Every month, Sacreblue! highlights some Francophone films from the SBS catalogue.
These movies will be available for the whole month for free on SBS On Demand!
Here is our April selection, we hope that you enjoy them!
Rust and Bone / De Rouille et d’Os (2012)
Director: Jacques Audiard, based on “Rust and Bone” by Craig Davidson.
Starring Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts
Alain van Versch (Ali), an unemployed father in his mid twenties arrives in Antibes, in southern France, to look for work to support his young son Sam.
Having no money, he crashes with his sister Anna, who already has her own share of problems with money and temporary employment.
Ali gets a job as a bouncer in a nightclub but keeps his passion for fighting. In the night club, Ali meets Stéphanie and escorts her safely to her home after she is injured in a brawl.
Stéphanie works at a local marine tourist park as a killer whale trainer. She suffers an accident during a show and wakes up in the hospital to realise
that both her legs have been amputated.
The film was first screened at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and received early positive critical reactions. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 82% based on 165 reviews.
The site’s critical consensus states, “Surging on strong performances from Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts, Rust and Bone is as vibrant and messily
unpredictable as life itself.”
Watch it on SBS on Demand here
Only the Animals / Seules les bêtes (2019)
Director: Dominik Moll
Starring Denis Ménochet, Laure Calamy and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi
Following the disappearance of the glamorous and secretive Evelyne Ducat (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi) during a blizzard in the highlands of southern France,
the lives of five people inextricably linked to Evelyne are brought together to devastating effect as the local police investigate the case.
The film was nominated for a César award for best adapted screenplay and Laure Calamy was nominated for her role as best supporting actress.
The film has an approval rating of 93% based on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of 7.5/10.
The site’s consensus states: “Deft direction and an expertly assembled ensemble further elevate Only the Animals’ intelligent, absorbing mystery.”
Watch it on SBS on Demand here
Django (2017)
Based on the 2013 novel “Folles De Django” by Alexis Salatko
Starring Reda Kateb, Cécile De France and Ulrich Brandhoff
Django Reinhardt, a renowned jazz guitarist, attempts to escape from Nazi-occupied Paris in 1943 when he is asked to participate in Germany’s propaganda efforts.
A wonderful film for jazz enthusiasts, this film is inspired by Django Reinhardt’s wartime experiences and includes some of his music, performed in the film by the Rosenberg Trio. Django brought a European take to jazz music, the party music of oppressed African-Americans, his contribution also derived from being an outcast.
Born in Belgium, Reinhardt was a Romany gypsy and his cultural heritage is highly present throughout his work.
The film opened the 67th Berlin International Film Festival and holds an approval rating of 61% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Watch it on SBS on Demand here
