MON ROI’s Modern Romance

Georgio (Vincent Cassel) and Tony (Emmanuelle Bercot) in MON ROI. Catch the 21st French Film Festival from June 8 to 14, 2016 at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas and the Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. The fest includes Pinoy films IMBISIBOL & MANANG BIRING on June 12 at Greenbelt.

My Angel, may your love be true.

Written by

Jude Thaddeus L Bautista

Their first date was a complete surprise. All Georgio (Vincent Cassel) told Tony (Emmanuelle Bercot) was to meet with him in the morning. When they got in the church she realized he was the best man at a wedding. She was moved at what it meant. As soon as they could get away they quickly fell into each other’s arms. In the throes of passion she couldn’t stop the tears. He had to stop and ask why, “I was open,” she said. He was a bit shocked, “What? Open on pussy? Your pussy is like a mouth. Is that why you’re crying? Who told you that?” She was traumatized, “My ex-husband told me I was open down there.” As usual he made her laugh, “The only ones who say that are men with small penises. You should stop meeting jerks.” Through her tears she asked, “Are you a jerk?” With conviction and as much honesty, “No I’m not. I’m the king of jerks!”

MON ROI (MY KING) is part of the 21^st French Film Festival. A total of 17 films will be screened starting from June 8 to 14, 2016 at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas and the Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

Emmanuelle Bercot won the 2015 Cannes Best actress award for MON ROI. Catch the 21st French Film Festival from June 8 to 14, 2016 at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas and the Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. The fest includes Pinoy films IMBISIBOL & MANANG BIRING on June 12 at Greenbelt.

During Independence Day on June 12, the festival renews its tradition of putting the spotlight on Filipino films through the screening of two local films that have been featured at international film festivals in France: Lawrence Fajardo’s IMBISIBOL and Carl Joseph Papa’s animated film, MANANG BIRING.

from left: IMBISIBOL director Lawrence Fajardo, Ces Quesada, Ruby Ruiz, Natileigh Sitoy and IMBISIBOL Asst. Dir. Charita Castinlag, Catch the 21st French Film Festival from June 8 to 14, 2016 at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas and the Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. The fest includes Pinoy films IMBISIBOL & MANANG BIRING on June 12 at Greenbelt. Photo by Jude Bautista

Emmanuelle Bercot plays Marie-Antoinette Jézéquel or Tony for short. Emmanuelle Bercot won Cannes Best Actress in 2015 for MON ROI (MY KING). She shared the award with Mara Rooney of CAROL. The two upset the favorite Cate Blanchett who was cast as Rooney’s Lesbian lover CAROL.

Amb. Thierry Mathou and Cannes Best Actress Jaclyn Jose. Catch the 21st French Film Festival from June 8 to 14, 2016 at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas and the Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. The fest includes Pinoy films IMBISIBOL & MANANG BIRING on June 12 at Greenbelt. Photo by Jude Bautista

Bercot won the same award our very own Jaclyn Jose won for MA’ROSA this year. Jaclyn Jose beat out the likes of Charlize Theron (US entry THE LAST FACE directed by Sean Penn) and Marion Cotillard (France’s MAL DE PIERRES / From the Land of the Moon directed by Nicole Garcia). Kristen Stewart, Isabelle Huppert, Ruth Negga were also among those Jose won over for the award.

Bercot’s performance was very touching and yet resilient woman dealing with a very passionate but troubled relationship. Much like her character she’s a woman of substance. While her facial features can remind one of supermodel Christy Turlington, she was known more as a screenwriter and director. She was the first female director to be chosen to open the Cannes film fest with her film STANDING TALL. She earned Cannes Best Short Film LES VACANCES (1997) and was nominated for the César Awards Best Screenplay for LA TÊTE HAUTE/ STANDING TALL (2015) and POLISSE (2011). She also won Best Director in Thessaloniki for BACKSTAGE in 2005. Her latest directorial work LA FILLE DE BREST is currently in post-production.

Vincent Cassel is a very familiar face to blockbuster movie fans. He’s been cast in OCEAN’S ELEVEN / TWELVE / THIRTEEN. He was also the manipulative director and choreographer in BLACK SWAN, convincing as an American. He made his Hollywood debut- ELIZABETH (with Cate Blanchett in title role) in 1998 as Duc D’Anjou. Being a second-generation actor he has actually made quite a reputation in France long before he got in English films. Here he’s completely French and plays a very complex, very real character. His romantic and dramatic skills as an actor are in full display.

They are both amazing actors in this very realistic rendition of a modern relationship. Of course there’s alot of sex, romance, the love they feel for each other is genuine which translates wonderfully through the screen. They also battle through real problems such as drug use, emotional abuse and even financial problems.

There’s no real good guy or bad guy. The overall theme is one of healing for Tony. She has a serious ski injury and has therapy, which is intercut, with her relationship with Georgio. He’s a successful, high profile restaurateur incredibly charming, funny and passionate. And because he’s so successful and popular, so are his appetites for women, for life. Tony is sexy at the same time grounded, everything Georgio is looking for and she’s nothing like the women he’s met before.

In one scene Tony flips through the magazine L’OFFICIEL and points out models and celebs asking, “You f***d her? What about her?” Audiences in the 21^st French Film fest opening were given L’OFFICIEL’s Manila edition. The issue featured designer Joey Samson showing his collection at The Peninsula Manila.

Joey Samson’s collection was featured in L’OFFICIEL Manila- photographed in The Peninsula Manila. Catch the 21st French Film Festival from June 8 to 14, 2016 at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas and the Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. The fest includes Pinoy films IMBISIBOL & MANANG BIRING on June 12 at Greenbelt.

Tony worked her way through law school as a bartender and that was how they met years before. She has blonde classic Gaelic features self assured, extremely sexy not just physically but intellectually. They fell for each other when they meet up again.

Georgio (Vincent Cassel) shows off his son to Agnes (Chrystèle Saint Louis Augustin) Catch the 21st French Film Festival from June 8 to 14, 2016 at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas and the Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. The fest includes Pinoy films IMBISIBOL & MANANG BIRING on June 12 at Greenbelt.

The landscapes does it work to help one fall in love. From the French Alps to the warm beaches of the south, each location has its own appeal. We see the more cosmopolitan side of Paris with the clubs and ultra modern apartments. The little restaurants and cafes are there to have intimate meetings. MON ROI is romantic but doesn’t gloss over the realities of modern relationships. More often than not they’re complex and painful.

3rd from right: Amb. Thierry Mathou, from left: French Cultural Counselor Yves Zoberman, French Audio Visual Attache Martin Macalintal, Cannes Best Actress Jaclyn Jose, Mdme. Cecile Mathou and FDCP Chairman Briccio Santos. Catch the 21st French Film Festival from June 8 to 14, 2016 at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas and the Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. The fest includes Pinoy films IMBISIBOL & MANANG BIRING on June 12 at Greenbelt. Photo by Jude Bautista

For the screening schedule, visit www.frenchfilmfest.com. Share your French Film Festival story on social media using the hashtag #FrenchFilmFest21.

Film synopses, reviews, and the screening schedule are also easily available on your smartphone by downloading the French Film Festival app powered by ThinkBIT on Apple Store and Google Play.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/FrenchEmbassyManila.

The 21^st French Film Festival is presented by the Embassy of France to the Philippines, Institut Français, the Alliance française de Manille and Cebu, and the Film Development Council of the Philippines, in cooperation with the Ayala Malls Cinemas, the SSI Group, Inc., Central Square, and with the support of Lacoste, Beauty Bar, Diptyque, Marks and Spencer, L’Occitane, Oliviers & Co., Peugeot Philippines, Delsey, Kickers, Sledgers, ThinkBIT, Cinema One Originals, Pioneer Films, Solar Entertainment Corp., TeamApp, Inc., Bizu, Don Papa, Le Cellier, Sommelier, Taters, Chimara, Marithé François Girbaud, and our media partners Expat Newspaper, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, the ABS-CBN News Channel, CNN Philippines, Art Plus Magazine, L’Officiel Manila, Mellow 94.7 Sounds Good, Gist.ph, Spot.ph and WhenInManila.com.

Louis Vuitton model in L’OFFICIEL Manila. Catch the 21st French Film Festival from June 8 to 14, 2016 at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas and the Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. The fest includes Pinoy films IMBISIBOL & MANANG BIRING on June 12 at Greenbelt.

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Amb. Thierry Mathou w MA’ROSA cast from left: Jomari Angeles, Ruby Ruiz, Aaron Rivera, Natileigh Sitoy & Mac Mendoza. Catch the 21st French Film Festival from June 8 to 14, 2016 at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas and the Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. The fest includes Pinoy films IMBISIBOL & MANANG BIRING on June 12 at Greenbelt. Photo by Jude Bautista

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/FrenchEmbassyManila.