Paris, Je T'Aime

Paris is the city of love. Every area of the city hosts its own story. People meet by chance and discover new attraction. 20 shorts tell stories of passion, reunion and everlasting friendships. Sometimes the heart has to rule the head.

Premiered at the Cannes festival, you’d have a hard time finding a critic who doesn’t love this film. This is one for all those hard-core film lovers out there, as well as being a cinematographer’s dream. All 20 parts are 5 minutes each and directed by different people including the likes of the Coen brothers (O Brother, Where Art Thou, The Big Lebowski) and Wes Craven (the Scream trilogy). It is a brilliant montage that keeps the audience guessing and surprised at every turn. The writer, Tristan Carné, is the one who brings the pieces together. Although the name clearly suggests this a romantic film, Carné ensures there are no clichés to be seen.

There is also a great line up of international actors on the bill, including Natalie Portman (Léon, Star Wars) who is teamed up with German actor Melchior Belson from the Arthouse classic Run, Lola, Run for her sequence. More famous faces include those of Maggie Gyllenhall (Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang) and Elijah Wood (Lord of The Rings). All scenes are short so no star who stands out but each of the ensemble provide well acted delivery across the whole film. Even if you are not a romantic at heart, you’ll still fall in love with this film.

Samilia Ekeocha