As she wanders around the attractions of Tokyo, a 19-year-old girl must make a life- altering decision. Shot on DV as part of a fellowship to Japan, Ukiyo is an exceptional study of a young woman as she wanders, moving towards a major change in her life.

‘Hypnotic, thoughtfully framed pic has drama, sex and humor -- but in homeopathic doses. Via minimalist osmosis, viewers feel as if they've walked the corridors of a hospital somewhere in Japan, waited for a sign of good will in a trendy cafe, and somehow participated in weighing the protagonist's dilemma and eventual decision along with her. After engaging micro-budget doodle The Move, delightful comedy-with-music The Freelancers, sin-and-redemption road movie Lise and Andre and intense family drama My Children Are Different, this outing practically qualifies versatile helmer as the Michael Winterbottom of France.’ – Lisa Nesselson, Variety


My Children are Different   (Mes Enfants ne sont pas comme les autres)

France, 2003, 86 mins   Cast: Richard Berry, Mathieu Amalric, Elodie Peudepiece

Widowed cellist Jean Debart is committed to ensuring that his two children stick to their musical education. But 17-year-old teenager Adele, following her father in playing the cello, is starting to rebel and when she meets musician Thomas she grows further apart. Meanwhile 11-year-old Alexandre is dutifully following his father’s wishes and learning to play the piano. The family is complemented by grandfather Maître Erhardt, who is an orchestra conductor, and their uncle Gerald, a musician without ambition who finds work making background sounds.

As Adele is preparing to take part in the most crucial musical contests, the stresses in the family start to mount. This family drama is an exquisite and delicately balanced chamber piece. Sombre and lyrical, it explores the tensions of family life and the commitments of being musicians. A stark and heartbreaking elegance gives this opus the intensely profound, almost chilling dimension of a baroque musical masterpiece.  Related Website


Lise and Andre   (Lise Et Andre)

France, 2000, 87 mins   Cast: Isabelle Candelier, Michel Duchaussoy

Lise is a Parisian prostitute with a young son, Sebastien, who sings in the church’s children’s choir. He is injured in a car accident and falls into a coma. Still in a coma after three months, Lise is looking for any remedy. She turns to the elderly priest, André. Facing diminishing powers and faith he seeks solace in the choir. Lise starts to see salvation in the miracle of the virgin of Abbeville and decides that she and André must go on a pilgrimage to Abbeville, much against his wishes.

Lise et André is an unusual road movie with two unlikely characters on a journey deeper into the wilderness of the French countryside as they leave Paris behind. Even with splendid performances from the two leads, it is the sublime musical soundtrack that haunts the film. Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, familiar to a wide audience through Oliver Stone’s Platoon, is heard in as the Agnus Dei that the choir are rehearsing.


The Freelancers   (Les Cachetonneurs)

France, 1998, 91 mins   Cast: Pierre Lacan, Henri Garcin, Marie-Christine Laurent

In his first full-feature, Dercourt focuses on the dynamics of a group of musicians in an an off-beat comedy. Roberto has finished one concert and is offered a good and financially lucrative concert for which he needs to bring together a group of musicians for a private concert on New Year’s Eve. He brings together six friends and gets the service of the famous conductor Svarowvski to bring them all together.

Blending the talents and handling the foibles of these young musicians is no easy task. Already working with the themes of musicianship, Dercourt tackles the complications of a chamber piece with a group of actors playing off each other in gentle underplayed comedy. Simply told and with engaging characters, The Freelancers is an assured start to Dercourt’s career in feature films.