When I want to get in the mood for a trip to Paris (or anywhere for that matter!), the first thing I do is organize a personal film fest. I pick out my favorite films that are set in Paris and spend a week watching them. I love watching the ones that are in French with the subtitles turned off, so that I can get used to the cadence and the lyrical sound of the language that will soon be surrounding me.
My first experience with French film was À bout de souffle by Jean-Luc Godard. And the last time I was in Paris, the 1946 version of La belle et la bête by Jean Cocteau was on French television (no commercials there!) and it enthralled me in all of it’s black and white beauty.
Even after I return, I love to watch films set in the city, just to see if any of the locations are recognizable. Some films set in Paris are all about location, like Marie Antoinette that was set in Versailles, or Amelie that was set on Montmarte.
Have you got a favorite film that was set in Paris? I’d love to hear about it. Don’t forget to tell us why you like it!
In the meantime, check out the site film recommendations in the amazon store …
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Tags: film, paris, surveys
2 Comments
‘Diva’ by Jean-Jacques Beineix. Great early 80’s film by J.J. Beineix. Stylish, beautiful and unpredictable.
Loved Amelie – even though it was a very stylized version of Paris, it still rang true. My favorite French director now is Cedric Klapisch, who directed Le Peril Jeune in the 90s, and more recently did L’Auberge Espagnole and Les Poupees Rousses, both films i adored. They are not set exclusively in Paris, but they give lots of glimpses into Parisian lives, apartments, relationships, etc.