© Concorde Filmverleih GmbH

Das Labyrinth der Wörter (La Tête en friche, My Afternoons with Margueritte)
France 2010

Opening 6 Jan 2011

Directed by: Jean Becker
Writing credits: Jean Becker, Jean-Loup Dabadie, Marie-Sabine Roger
Principal actors: Gerard Depardieu, Gisèle Casadesus, Maurane , Patrick Bouchitey, Claire Maurier

Germain (Gérard Depardieu) is a grown man who still lives near his mother, protectively watching over her as she drinks herself to death in disappointment. He is a buddy to the guys at the pub, arbitrating disagreements. His blond girlfriend is young and faithful. Still, Germain is always on the periphery, a shy outsider. One day he meets elderly Margueritte (Gisèle Casadesus) on a park bench, where they discuss the pigeons she is feeding. Soon they turn to the next topic, which is the book in Margueritte’s lap; she describes the story. Gradually, Margueritte realizes that Germain is illiterate, and she undertakes to teach him to read. Their friendship grows until, suddenly, she disappears.

For some reason, I always love the first film I see at the Filmfest Hamburg, and this year was no different. I enjoyed this French film and am certain that it would still seem fresh and amusing, even if it were the 25th film I had watched that week. This is a universal story with a happy ending. No matter what you think of Depardieu, his awesome workload demands respect; he never stops filming. According to the Internet Movie Database, he has made 190 films since 1967 and fifteen of them are in the pre- or post-production or filming phase. Labyrinth must be his 173rd film in 43 years, and in this case, he is well-chosen for the role. Also impressive is Gisèle Casadesus, a very young 95 years old. The two of them are a perfect match. Directed by Jean Becker and based on a book by Marie-Sabine Roger. (Becky Tan)

 
 
 
The theaters below show films in their original language; click on the links for showtimes and ticket information.
 
Interviews with the stars, general film articles, and reports on press conferences and film festivals.
 
Subscribe to the free KinoCritics monthly email newsletter here.