply felt portrayal of the painful confusion of adolescence follows two 15-year-old girls as they struggle to deal with the changing nature of their friendship, their families, and their emerging sexuality. When her long absent father dies suddenly, young Lise takes refuge in the company of best friend Gwen and her family. But Gwen's rebellious nature and sexual activity eventually causes a rift that leads to shocking consequences. "...captures the deep currents of love and rivalry that make female teen friendships so important and so volatile" (Leslie Camhi, Village Voice). In French with English subtitles. France, 2000, 98 mins. DVD | $44.95
Guardian of the Night Jean-Pierre Limosin Jean-Pierre Limosin (Tokyo Eyes) presents this quirky, comic look at the extremes of love. A policeman admires a pretty nurse from afar, finally committing a robbery to get her attention. His illegal pursuits get wilder as his passion gets crazier. Starring Jean-Philippe Ecoffey (Queen Margot), Aurelle Doazan (Camille Claudel) and Vincent Perez in his feature film debut. In French with English subtitles. France, 1986, 100 mins. DVD | $44.95
Happily Ever After Yvan Attal Yvann Attal writes, directs, and stars in this acclaimed French comedy--a witty reflection on love and sex. Attal plays a married man with a steady job, a young son, and a loving wife (Charlotte Gainsbourg). But when his marriage hits a rough patch, he embarks on an extramarital affair, thereby tempting his wife to do the same. Attal compares and contrasts his central couple with their middle-aged friends, rendering a panoramic portrait of married life's highs and lows. "Drop everything and see it" (Andrew Sarris, New York Observer). The DVD is letterboxed and includes trailer and stills gallery, interview with Yvan Attal, and deleted scene with director commentary. In French with English subtitles. France 2004 105 mins. DVD | $44.95
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (A La Folie...Pas Du Tout) Laetitia Colombani Both sides of an ill-fated love affair are put on display in this romantic thriller, and ambitious debut film, from Laetitia Colombani. Audrey Tautou (Amelie) plays a lovesick art student involved with a married doctor (Samuel Le Bihan). As her affections for the doctor grow more intense and less discreet, his life begins to fall apart. "Wickedly clever" (Rita Kempley, Washington Post). In French with English subtitles. France, 2002, 96 mins. DVD | $44.95
The Horseman on the Roof Jean-Paul Rappeneau In a world ravaged by revolution and a sweeping epidemic, two strangers - a beautiful countess (Juliet Binoche) searching for her family and a handsome renegade (Olivier Martinez) who is being hunted by assassins - discover their only chance for survival is each other. Based on the novel by Jean Giono. "A swashbuckling romance adventure" (Wall Street Journal). In French with English subtitles. France, 1995, 135 mins. DVD | $37.95
Human Resources Laurent Cantet A penetrating film from the director of Time Out about a factory worker father and his son, a Parisian business college student interning in the human resources department at the factory. With a cast primarily made up of real factory workers and an emotional clarity that recalls the best of the Neo-Realists, Laurent charts their distanced relationship, which is strained further when the son's efforts at the company lead to the firing of many employees, including his father. Winner of the Jury Prize at the Seattle International Film Festival. "A valuable, heart-breaking film" (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times). In French with English subtitles. France, 1999, 103 mins. DVD | $44.95
I Stand Alone Gaspar Noe Confrontational in every regard, I Stand Alone is a shocking portrait of hatred and the disturbed mind that gives it free reign. An unemployed, 50-year-old butcher finds rage as the only fuel for his existence. His angry, racist, misogynist, homophobic, and class-conscious thoughts are shared in an expletive-laced voice-over narration that runs through most of the film as his pitiful life unravels. His destructive behavior escalates to a terrible act of violence and depraved sexual fantasies about his mute teenaged daughter. "...a bit like watching Taxi Driver written by Dostoyevsky and starring Charles Bukowski at his most rancidly disgusted...The movie blisters with the scalding poignance of a man trying - and failing - to surgically remove his own heart" (Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly). In French with English subtitles. France, 1999, 93 mins. DVD | $44.95
I'm Going Home Manoel de Oliveira An aging Parisian actor (Michel Piccoli) tragically loses his wife, daughter and son-in-law in a car wreck, leading him to care for his orphaned grandson in this touching and often funny film from Portuguese director Manoel de Oliveira (Voyage to the Beginning of the World). Just as life begins to return to normal, an American director (John Malkovich) offers the actor a role in a production of James Joyce's Ulysses, which stirs up old emotions. Also stars Catherine Deneuve. "Beautiful...A glorious film full of revelations" (Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader). In French with English subtitles. France/Portugal, 2001, 90 mins. DVD | $44.95
In My Skin Marina de Van Frequent Francois Ozon collaborator Marina de Van makes her directorial debut with this dark, disturbing psychological drama about a young woman's fascination with her own body. After seriously scratching her leg on a piece of scrap metal, Esther (de Van) becomes obsessed with the deep, gouging wound and continually picks and irritates it until her entire leg is a mass of scars. Esther soon lets her love and professional life slide into obscurity as her obsessive-compulsive behavior manifests itself further into extreme fits of self-mutilation. In French with English subtitles. France, 2002, 93 mins. DVD | $44.95
Intimacy Patrice Chereau The first English-language film from French director Patrice Chereau (Queen Margot) is a bold exploration of one man's sexual obsessions and emotional weaknesses. A lonely nightclub worker, Jay (Mark Rylance), and an actress, Claire (Kerry Fox), engage in an impersonal sexual affair. When Jay learns that Claire is married, he strikes up a bizarre friendship with her husband. Winner of the Golden Bear at the 2001 Berlin Film Festival and a Best Actress Award for Fox. "Intelligent and courageous" (Elvis Mitchell, New York Times). France, 2001, 115 mins. DVD | $44.95
Irma Vep Olivier Assayas Olivier Assayas' stylish take on the world of French surrealist film serials stars Hong Kong action film star Maggie Cheung, who, playing herself, is brought to Paris to star in a modern version of the famous silent Feuillade serial, Les Vampires. But Jean-Pierre Leaud, who plays the director of the film, is at the end of his emotional rope, and the production becomes a series of emotional entanglements between its protagonists. Assayas' witty, acute observations of people and places touches on the nature of creation in a film which is a favorite of film festivals worldwide. DVD is widescreen, 1:66.1, stereo, with filmographies. English subtitles. English and French with English subtitles. France, 1996, 97 mins. DVD | $44.95
Irreversible Gaspar Noe Gaspar Noe's disturbing thriller shocked festival crowds with its extended rape scene and graphic violence, prompting some audience members to leave the theater or faint. But those who made it to the end experienced an intense, brutal and emotional ride. Monica Bellucci (Tears of the Sun) and Vincent Cassell (Elizabeth) star as a couple who experience an absolutely horrific night together. Opening with the final scene and moving backward, Noe tells the story in reverse chronological order, revealing every atrocity through unflinching, drawn out single shots. "Amazing! A rapt, cinematic force" (Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly). In French with English subtitles. France, 2002, 99 mins. DVD | $44.95
It's Easier for a Camel Valeria Bruni Tedeschi Talented french actress Valeria Bruni Tedeschi makes her directorial debut with this heartfelt, semi-autobiographic film about growing up in a privileged Italian family that has immigrated to France. One of three children, Federica (Bruno-Tedeschi) feels lost and disconnected after her family's move. Instead of squaring up to her situation, Federica flees to the fantasy world of her daydreams, where she imagines a life of romance and stardom. But as her family life and professional ambitions begin to unravel, Federica realizes that she must make a signicant change for herself. Featuring stellar performances from Tedeschi and Chiara Mastroianni, "this is a rich comedy that leaves you suspended, with all its hubbub, between wanting to laugh and wanting to cry" (Andrew Sarris, New York Observer). In French with English subtitles. France/Italy, 2003, 110 mins. DVD | $44.95
Jeanne and the Perfect Guy Olivier Ducastel/Jacques Martineau Made in the spirit of Jacques Demy's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and The Young Girls of Rochefort, this "bittersweet and ultimately irresistible Parisian confection" (Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com) boldly adds a measure of social realism to the musical form. Viginie Ledoyen (A Single Girl) plays a sexually adventurous young woman who, despite her love for the wild life, is a true romantic at heart, waiting to find Mr. Wonderful. She thinks she has found him when she meets Olivier, played by none other than Demy's son, Mathieu. However the love affair has a stumbling block...Olivier is HIV-positive. Through the songs of Philippe Miller and co-writer/co-director Jacques Martineau, the film makes this unusual blend of the whimsical and harsh reality work. In French with English subtitles. France, 1998, 98 mins. DVD | $44.95
L'Ennui Cedric Kahn Based on Alberto Moravia's novel La Noia, this smart, sexy film combines a dramatic contemplation of the male mid-life crisis with some unexpected humor and some rather explicit loves scenes. Charles Berling plays a writer and philosophy teacher who becomes increasingly obsessed with a teenaged model who, despite their intimate relationship, seems nearly indifferent to his attention. "...mesmerizes us as we watch as an intelligent, attractive man willingly sows the seeds of his own destruction. One recalls Godard's Contempt (adapted from a Moravia novel) and Visconti's Ossessione (scripted by Moravia)" (Film Society of Lincoln Center). French with English subtitles. France, 1998, 120 mins. DVD | $37.95
L'Humanite Bruno Dumont Winner of the Grand Prize of the Jury, Best Actor and Best Actress at Cannes, Bruno Dumont's second feature (after Life of Jesus) is a spare, often ambiguous study in human nature. The story follows an awkward, small town policeman as he investigates the rape and murder of a young girl. His sad life is preoccupied by a sexually active neighbor and her boyfriend, but his seemingly empty daily rituals mask deep pain and dark secrets. "...brave, ambitious, difficult, and highly memorable..." (Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader). In French with English subtitles. France, 1999, 148 mins. DVD | $44.95
La Balance Bob Swaim Winner of France's Cesar Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress, La Balance is a tough, violent crime drama about a small-time, basically good-natured pimp who is forced to work as an informant by some brutal police officers intent on nailing his former boss. To secure the services of their new stool pigeon, the cops threaten the prostitute he loves. Gritty and emotionally honest, La Balance packs a wallop. Starring Nathalie Baye, Philippe Leotard and Richard Berry. In French with English subtitles. France, 1982, 102 mins. DVD | $37.95
La Bete Walerian Borowczyk The arrival of an American heiress betrothed to the son of a once powerful French family sparks sexual intrigue in the family's crumbling estate. It also reawakens a centuries-old creature driven by insatiable lust and possessing a mighty male member. "La Bete at its best resembles Renoir crossed with Bunuel. At its worst it's like any pay-on-demand porn video available to clients in their hotel rooms" (Alexander Walker, Evening Standard). Banned for 25 years in Great Britain. In French with optional English subtitles. France 1975 94 mins. DVD | $44.95
La Chamade (Heartbeat) Alain Cavalier A beautiful woman (Catherine Deneuve) must choose between the passionate love of a young penniless writer (Roger Van Hool) or her comfortable life with a wealthy older man (Michel Piccoli) in this romantic drama. The DVD is letterboxed and includes an English language track and Spanish subtitles. In Italian with English subtitles. France/Italy 1969 103 mins. DVD | $44.95
La Repetition Catherine Corsini From the director of The New Eve comes this melodrama about two women who mix love, sex and obsession with dangerous results. After ten years apart, childhood friends Louise (Pascale Brussieres) and Natalie (Emmanuelle Beart) are reunited and renew their old friendship. But, as Natalie's love for Louise grows, the relationship morphs into something more erotic and impossible to escape. In French and Danish with English subtitles. Canada/France, 2001, 96 mins. DVD | $44.95
La Vie Promise (The Promised Life) Olivier Dahan Acclaimed French actress Isabelle Huppert (The Piano Teacher, Time of the Wolf) is dazzling in the role of Sylvia, a vulnerable prostitute whose routine is radically interrupted by the arrival of her estranged daughter. When a violent confrontation puts the pair on the run, Sylvia finds herself on a journey to repair the broken pieces of her life. The beautiful Huppert shines under the direction of Olivier Dahan, lending credence to the Village Voice's claim that "Huppert is possibly the most indispensable actress in the world". French with English subtitles. France, 2002, 94 mins. DVD | $44.95
La Vie en Rose Olivier Dahan Marion Cotillard soars in her role as Edith Piaf in Olivier Dahan's musical biopic about the legendary French songstress. Though Cotillard does not do her own singing, her possession of the dramatic sequences is astonishing. "One of the most devastating, inspired and breath-taking performances in film history" (Rex Reed, New York Observer). Nominated for the Golden Bear at the 2007 Berlin film festival. Also known as La Mome and The Passionate Life of Edith Piaf. In French and English with English subtitles. France, 2007, 141 mins. DVD | $24.95 Blu-Ray | $39.95
Late August, Early September Olivier Assayas In this profound drama from the gifted director of Irma Vep and L'Eeau Froide, a group of young Parisians, connected by their friendship with an older writer, grapple with life's difficulties after learning the writer is terminally ill. Confronting relationship complexities, general insecurities and, of course, their fear of mortality, the characters examine their place in the world. Mathieu Amalric, Jeanne Balibar, Francois Cluzet and Virginie Ledoyen star. "...the film is so deeply transformative that it catches the audience in its grip and, slowly but ineluctably, makes us take its lessons to heart" (B. Ruby Rich, San Francisco Bay Guardian). In French with English subtitles. France, 1999, 112 mins. DVD | $44.95
Le Trou (The Hole) Jacques Becker Jacques Becker's swan song was this masterfully realized, realistic drama about an attempted prison escape and it is considered by some to be the best film of his career. Inspired by a true incident, the film meticulously details the struggle of five convicts to tunnel their way to freedom, while a traitor may be among them. Building its suspense methodically and effectively, Le Trou makes heavy use of non-professional actors, and its realism is heightened by the absence of a musical score. A great work from the director who was the inspirational bridge between Renoir and the New Wave. Also known as The Night Watch. The DVD is a letterboxed Criterion Collection edition, and includes excerpts from 1960 U.S. press book. French with English subtitles. France/Italy, 1960, 123 mins. DVD | $44.95
Lemming Dominik Moll Dominik Moll follows up his 2000 triumph With a Friend Like Harry with a psychosexual thriller about two couples, a disastrous dinner party, and a dead rodent in the kitchen plumbing. The tale begins as tech inventor Alain (Harry star Laurent Lucas) and his sweet-natured wife (Charlotte Gainsbourg) invite the former's boss (Andre Dussollier) and his frigid partner (Charlotte Rampling) over for dinner. When Alain finds a dead rodent in a drainpipe, the unpleasant discovery portends a series of startling revelations. "It's a patient, savory psychodrama, and a triumph of unsettled reaction shots" (Michael Atkinson, Village Voice). In French with English subtitles. France, 2005, 129 mins. DVD | $37.95
Leon, The Professional Luc Besson Two years after it was first released, Luc Besson came out with this extended version of his international hit Leon (released as The Professional in the U.S.). 24 minutes of footage was added to the stylish tale of a hit-man (Jean Reno) who becomes an unlikely friend to a 12-year-old girl (Natalie Portman) as he shoots it out with the police and a maniacal gangster, played in typically unrestrained fashion by Gary Oldman. In English. USA/France, 1994/1996, 132 mins. DVD | $37.95 Blu-Ray | $37.95
Les Destinees Olivier Assayas Charles Berling (A Matter of Taste, Ridicule), Emmanuelle Beart (Time Regained, Nelly & Monsieur Arnaud), and Isabelle Huppert (The Piano Teacher, La Ceremonie) star in this intimate epic of one man's life and loves from the director of Irma Vep and Late August, Early September. Set among the affluent in early 20th century France, the film follows Berling's character through two marriages and a career change from minister to heading the family's porcelain business. "...master storyteller Assayas focuses on the forward, uncontrollable vicissitudes of life as most of us experience it" (Tom Keogh, Seattle Times). French with English subtitles. France/Switzerland, 2000, 174 mins. DVD | $44.95
Life of Jesus Bruno Dumont Bruno Dumont's impressive debut feature depicts the often brutal and empty lives of alienated teenagers in Flanders. Filled with anger and ashamed of his epilepsy, working class Freddy manages to find some peace with his beautiful girlfriend, until a young Arab boy attracts her attention. With the one satisfying aspect of his life taken away, Freddy's life takes a violent and tragic turn. The film's "precise rhythms and spare storytelling build to a shattering, and beautiful, final scene" (Robert Horton, Film Comment). Winner of the Prix Jean Vigo for Best First Feature at the Cannes Film festival and the FIPRESCI International Critic's Prize at the Chicago International Film Festival. French with English subtitles. France, 1996, 96 mins. DVD | $37.95
Look at Me Agnes Jaoui Agnes Jaoui's second film follows a group of Parisians who balance their affection and friendship with fierce ambition and a willingness to betray one another to get what they want. At the center of the struggle is Lolita (Marilou Berry), the daughter of a successful literary editor (Jean-Pierre Bacri). The self-conscious Lolita seeks attention from two men, but suspects that they're more interested in her father than they are in her. A ripe and exacting comedy, the film earned the prize for Best Screenplay at Cannes. The DVD is letterboxed and includes 8 deleted scenes, making-of featurette, trailers, English and Spanish subtitle options, and 5.1 sound. In French with English subtitles. France 2004 110 mins. DVD | $44.95
Love Bites Antoine de Caunes A Parisian social climber (Guilliaume Canet) spends his cash on fancy clothes and popular nightclubs, leaving him broke when it comes time to take care of his day-to-day needs. Forced to bed down at the local gym, the frustrated narcissist takes a dangerous job with a wealthy club owner. His mission: to track down a beautiful, elusive woman (Asia Argento) with a penchant for biting the necks of her lovers. With its glossy euro style and creepy plot twists, Antoine de Caunes's film is a flashy modern vampire flick. Includes making-of featurette, director commentary, photo gallery, and trailer. In French with English subtitles. France 2005 95 mins. DVD | $37.95
Love, etc. Marion Vernoux Shy Marie and Benoit meet through a personal ad, hit it off and eventually marry. But on the day of their wedding, Benoit's best friend Pierre realizes that he is also in love with Marie and that she is attracted to him. Rather than take the typically melodramatic approach to the love triangle, this film maturely addresses the emotional complexities and conflicting motivations of the characters. "...reminiscent of Truffaut's 1961 classic Jules & Jim..." (The New York Times). In French with English subtitles. France, 1996, 105 mins. DVD | $37.95
Love Rites Walerian Borowczyk The final film by the talented and imaginative Polish auteur Walerian Borowczyk (La Bete, Immoral Tales), this surreal erotic drama stars Mathieu Carriere as Hugo Arnold, a young hedonist who becomes obsessed with a sultry Parisian prostitute named Myriam (Marina Pierro). After following her to a borrowed flat, Arnold is allowed to act out his erotic fantasies on the young woman, but his actions come at a terrible price when Myriam claims control of his body and soul. Moody and macabre, the film co-stars Josy Bernard and Isabelle Tinard. The DVD is letterboxed and includes both the complete version and a director's approved cut of the film. In French with English subtitles. France 1989 98 mins. DVD | $44.95
The Lover Jean-Jacques Annaud Jean-Jacques Annaud adapts Marguerite Duras' autobiographical novel L'Amant: political, social and class tensions and sexual role-playing refracted through an erotic relationship between a beautiful French girl (Jane March) and her older, elegant, aristocratic Chinese lover (Tony Leung). The film is set in French-occupied Indochina during the 1920s. This is the uncut, unrated European version that was initially rated NC-17. Original English dialogue. France/Great Britain, 1991, 113 mins. DVD | $37.95
The Lovers on the Bridge (Les Amants du Pont-Neuf) Leos Carax One of the most original and exhilarating works of recent cinema, Les Amants du Pont-Neuf is as daring as it is dazzling--taking the viewer from gritty, docudrama-styled depictions of homeless life to the most whimsical moments of romantic fantasy. Juliette Binoche and Denis Lavant star as two unlikely lovers who celebrate and suffer with equal abandon. Director Leos Carax's massive set, duplicating the famous Pont Neuf and much of its surroundings, helped make this one of the most expensive films in French history, but the movie is ultimately more intimate than epic. "... could be the great urban expressionist fantasy of the 90s: like Sunrise and Lonesome in the '20s and Playtime and Alphaville in the '60s" (Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader). In French with English subtitles. France 1991 126 mins. DVD | $44.95
Lumumba Raoul Peck This gripping drama depicts the true story of Patrice Emery Lumumba, the first leader of an independent Congo, whose vision of a united Africa earned him loyal allies at home and powerful enemies abroad. The movie details how the U.S. government, through the C.I.A., conspired with Belgium to have Lumumba assassinated to protect business and Cold War power interests. "Mr. Peck makes no plea for crocodile tears; his ambitions are as wide and encompassing as those of his subject...[Eriq] Ebouaney's performance is a muscular assertion of willfulness" (Elvis Mitchell, New York Times). The DVD is letterboxed, and includes excerpts from Peck's 1991 documentary, Lumumba: Prophet of Death; Congo historical background and timeline; production notes; filmographies; and original theatrical trailer. French with English subtitles. France/Belgium/Germany/Haiti, 2000, 115 mins. DVD | $44.95
Ma Vie en Rose Alain Berliner Ludovic is a seven-year-old boy who dresses, acts like and is convinced he's a girl, and wants to marry his next door neighbor and best friend Jerome - who also happens to be the son of his father's boss. For Ludovic, nothing is more natural than to change his gender, and he truly believes a miracle will happen. But as the innocent Ludovic tries to set things right, he must deal with the gay phobias, fears and prejudices of the adult world. With a wonderful, self-possessed performance by 11-year-old Georges du Fresne. Winner of The Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. "Deft and wildly colorful" (Janet Maslin, The New York Times). France/Belgium/Great Britain, 1997, 89 mins. DVD | $44.95
Mademoiselle Tony Richardson Tony Richardson's film about sexual obsession is based on a screenplay by Jean Genet and Marguerite Duras. Set in a remote French village, the mayor, chief of police and a virginal school teacher played by Jeanne Moreau are unsettled by the appearance of an Italian guest worker and his teenage son. Moreau's sexual longing for the stranger sets in motion a dark menage of betrayal. With Ettore Manni, Keith Skinner and Umberto Orsini. The film was shot in both French and English versions. The DVD is in French with English subtitles, and includes optional Spanish and French subtitles. France/Great Britain 1966 105 mins. DVD | $37.95
Marius and Jeannette Robert Guediguian Ariane Ascaride won the Cesar Award for Best Actress for her performance in this romantic drama set among the struggling working class of France, and the film was also nominated for Cesars for Best Director, Best Supporting Actress (Pascale Roberts), Best Supporting Actor (Jean-Pierre Darroussin) and Best Original Screenplay. "Warm-hearted...uplifting. It radiates a glow" (Stephen Holden, The New York Times). French with English subtitles. France, 1997, 105 mins. DVD | $44.95
A Matter of Taste Bernard Rapp An elegant but scheming business mogul hires a handsome young waiter to be his personal food taster. The strange job becomes more odd and the employer seemingly more sinister, leading the new employee to drastic measures. "This deliciously nasty French deconstruction of male pecking orders, directed by Bernard Rapp, should send a pleasant shiver down the spine of anyone who has ever obsessed about wanting to please a devious and manipulative boss" (Stephen Holden, New York Times). Starring Bernard Giraudeau (Water Drops on Burning Rocks) and Jean-Pierre Lorit (Kieslowski's Red). In French with English subtitles. France, 2000, 90 mins. DVD | $37.95
Merci Docteur Rey! Andrew Litvack A loopy French farce from Merchant Ivory productions, this star-studded outing follows the comic plight of a young gay man (Stanislas Merhar) trying to keep his sexuality under wraps from his opera-diva mother (Dianne Wiest). Director Andrew Litvack tosses a murder, a long-lost father, and an enigmatically odd voice-over actress (Jane Birken) into this madcap ode to film and celebrity. Featuring a slew of cameos, including Simon Callow, Vanessa Redgrave, Bulle Ogier, and Jerry Hall. "If it were a drink, it would be pink champagne" (Le Monde). The DVD is letterboxed and includes 5.1 sound and Spanish subtitle options. In French with English subtitles. France 2002 91 mins. DVD | $44.95
Murderous Maids Jean-Pierre Denis Two young sisters kill the mother and daughter who employ them as maids in this tragic story based on 1933's infamous Papin murder case. With a relationship that transcends sisterly love into incest, the girls react to the emotional isolation, jealously and resentment in their lives by lashing out and committing murder. Directed by Jean-Pierre Denis (Adrien's Story). "Troubling and powerful" (Michael O'Sullivan, Washingon Post). In French with English subtitles. The DVD is letterboxed, and includes interviews; the original French and English language trailers; a 1933 "Vanity Fair" article recounting the actual events; vintage photos from newspapers; and more. France, 2000, 92 mins. DVD | $44.95
My Father and I Anne Fontaine In this reflective drama from Anne Fontaine (Dry Cleaning), a shallow, wealthy doctor (Charles Berling) confronts his strained familial past and his troubled marriage upon the return of his father (Michel Bouquet), who abandoned his family when his children were young, only to return decades later. The father's absence had a profound effect upon the family, creating an uneasy air of uncertainty and distance that bled into the adult life of each. Also released as How I Killed My Father (Comment J'ai Tu Mon Pere). Also stars Stephane Guillon, Natacha Regnier and Amira Casar. In French with English subtitles. France/Spain, 2001, 94 mins. DVD | $44.95
My Father's Glory Yves Robert An 11-year-old boy spends an enchanting summer in the rugged French countryside with his family. The experience becomes a turning point in his young life and cements his relationship with his father. From the novel by Marcel Pagnol, this luminous film stars Philippe Caubere and Nathalie Roussel. In French with English subtitles. The DVD is letterboxed, 16x9 widescreen, and includes optional English dubbed audio, optional French and Spanish subtitles, and original theatrical trailer. France, 1990, 110 mins. DVD | $37.95
My Mother's Castle Yves Robert In the companion film to My Father's Glory, a boy continues his love affair with the wild country of southern France. Through frequent family visits to their summer home, he learns to love and understand his mother's true nature. The heartfelt conclusion to the story by Marcel Pagnol. French with English subtitles. The DVD is letterboxed, 16x9 widescreen, and includes optional English dubbed audio, optional French and Spanish subtitles, and original theatrical trailer. France, 1990, 99 mins. DVD | $37.95
My Nights Are More Beautiful Than Your Days Andrzej Zulawski French singing sensation Jacques Dutronc stars in a tender, melancholy drama about the romance that develops between a terminally ill man (Dutronc) and a tortured actress (Sophie Marceau). Haunted by their respective pasts, the couple finds comfort in each other's arms. In French with English subtitles. France 1989 110 mins. DVD | $44.95
Nearest to Heaven Tonie Marshall In Tonie Marshall's romantic drama, a successful French author (Catherine Deneuve) receives a mysterious message telling her to travel to the United States in order to be reunited with a former lover. Instead, her journey brings her into contact with a charming male photographer (William Hurt) who unexpectedly wins her affection. Marshall's film is a sly hommage to An Affair to Remember, and a screening of that film also figures prominently in the plot. In French with English subtitles. France, 2002, 96 mins. DVD | $44.95
No Rest for the Brave Alain Guiraudie A surreal trip from director Alain Guiraudie about a young man who dreams that he will die if he ever falls asleep again. His friend is worried for his health, and equally concerned that he might be responsible for a violent massacre. Hopping from scene to scene with spontaneous dream-logic, Guiraudie's astoundingly inventive work is "a volatile shape-shifter that utterly defies taxonomy" (Dennis Lim, Village Voice). In French with English subtitles. France, 2003, 104 mins. DVD | $44.95
Paris Vu Par (Six in Paris) This omnibus film from the major figures of the French New Wave (Jean-Luc Godard, Claude Chabrol, Eric Rohmer, Jean Douchet, Jean Rouch and Jean-Daniel Pollet) offers a series of witty, wry vignettes about contemporary Paris. Godard's work, Une Femme Est une Femme, is about a young woman who dispatches letters to her two lovers and is concerned she mixed up the contents. With Joanna Shimkus, Nadine Ballot, Barbet Schroeder, Micheline Dax, Claude Melki, Chabrol and Stephane Audran. French with English subtitles. France, 1964, 98 mins. 1964. DVD | $37.95
Pepe le Moko Julien Duvivier A milestone of French cinema with a superior performance by Jean Gabin as Pepe le Moko, a Parisian gangster hiding out in the Algerian Casbah. He is safe from the police until passion tempts him to risk leaving the confining sanctuary. "...one of the most exciting and moving films I can remember seeing," said the great writer Graham Greene in The Spectator. "...I cannot remember one which has succeeded so admirably in raising the thriller to a poetic level." French with English subtitles. The DVD is a Criterion Collection Edition, and includes 1962 interview with Julien Duvivier, excerpts from the 1978 TV documentary Remembering Jean Gabin, excerpts from a BFI Classics study of the film, theatrical trailer, and more. France, 1936, 95 mins. DVD | $44.95
Petits Freres Jacques Doillon This compelling feature by the director of Ponette portrays the struggles and conflicts of underprivileged French youth. A young girl runs away from her embattled home life and finds an uneasy solidarity with some other streetwise kids. "...an uncompromising picture of lives limited by poverty and indifference" (Daniel Eagan, Film Journal International). In French with English subtitles. France, 1999, 92 mins. DVD | $44.95
The Piano Teacher Michael Haneke Michael Haneke's challenging adaptation of Elfriede Jelinek's novel won honors for Best Actress (Isabelle Huppert), Best Actor (Benoit Magimel) and the Grand Prize of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival. Huppert portrays a single, middle-aged piano teacher whose lonely, unhappy existence includes voyeuristic activities and self-mutilation. Pursued by a talented musician (Magimel), she enters into a disturbing relationship of violent, masochistic sexuality. "...watching Huppert, a great actress tearing into a landmark role, is riveting" (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone). In French with English subtitles. France/Austria, 2001, 130 mins. DVD | $44.95
Pigalle Karim Dridi Called "a punchy, smartly-executed, nocturnal narco-trip" by Variety, this bittersweet love story from the talented director of Bye Bye is set in the home to pimps, pushers, junkies and petty criminals in an unforgettable valentine to Pigalle, the Parisian boulevard of sin. "The ne plus ultra of risky bohemian adventure" (New York Times). French with English subtitles. France/Switzerland, 1994, 93 mins. $44.95
Porn Theatre (La Chatte a Deux Tetes) Jacques Nolot A perverse humor runs through this odd film centered around the patrons of a Parisian adult movie house. Gathered for a screening of the film La Chatte a Deux Tetes, the characters feed off the sexually-charged film and environs, engaging each other in frank, intimate conversation and anonymous sex. "Enlightening as well as entertaining" (Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times). In French with English subtitles. France, 2002, 90 mins. DVD | $44.95
The Pornographer Bertrand Bonello Jacques (Jean-Pierre Leaud) was one of the 1970's top-grossing porno directors. Two decades later, his desire for the porn game is gone, and he faces a personal and professional mid-life crisis while attempting to get out of the skin industry and into legitimate films. Features two real-life French porn stars, Ovidie and Titof, in an explicit sex scene from one of Jacques' films. In French with English subtitles. France/Canada 2001 111 mins. DVD | $44.95
Portraits Chinois (Shadow Play) Martine Dugowson In her second feature, the talented director of Mina Tannenbaum focuses on a group of self-absorbed, artistic young men and women who try to navigate through complications in relationships and doubts about themselves and each other. Helena Bonham Carter, speaking fluent French, stars in this Rohmer-esque film. "Portraits Chinois has an effortless flow, a lively sense of spontaneity, a first-rate cast, and it makes an entertaining case for the importance of looking beyond yourself and growing up" (Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times). Winner, Best Director, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. In French with English subtitles. France, 1996, 105 mins. DVD | $44.95
Possession Andrzej Zulawski Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill star in this remarkable feature from Polish director Andrzej Zulawski that defies easy categorization. Partly a shocking horror feature, partly a disturbing psychological study and partly a dark view of sexuality, the film takes many stylistic and thematic chances. Adjani was named Best Actress at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival for her performance as a woman whose conflicted desires and troubled relationships result in a monstrous manifestation of evil. Cut by nearly 45 minutes for its U.S. release, the film is presented here in its complete, uncut and uncensored form. The DVD is letterboxed and includes director's audio commentary and theatrical trailers. Filmed in English. France/West Germany 1981 123 mins. DVD | $44.95
Pretty Devils (Voyous Voyelles) Serge Meynard Two years before she captured the hearts of movie fans around the world in Amelie, Audrey Tautou starred in this story of three young women struggling with abandonment issues. Sisters Lea and Aurelie (Olivia Bonamy and Axelle Ade-Pasdeloup) are angry with their mother for taking up with a new man following the death of their father. While conning various neighborhood men, they meet Anne-Sophie (Tautou), whose heart has been broken by an unfaithful lover. The sisters conspire with Anne-Sophie to get even with her ex-boyfriend, but their mischief escalates into real trouble. In French with English subtitles. France, 1999, 95 mins. DVD | $37.95
Queen Margot Patrice Chereau Winner of five Cesar Awards, Patrice Chereau's stylish, realistic adaptation Alexander Dumas' tale is set during the Catholic-Protestant wars of 16th-century France. Isabelle Adjani plays Margot, the unwilling daughter of Catherine de Medici (Virna Lisi in a Cannes Festival-winning role), who is married to Protestant leader King Henry of Navarre (Daniel Auteuil). In the film Chereau creates a non-stop series of betrayals, intrigues, plots, poisonings, love affairs and executions as Margot falls for a common soldier (Vincent Perez). French with English subtitles. France, 1994, 144 mins. DVD | $37.95
Red Lights Cedric Kahn Based on the novel by Georges Simenon, Cedric Kahn's film is an edge-of-your-seat thriller in the tradition of Claude Chabrol and Alfred Hitchcock. It's a summer holiday weekend in Paris. Antoine (Jean-Pierre Darroussin) and Helpne (Carole Bouquet) are on their way to pick up their children at summer camp, thus joining thousands of other vacationers on the highways to the south of France. The couple starts sniping at each other during the drive as tensions in their relationship rise to the surface. Driving away in a state of dread, he picks up a strange hitchhiker -- not knowing he might have already crossed the path of his soon-to-be-missing wife. "A satisfyingly well-wrought, old-school thriller" (J. Hoberman, Village Voice). In French with English subtitles. France, 2004, 106 mins. DVD | $44.95
Rififi Jules Dassin Jules Dassin's classic, one of the most famous French gangster films ever made, is the story of a gangster who, when sprung from jail, finds his wife living with another man. He returns to his old racket of jewel thievery and an aftermath of murder, kidnapping and retribution follows. Steeped in the details of the sleazy Montmartre neighborhood, the film builds incredible suspense, and is particularly famous for its 30-minute, silent bank heist in which the audience is drawn in as participants. Starring Jean Servais, Carl Mohner, Robert Manuel, Marie Sabouret, and Dassin himself (billed as Perlo Vita). "The best film noir I have ever seen" (Francois Truffaut). This is the complete, 118-minute version, which has often been cut in the past because of the film's sexual and violent content. The DVD includes an interview with Jules Dassin, production design drawings and stills, theatrical trailer and optional English-dubbed soundtrack. In French with English subtitles. France, 1955, 118 mins. DVD | $44.95
The Sanguinaires Laurent Cantet Subtly disturbing, with great insights into male psychology, Laurent Cantet's fine film is a deceptively simple story of a man's increasing agitation and alienation during a New Year's holiday. Francois takes his family and friends on an island getaway to escape the manic celebrations in Paris. His dream of a peaceful and intimate gathering is made impossible by a young caretaker who seems to embody everything he dislikes, although the others do not share his feelings. The tension rises, leading to a bleak yet ambiguous climax on New Year's Eve. One of the best of eight features commissioned by French television for the 2000 Seen by... series. French with English subtitles. France, 1998, 68 mins. DVD | $37.95
Satin Rouge Raja Amari This "Tunisian answer to Dirty Dancing" (Stephen Holden, New York Times) follows a beautiful widow on her bold journey of self-discovery. Feeling alone after the death of her husband, Lilia (Hiam Abbass) trails her daughter into the hedonistic Tunisian nightclub world of belly dancers. The sensual dance entrances the widow, bringing her out of her shell. The DVD is letterboxed, and includes optional English subtitles, the U.S. theatrical trailer, a print interview with Raja Amari and an essay on the origins of belly dancing. In Arabic and French with English subtitles. France/Tunisia, 2002, 100 mins. DVD | $44.95
The Scarlet Lady (La Femme Escarlate) Jean Valere A beautiful perfume dynasty heiress (Monica Vitti) finds that her boyfriend has squandered her fortune. She decides to kill him and then commit suicide, but not before one final week of decadent excess in Paris. While there, she meets a stranger who changes her mind with love and compassion. In French with English subtitles. France/Italy, 1968, 100 mins. DVD | $44.95
Seaside Julie Lopes-Curval A subtle, quietly charming film, Julie Lopes-Curval's directorial debut follows a year in the lives of the residents of a small French resort village on the bay of the Somme. As the months pass, the townsfolk's lives intersect as they fall in and out of love, work their dead-end jobs and dream of escape. Features fine ensemble acting with a cast featuring Bulle Ogier (L'Amour Fou). Winner of the Camera d'Or at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. In French with English subtitles. France, 2002, 88 mins. DVD | $44.95
Since Otar Left Julie Bertucelli For her debut feature, Julie Bertucelli--a former assistant director to Bertrand Tavernier and Krzysztof Kieslowski--creates a stunning family portrait of three generations of Georgian women in the city of Tbilisi. The eldest of the women, Ika, obsessives over her physician son Otar, while the other two, Marina and Ada, attempt to deal as best they can with Ika's burning desire to see him. But when the two younger women receive news that Otar is dead, they develop a ruse to protect Ika from the information that will probably kill her. A poignant, bittersweet story in which the crumbling setting of the formerly Soviet republic looms large. Winner of the Critics Week Grand Prize at Cannes and a Cesar Award for Best Directorial Debut. The DVD is letterboxed, and includes making-of documentary with 55 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage, narrated by Julie Bertucelli, ten deleted scenes, trailer, and optional English and French subtitles. In French, Russian, and Georgian with English subtitles. France, 2003, 103 mins. DVD | $44.95
Skin of Man, Heart of Beast Helene Angel Two young girls see their peaceful summer vacation with their grandmother turn deadly with the sudden return of their disturbed uncle Coco, who had been missing for 15 years. The family's suspicions about Coco's whereabouts and his unstable demeanor soon prove horrifically correct when they become victim to his psychopathic outbursts of extreme brutality. "...taps into the primal fears of young people trying to cope with the mysterious and brutal nature of adults" (Scott Tobias, Onion A.V. Club). In French with English subtitles. France, 1999, 94 mins. DVD | $44.95
Son of Gascogne Pascal Aubier Directing his first feature-length film in 20 years, Pascal Aubier crafted a cinematic love letter to French film and to the New Wave in particular. The story concerns a handsome young tour guide whose life is altered considerably when it is suggested that he may be the son of a legendary filmmaker. His new celebrity status puts him into contact with both fictional and real movie stars and directors in a film that features appearances by Claude Chabrol, Patrice Leconte, Alexandria Stewart, Bernadette LaFont and many more. Aubier also makes many visual references to French cinema's glorious past in this "film buff's delight" (Variety). In French with English subtitles. France, 1995, 106 mins. DVD | $44.95
The Taste of Others Agnes Jaoui Actress Agnes Jaoui made a wonderful directorial debut with this thoughtful consideration of romantic longings. Jean-Pierre Bacri (Jaoui's husband and co-writer) plays a wealthy, middle-aged man in an unsatisfying marriage who is drawn to an actress. Meanwhile, Bacri's bodyguard and driver compete for the attention of a sexy bartender and drug-dealer (Jaoui). A Cesar Award-winner for Best Film, Screenplay, Supporting Actor (Gerard Lanvin) and Supporting Actress (Anne Alvaro). "...an affectionate portrait of a cross section of humanity" (Robert W. Butler, Kansas City Star). French with English subtitles. France, 2000, 112 mins. DVD | $37.95
They Came Back Robin Campillo Unlike most zombie movies, the living dead in Robin Campillo's provocative film aren't hungry for human flesh. They simply want to re-indoctrinate themselves into the life of a sleepy, well-manicured French town. An insightful and often very funny piece of allegorical filmmaking, Campillo's quasi-horror feature follows scientists, politicians, law enforcement officers and more as they try to figure out how handle a most unusual influx of new residents. "A triumph of internal horror" (Slant Magazine). In French with English subtitles. The DVD is letterboxed and includes making-of featurette, trailers, filmographies, and 5.1 sound. France 2004 102 mins. DVD | $44.95
Time Out Laurent Cantet In this brilliant portrait of a man's attempt to escape his domestic and professional confinement, Laurent Cantet again explores the anxieties and dissatisfactions of working family men, as he did in his superb previous features, The Sanguinaires and Human Resources. In an exceptional performance, Aurelien Recoing plays a man who has not told his family or friends that he has lost his well-paying, white-collar job. Instead, he invents a new profession while actually spending his days driving aimlessly, enjoying the disconnection from his responsibilities. Eventually financial needs and the truth catch up with him. "...a smoldering fireball of anguish and fury beneath its grave, chilly facade" (Dennis Lim, The Village Voice). French with English subtitles. France, 2001, 132 mins. DVD | $44.95
Time of the Wolf Michael Haneke This harrowing, apocalyptic vision of a Western society where traditional civilization has collapsed in the face of unspeakable disaster is one of the finest acheivements in Michael Haneke's difficult and celebrated career. Isabelle Huppert is riveting as a mother who guides her two children to a train station outpost where a band of refugees cling to a system of logic that has swiftly become antiquated. With his meticulous 'Scope compositions, Haneke evokes a primeval milieu of darkness and despair, allowing a few small fissures that suggest the hopeful presence of light. "This is what early-millennium Euro art-film masterpieces feel like--lean, qualmish, abstracted to the point of parable but as grounded as a gravedigging" (Michael Atkinson, Village Voice). The DVD is letterboxed, and includes interviews with Michael Haneke and Isabelle Huppert, production footage, filmographies, trailer, weblinks, and more. In French with English subtitles. France, 2003, 109 mins. DVD | $44.95
Tolerance Pierre-Henry Salfati A strange and fascinating look at mankind's willingness to accept difference, this luminous film stars Rupert Everett as an expelled monk who retires to a sanctuary on a 19th century French estate. Although the wife of the estate owner (Anne Brochet) accepts the pariah with open-arms, their friendship causes tensions within the village that erupt into conflict. Director Pierre-Henry Salfati earned a Cesar Nomination for this, his debut film. In French with English subtitles. France 1989 107 mins. DVD | $44.95
Touchez Pas Au Grisbi Jacques Becker Two of the greatest icons of French cinema, Jean Gabin and Jeanne Moreau, star in this involving gangster saga directed by Jacques Becker. Gabin won Best Actor honors at the Venice Film Festival for his performance as a member of a crime organization trying to pull off a multi-million franc heist that a rival gang is also pursuing. "This model French gangster picture set the rules for the great sequence of underworld movies from Jean-Pierre Melville that followed" (Time Out Film Guide). Also known as Hands off the Loot and Honour Among Thieves. The DVD is a Criterion Collection Edition, and includes video interviews with Lino Ventura, Daniel Cauchy, and Jean Wiener, trailer, new essay by critics Geoffrey O'Brien and Philip Kemp, and new English subtitle translation. In French with English subtitles. France, 1954, 96 mins. DVD | $44.95
The Town is Quiet Robert Guediguian A gripping film from French director Robert Guediguian (Marius and Jeannette) and his eleventh feature set in his home city of Marseille. A complex interweaving of characters and subplots drive this tale of a mother caught in an endless cycle of drugs, prostitution and sex. Guediguian handles the story with care and restraint, making for a film that "has the breadth of Robert Altman's Nashville and Shortcuts...A masterpiece" (Stephen Holden, The New York Times). In French with English subtitles. France, 2000, 132 mins. DVD | $44.95
Twentynine Palms Bruno Dumont The third intimate and brutal film from controversial filmmaker Bruno Dumont (Humanite) is a hypnotic mediation on sex, uncertainty, fear and the open road. An independent photographer and his girlfriend depart from L.A. to scout a location in the Joshua Tree desert where they spend days indulging in primal, carnal passions and losing themselves on nameless roads until an act of desperation gives their relationship a violent twist. "One of the most uncompromised films I've ever seen" (Glenn Kenny, Premiere). In English and French with English subtitles. France/USA, 2004, 113 mins. DVD | $44.95
Two Men in Town Jose Giovanni The third and final screen pairing of Jean Gabin (Pepe Le Moko) and Alain Delon (L'Eclisse) is a skillfully dramatized indictment of capital punishment and the modern criminal justice system. Delon stars as Gino, an ex-con who's forced to face personal hardship and banishment after a decade behind bars. With help from a liberal prison reformer (Gabin), the ex-thief begins a new life for himself in the south of France. But unwelcomed visits from a vengeful cop provoke Gino into veering from the straight-and-narrow. With Gerard Depardieu and Mimsy Farmer. The DVD is letterboxed and includes stills gallery, filmography, and trailer gallery. In French with English subtitles. France 1973 94 mins. DVD | $44.95
Un Peu de Soleil Dans L'Eau Froide (A Few Hours of Sunlight) Jacques Deray A passionate affair takes a dark turn in this tragic romance from veteran director Jacques Deray. A beautiful but unhappy woman becomes involved with a Paris journalist, but it soon becomes apparent that her devotion to him will not be returned. Starring Claudine Auger (Thunderball, Lovers and Liars) and Marc Porel (The Innocent, Don't Torture a Duckling), with early screen appearances by Gerard Deparidieu and Barbara Bach in supporting roles. In French with English subtitles. France 1971 105 mins. DVD | $44.95
Vatel Roland Joffe Gerard Depardieu, Tim Roth, Uma Thurman, Julian Sands and Timothy Spall star in this opulent costume drama about a palace steward caught up in petty royal intrigue when he is assigned the duty of impressing King Louis XIV of France with a master meal and celebration. A massive, big budget production from France's Gaumont studio, the film became a notorious box office and critical flop, but as period eye candy (if not drama) it is something to behold, and deservedly won the Cesar Award for Best Production Design. Filmed in English by British director Roland Joffe (The Killing Fields), with a screenplay adaptation by Tom Stoppard. France 2000 119 mins. DVD | $37.95
Venus Beauty Institute Tonie Marshall Nathalie Baye stars as a woman wounded by love, whose troubled past justifies her distrust of men. Working in the title beauty salon, she passes on warnings and wisdom to her female co-workers, while her love life is limited to one-night stands. But when a man witnesses her dramatic break-up with a younger lover, he sets out to win her heart. With Mathilde Seigner and Audrey Tautou as co-stars. "...it's awfully entertaining, and it lets you indulge your taste for soapy heartache without leaving you feeling that you have to wash the bubbles out of your mouth" (Charles Taylor, Salon.com). Winner of four Cesar Awards, including Best Film and Director. In French with English subtitles. France, 1999, 105 mins. DVD | $37.95
A Very Long Engagement Jean-Pierre Jeunet The star (Audrey Tautou) and director (Jean-Pierre Jeunet) of Amelie reunite for a charming and elegant drama set in a small French village during the waning days of WWI. The whimsical Tautou plays Mathilde, a young woman with a pronounced limp from childhood polio, who anxiously awaits her husband's return from the front lines. When she hears news of his death, Mathilde is loathe to accept it, and sets out with a private detective (Ticky Holgado) to learn the truth. A wholly unusual mix of quirky romanticism and war-time somberness, Jeuneut's film is "a series of pleasures stumbling over one another in their haste to delight us" (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times). The DVD is a 2-disc Special Edition, and includes additional scenes, director commentary, 4 documentary featurettes, cast and crew interviews, and more. In French with English subtitles. France, 2004, 133 mins. DVD | $44.95
Wasabi Gerard Krawczyk Jean Reno stars in this action film written and produced by Luc Besson, who previously cast the actor in The Professional and other films. Reno plays a cop on the edge, forced to take a two-month vacation. During his time off, he learns that a former lover in Japan has died and left him everything - including the daughter he never knew he had. Soon father and daughter are pursuing the Yakuza members behind the mother's death. "...Besson and Krawczyk keep things bright and crisp and speedy without ever allowing the crushing dreariness of real life to enter the proceedings" (Jeffrey M. Anderson, San Francisco Examiner). DVD includes optional English-dubbed audio and theatrical trailers. French and Japanese with English subtitles. France, 2001, 94 mins. DVD | $44.95
We Need a Vacation! Didier Bivel Tales from the Orphanage, the film series which chronicles harrowing and often horrific coming-of-age stories from around the world, switches gears to present a kid's comedy for adults. Two precocious and poor 10-year-olds burglarize, con, stowaway, and more in an effort to escape the city and spend the summer at the beach. The DVD is letterboxed, and includes a behind-the-scenes documentary; deleted scenes; footage from the casting session; the trailer; optional English subtitles; and more. In French with English subtitles. France, 2002, 90 mins. DVD | $44.95
Who Killed Bambi? Gilles Marchand In this frighening French thriller, a pretty student nurse (Sophie Quinton) begins to fear a doctor on her floor (Laurent Lucas) after suspecting his involvement in the disappearance of female patients. As she digs deeper into the mystery , Isabelle (Quinton) finds herself growing estranged from her boyfriend (Yasmine Belmadi), her cousin (Catherine Jacob), and others close to her. Director Gilles Marchand injects the antiseptic hospital setting with an aura of menace, and Lucas is pitch-perfect as the ominous doctor. In French with English subtitles. France, 2003, 126 mins. DVD | $44.95
With a Friend Like Harry Dominik Moll This terrifically clever and subtle thriller shows the influence of Hitchcock and Chabrol but achieves its own darkly entertaining tone. A long-forgotten high school acquaintance quickly worms his way into the lives of an old classmate and his wife, admiring the former's amateurish teenaged writings a little too much. His presence at first seems entirely beneficial, but dark deeds will soon be revealed. "deftly ironic... This is a strange and funny film, smart, complex and difficult to shake" (Dave Kehr, New York Times). A.k.a. Harry, He's Here to Help. In French with English subtitles. France, 2000, 116 mins. DVD | $37.95
The Woman in Blue (La Femme En Bleu) Michel Deville A musician is driven mad with love and obsession in this tragicomedy from French director Michel Deville (Peril). After passing a beautiful young woman dressed in blue on the street, Pierre cannot get her out of his mind. Unable to rest, he spends his days and nights searching for the woman in blue. Also stars Lea Massari. In French with English subtitles. France, 1972, 95 mins. DVD | $37.95
