LES CHANSONS D’AMOUR

Christophe Honoré

France 100 min. min

Synopsis

Julie’s boyfriend Ismaël lives with her; rather than worry about the time he spends with his colleague Alice, Julie invites Alice to join them. The three walk the streets of Paris, party, read, and sleep together. Sometimes it’s lighthearted, sometimes there are jealousies. Then death strikes. In various ways, those left come to terms with the departure and absence of a loved one: showing concern, eating together, attempting new relationships, trying to “be there” for the other. Then, the spirit returns and new commitments are possible. The romantic elements of musical comedy play in contrast to the ambivalence of the lyrics and the story.

Themes

French Cinema

Filmmaker

Christophe Honoré

He arrived in Paris in the 1990s, where he began working in cinema. After debuting with the short film Nous deux (2001), his feature films show him as a very personal creator, with a taste marked by a certain pop romanticism, and with an  extraordinary ability to integrate his idols into his particular and very recognizable imaginary. D’A dedicated a retrospective to him in 2019.

Filmography: Winter Boy (2022, D'A 2023), Guermantes (2021, D'A 2022), On a Magical Night (2019, D'A 2020), Sorry Angel (2018, D’A 2019), Les malheurs de Sophie (2016), Métamorphoses (2014, D’A 2019), Beloved (2011, D’A 2012), Man at Bath (2010, D’A 2019), Making Plans for Lena (2009, D’A 2019), La belle personne (2008, D’A 2019), Hôtel Kuntz (short film, 2008), Les chansons d’amour (2007, D’A 2019), In Paris (2006, D’A 2019), My Mother (2004, D’A 2019), Seventeen Times Cecile Cassard (2002, D’A 2019), Nous deux (short film, 2001)

Christophe Honoré

Film information

Original Title: Love Songs
Director: Christophe Honoré
Script: Christophe Honoré
Contact: Le Pacte
With: Louis Garrel, Ludivine Sagnier, Chiara Mastroianni, Clotilde Hesme
Country: France
Year: 2007
Format: 35 mm
Length: 100 min. min
Language: French
Subtitles: English, Catalan
Edition: 2019

Awards

César Award for the best music written for a film