Love Songs
Les chansons d'amour
France
2007
92 Min
Color
1.85:1
French
Synopsis
The exuberant and tender Love Songs (Les chansons d’amour) further laments Christophe Honoré as one of the most exciting filmmakers of our generation. A modern day musical told through unforgettable songs sung entirely by the cast and scored by Alex Beaupain, the film has overjoyed audiences at the Cannes and Toronto Film Festivals. In the hope of sparking their stalled relationship, Ismael (Louis Garrel) and Julie (Ludivine Sagnier) enter a playful yet emotionally laced threesome with Alice (Clotilde Hesme). When tragedy strikes, these young Parisians are forced to deal with the fragility of life and love. For Ismael, this means negotiating through the advances of Julie’s sister (Chara Mastroianni) and a young college student (Gregoire Leprince-Ringuet); one of which may offer him redemption. —IFC Films
Director
Christophe Honoré
After moving to Paris in 1995, he wrote articles in the “Les Cahiers du Cinéma.” He started writing soon-after. His 1996 book Tout contre Léo (Close to Leo) talks about HIV and is aimed at young adults; he made it into a movie in 2002. He wrote other books for young adults throughout the late 1990s. His first play, Les Débutantes, was performed at Avignon’s Off Festival in 1998. In 2005, he returns to Avignon to present his latest creation, Dionysos impuissant, in the “In” Festival; Joana Preiss and Louis Garrel, who has acted in a number of Honoré films, played the leads.
A well-known director, he is considered an “auteur” in French Cinema. His 2006 film “Dans Paris” has led him to be considered by French critics as the heir to the Nouvelle Vague Cinema. In 2007, Les Chansons d’amour was one of the films selected to be in competition at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.1 Some of his movies or screenplays (like Les filles ne savent pas nager, Dix-sept fois Cécile Cassard and Les… read more
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neverlands
16Nov11
Most likely to be my favourite French film for a very long time. I first saw this one back in 2009 and after multiple re-watches, it still maintains its magic. With a fabulous cast, captivating soundtrack and mesmerizing plot, Les Chansons D'amour is a great film for existing Francophiles and those new to its world of cinema! Favourite songs include 'La Bastille', 'Au Park', 'Si Tard' and 'J'Ai Cru Entendre'.
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Marie Petrogianis
26Nov11
To those francophiles I'd recommend all Jacques Demy films first, then they'll see the difference between a French filmmaker who made excellent musicals and a filmmaker who likes musicals and wanted to make one. I don't think this film is a reference. If so, it would be very reductive. Just like the reference to "Amélie" when it comes to ask foreign people what their favourite french film is. And though I'm parisian bred and born and loved all the actors of les Chansons d'Amour, I got bored very quickly. No sparkles, no magic, too much parisian acting. Let's say that french people aren't talented at musicals, and rock n' roll bands for instance...let's leave it to the Americans
sunburntcheeks
15Aug11
I liked the songs, ESPECIALLY the imagery of the lyrics. The plot was messy, but I liked that too. Can't say I absolutely loved it overall, though ): But this is what I expected from les amours imaginaires (and didn't get).
Joaopa
20Jun11
Les Chansons d'Amour is a musical whose songs are sung by young people while experiencing their feelings for each other. Thus what we see in the scene are natural numbers that verges on a dialogue. Numbers by the way are extremely well executed by the actors. Their characters fall in love and fall out for one another, with the confusion, mistakes and this leads. www.cinemadebuteco.com
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Christophe Honoré's "Les bien-aimés" to Close Cannes 2011
By David Hudson on April 28, 2011
Updated through 5/3. The Cannes Film Festival has announced that Christophe Honoré's Les bien-aimés (Beloved), featuring Catherine
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An unpretentious movie that catches you
By Jessica Correa on November 6, 2010
I usually dont like musicals. But this one is so light…
The dialogues, the songs, the conflicts everything happens naturally.
A pleasent movie, the songs give you joy or make you suffer with… read review
How to Screw a Musical
By Jerry Johnson on March 3, 2010
And I thought it was impossible to fuck up a musical filmed in the streets of Paris. Not only is his subject ugly (and Honore claims to be shocked that audiences would find his protagonist unlikeable… read review
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