Low Life

France

2011

134 Min

Color

1.85:1

French

Currently 3.2/5 Stars.
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DIR Nicolas Klotz, Élisabeth Perceval

SCR Nicolas Klotz, Élisabeth Perceval

CAST Arash Naimian, Camille Rutherford, Michaël Evans, Maud Wyler, Luc Chessel, Mathilde Bisson, Winson Calixte, Matthieu Moro

MUSIC Ulysse Klotz, Romain Turzi

Locarno (International Competition), Toronto (Special Presentations), London (French Revolutions), Vancouver (Spotlight on France), São Paulo (International Perspective), CPH PIX (Front Runners), BAFICI (Trayectorias)

Synopsis

At university, Carmen meets Hussain, a young Afghan poet who is studying French literature. This encounter changes both their lives: falling in love, they become inseparable. Charles is distraught at losing her. The only reason he doesn’t crack up is his friend, Miguel, who teaches him flamenco. Hussain learns that his asylum application has been rejected. Carmen is terrified every time he goes outside. So the couple stay in and spend their time making love, until Hussain suddenly has the feeling she is watching him. He can no longer write, feels suffocated and needs to leave. Hussain disappears from her life as suddenly as he appeared. He leaves because of love: falling in love with a foreigner means involving her in his own battle. Charles has not given up. He walks with Carmen under the trees along the Saône. When she nears the riverbank, he knows she wants to disappear forever. So he watches over her, his love for her intact, a calm, powerful presence. –Locarno Film Festival

Director

Nicolas Klotz

Born 1954 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. He has made numerous portrait films about musicians, among others Ravi Shankar. In 1995, he started a theatre company together with the screenwriter Elisabeth Perceval. They have since worked together in both theatre and film, e.g. Paria (2000), The Wound (2004) and Hearbeat Detector (2007). —Copenhagen International Filmfestival

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XA Coronel

21Mar12

Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4PFGhut_c4

Abby. and Bruno Leal like this

XA Coronel

22Mar12

Absolutely, I even think the french title was at some point "Les Amants". Assayas' Apres Mai is another upcoming mirror piece on these subjects and maybe even Garrel in particular. Can't wait!
Bruno Leal

11Apr12

Wanna see it so badly.
XA Coronel

11Apr12

Right there with you Dust. Need to stop reading stuff about the film or I'll go crazy for not being able to see it, like right now! this interview on the score is so not helping http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=by16b6nKhuU

msmichel

17Oct11

FNC '11. One of the year's best. Klotz and Perceval have their finger on the pulse of today's youth culture in a climate of protest regarding immigrant rights and squatting. On top of that agenda is a love story between a young afghan immigrant and a french student. Script feels ripped from the headlines and is not afraid to examine the big issues. Loses its way a little towards the end but well worth experiencing.