Paris, je t'aime

Short stories pass through the night and the day. Thousand stories of shooting romances fly by. A kiss, a hello, a goodbye - Paris je t'aime.

The city of the light comes in the views of an immigrant, a grieving mother, a young boy in love with a foreign, two guys who can't communicate which each other, a man who was leaving and finds himself staying forever, a girl looking for a poet and a guy speaking through the one, Oscar Wilde chatting on his tomb, a couple of cheery mimes tale told by their son, two vampires in deadly lust, a friendly divorce, a song and a paramedic, a tourist and a couple of crazies, a driver and a black out, a father, Gaspard, and his daughter, a sales man and a stylist, an actress and a blind guy, an old couple in a whore-house, another actress and her dealer, a woman in love with Paris. Eighteen stories about Paris. Diverse, god really diverse points of view. A lot of directors. The music is amazing, I encourage you to get the sound track.

Since there are 18 memorable stories there, I will just review my personal favorites, though each short film deserves to be widely reviewed.

Père-Lachaise

Written and directed by: West Cohen
Emily Mortimer as Frances
Rufus Sewell as William
Alexander Paine as Oscar Wilde

This brief and lovely story takes place in the infamous cemetery of Père-Lachaise, where a young couple discusses.

Frances, with a travious air and the vivid spirit of joy, runs around the cemetery looking for one special tomb. Her partner, however, does not share the enthusiasm, for he would rather be having lunch. William goes on and on about how this was their honey moon (even though they ain't yet married) and how he would like to be in another place. Frances is looking for a guy who can make her laugh, someone that will fit her humor.

Just when they find Oscar Wilde's tomb, she leans and kisses it, but William finds it to be unclassy. So they come into a fight, she won't stand marrying someone that lacks of the capacity of making her laugh and she runs and screams, leaving William to stare at the tomb.

Who has come to save the situation? No one but the author of Dorian Grey, himself. Dressed like a rather exotic dandy, he reaches William with some good old advice and later helps him find the words to make Frances laugh.

Short, real short but lovely.

Tulliers

Written and directed by: Joel and Ethan Cohen
Steve Buscemi as the tourist
Julie Batallie as Julie
Axel Keiner as Axel

An American tourist finds himself reading a guide on the tube station. As a series of pitoresc characters develop by his side. A group of musics on the stairway, an annoying little boy spitting at him, a suit man, looking angry and a couple of French passionate lovers in the other side of the platform.

He reads over some fragments of the guide, about Paris and lovers, about the Mona Lisa and about the tube station "Do not make eye contact". Well, unfortunately, when he drifts his view from that statement, he meets the far away view of Julie, the girl on the couple. She gazes at him and the boyfriend follows the look. Axel screams at the tourist asking him, why is he looking at his girl. As a train passes by Julie is sitting next to our tourist then kissing him, rest I leave to you.

Place de Fêtes

Written and directed by: OliverSchimtz
Aïssa Maïga as Sophie
Seudo Boyro as Hassam

A man falls shot on a statue on the Plaze de Fetes. A young girl paramedic tries to save him. Hassam reveals Sophie that they have met before, through a song he tales the tale of how his misery came after they met, but he kept looking for her. And asks her to drink a coffee with him. Ending is strange, I'd say, though lovely.

Le Marais

Written and directed by: Gus Vant Sant
Marianne Faithful as Marianne
Elies McConnell as Elies
Gaspard Ulliel as Gaspard

Gaspard walks into an imprint and as soon as he crosses his view to Elies the apprentice of the job, he feels quite an attraction. When they are left alone, Gaspard tries real bad to communicate his sudden feelings. For he believes in soul mates, yet he is ignored by Elies, who just demands fire for his cigar though he certainly feels alike, and he receives Gaspard's number with a bit of confusion. Turns out he doesn't really speaks French but makes a decision that could mean a lot.

Short films on love have one amazing thing, it's your story you turn it and change it because it never ends.

Eighteen romances on the city light - highly recommended.