January 24th: KINGS AND QUEEN (Arnaud Desplechin, 2004)

A women juggles her ailing father and autistic son, while her musician ex-husband finds himself in a mental hospital.

Writer-director Arnaud Desplechin was born in Northern France, went to film school at the Sorbonne in Paris, and worked as a cinematographer before taking charge of his own productions. His first short film won an prestigious award and screened at the Cannes Film Festival, as did his first three features.

Kings and Queen would be his most ambitious work to date, moving away from younger characters and a bifurcated story structure, which balances melodrama and farce before blending them together. 

Starring in the film are two of his closest collaborators, Matheiu Amalric (The Diving Bell & The Butterfly) and Emmanuelle Devos, as well as screen legend Catherine Deneuve. Returning behind the camera is cinematographer Eric Gautier (The Motorcycle Diaries, Into the Wild).

Desplechin's study of middle-class neurotics has drawn comparison to François Truffaut and Wes Anderson, and here he returns to his well of academia to draw in poetry and mythology for reference and themes.

The film received glowing reviews at home and abroad. It received seven César nominations in France including Best Picture, Screenplay, and Direction, with Amalric's performance winning. 

Running time is 2 hrs, 30 min.