Non-Fiction

Sunday 2nd February 5:00 PM

Synopsis

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Another French comedy to keep you cheerful, this time with just about everyone having a 'double life'; most are having affairs, one man is writing books about it whilst his lover's husband is publishing them. To add to the mix, some great acting including Juliette Binoche; what more can you want on a winter's evening?!

It being a French film, we can offer much clever talk too; it being an Olivier Assayas film, we can also offer depth - "What sets Assayas apart from some of his critically adored contemporaries is that his films aren't just formally elegant; they're brimming with ideas. In 'Non-Fiction', as in much of his work, he celebrates France - the seductive beauty and richness of its culture - even as he pokes, prods and challenges it. He sees possibility in an increasingly interconnected world (his own movies, with their international casts and multilingualism, are themselves a product of that interconnectedness). He also sees loss, humour and absurdity. France is a country known for struggling with change. Part of Assayas' greatness as a filmmaker is his ability to make that struggle look so deeply human" - Jon Frosch, Hollywood Reporter.

So what is it all about..? Alain has always published Leonard's 'autofiction' books; until now. They disagree on most things. Meanwhile Alain's wife Selena has been having an affair with Leonard for years, whilst Leonard's wife is too busy saving the world to care. While all this is going on, Alain wants to modernise, so he has hired Laure to bring his firm into the digital age...and you can guess what else they share.

A French farce, sort of, but with lots to make you think about too...What fun!

Critics

“The performances are impeccable, but it's the brilliance of Olivier Assayas's writing and control of the increasingly witty tone that makes this a cine-literary gem”

David Parkinson, Radio Times

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