Monday, March 01, 2010

It was all about prison and a see-through dress...

Luckily, or not, depending on how you look at it, my weekend's activities included neither of these excitements. But after the 35th Annual César Film Awards (think Oscars with a French accent), these are the hot topics of conversation I'm sure are making the rounds of water-coolers throughout the country today.

Un Prophète, directed by Jacques Audiard, swept the awards, including best film, best director, best actor and best screenplay. The film, which had already received high praise at the Cannes Festival earlier this year, is also up for an Oscar for best foreign-language film.

Un Prophète
tells the story of Malik El Djebena (played by Tahar Rahim), a 19-year old Arab man who has been sent to prison for 6 years for an assault on police. He is taken under the wing of fellow inmate Cesar Luciani (played by Niels Arestrup), head of the Corsican mafia gang, who pretty much rule the prisoners. After doing some of Luciani's dirty work, Malik, who teaches himself how to read while in prison, begins to make his own dangerous power play. The result is an almost art-house French gangster film, dealing with cultural identities and marginalisation; in other words, French society today.



On a lighter note, the other senasational story of the night, particularly for the male viewer, was the transparent YSL dress worn by Laetitia Casta. This reminds me of the Versace safety-pin dress worn by Elizabeth Hurley to the premier of 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' back in 1994.

I wonder just how much hemming and hawing was involved before this dress was chosen. Gives new meaning to the term Little Black Dress, non?

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh, laetitia... I don't even know where to begin on that dress! And the hair....

The Duchess said...

Hi French Twist- I'm not particularly digging the whole look, either, but I guess for most people, they probably won't get past a certain point....lol

Magic27 said...

I have to say I'm not enamoured with Laetitia's look either (though yeah, you're almost certainly right Duchess, most people will only be looking at one thing (or two!)).
As for the film, well, it's one of the few films I saw at the cinema in 2009 (other than kids' films, I mean) and I HATED it. The first part was probably quite realistic (I wouldn't know, thank God) but very traumatic, whilst the second part (Malik-becomes-caïd-and-takes-over-the-world) I found frankly ridiculous - quite the opposite of realistic, more like totally improbable. But everyone else seems to think it's a masterpiece. Must be me, I guess.
I am looking forward to Alice in Wonderland, though (even if my daughters will be waaaay too scared to go see it - I'll go on my own!)...

The Duchess said...

Hi Magic- Not surprised that not everyone loves this film. I think the best films are the ones where people are divided, with quite strong feelings either way. Nothing worse than a film that provokes no reaction in you!
I remember I was the same with Million Dollar Baby, everyone I know loved it, I found it incredibly depressing....

Anonymous said...

The dress and hair were a tad strange, but if I were Letiticia I might dare them too.

The Duchess said...

Hi Dedene, there is certainly something a bit Elvira-esque about that hair do!lol

Unknown said...

Oh, I agree on the hair--Marge Simpson comes to mind. I find it far more troubling than her oddly shaped nightie. Then again, I already have my own pair; I mean really, just go to the beach if breasts are that exciting...Granted Laetitia Casta isn't hanging out at most beaches. But that hair...

The Duchess said...

Hi Tammy-
You are right, I hadn't thought of Marge Simpson! I guess it would have been more shocking if she had gone topless in a pair of jeans!lol