Photo of the Week
Another view of the Centre Pompidou. Photo © Darren Palmer of Paris by Photo.
Wednesday, 30 May 2012 00:00
Paris Update What's New in Paris
RESTAURANT/CLUB/CAFE
Wanderlust: Finally, part of Les Docks, Cité de la Mode et Design will open to the public on June 6. Brunch on the terrace, take a yoga class, take in a concert or dance all night. 34, quai d'Austerlitz, 75013 Paris.
SHOPS
Stella Cadente: The designer of very feminine clothing and accessories has a new Paris store that's like a gold-lined tunnel. 102 boulevard Beaumarchais, 75011 Paris.
Ecolo-Chic: Pop-up store in the Marais selling ethically resourced products, from toys and design to organic wine. 90, rue des Archives, 75003 Paris.
SMOKING
A new organization, L'Union pour les Droits des Fumeurs Adultes, has been formed to lobby for the rights of French smokers
JUSTIN ON THE ROOFTOPS
Keep your eyes peeled: Justin Bieber will be filming for the Web TV program live@home in an undisclosed location on the rooftops of Paris on the evening of May 31. Click here to win a pass to the taping.
Wednesday, 30 May 2012 00:00
Paris Update Flash News
CAKE THE WAY WE LIKE IT
Goodies on display at Merce and the Muse.
Nowadays, American expatriates in Paris can easily satisfy almost all their nostalgic food cravings, from hamburgers to Reese’s peanut-butter cups or Oreo cookies. Until Merce and the Muse opened in the Upper Marais, however, it wasn’t easy to find good homemade, American-style cakes. The desserts at this homey, flea-market-furnished café are not just good, they are scrumptious and original, made from owner Merce Muse’s own recipes. The other day I shared a slice of chocolate layer cake with vanilla icing and another of pistachio cake with rose icing with a friend, but in truth I wanted to eat all of both of them. 1 bis, rue Dupuis, 75003 Paris. Tel.: 09 53 14 53 04. Open Tues.-Sun. for breakfast, lunch and coffee; brunch on Sunday. Heidi Ellison
Paris Update This Week's Events
For full details about an event, click on its name to visit the official Web site (in English when available).
 Art Saint-Germain-des-Prés
>Left Bank gallery walk. Collective opening, May 31, 6pm. May 31-June 3.
Carré Rive Gauche
>Another Left Bank gallery walk, with 120 participating galleries. June 1-June 3.
Champs-Elysées Film Festival
>A new Franco-American film festival, presided over by Lambert Wilson and Michael Madsen. Various locations, Paris, June 6-12.
Chartre en Lumières
> The town of Chartres illuminates its monuments and the cathedral with colorful light installations. Through Sept. 15.
Designer's Days
>Design shops, galleries, schools and more participate in a city-wide design event. Various locations, Paris, May 31-June 4.
Festival de l'Imaginaire
> Performances by troupes from around the world, Maison des Cultures du Monde, Paris, through June 17.
Festival de Saint Denis
> Music festival featuring both stars like Sir Colin Davis and young talents; ends with a dawn performance by horse whisperer Bartabas and oud player Mehdi Haddab, Cathedral and Legion of Honor, Saint Denis, through June 30.
Festival Extensions
> Concerts, dance, films and more, various locations, Paris and Val de Marne, through May 31.
Festival International des Jardins de Chaumont-sur-Loire
>"Gardens of delights, gardens of delirium" is the theme of this year's garden festival, Chaumont-sur-Loire, through Oct. 21.
Festival Jazz à Saint-Germain-des-Prés
>Jazz acts ranging from amateur to big names like Ahmad Jamal and Yusef Lateef (together). Various locations, Paris, Through June 3.
Le Court en Dit Long
>Festival of short films. Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles, Paris, June 4-9.
Nomades
>Cultural festival in the third arrondissement; art, poetry, concerts and more. Various locations, Paris, May 31-June 3.
Quinzaine des Réalisateurs
>The features and short subjects entered in this category at the Cannes Film Festival shown in Paris, Forum des Images, Paris, May 31-June 10
Salon du Vin de La Revue du Vin de France
>Annual wine fair. Palais Brongniart, Paris, June 2-3
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13 Tzameti
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Film
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/ Drama
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Created on Tuesday, 14 February 2006 23:00
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Published on Sunday, 22 February 2009 21:45
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Written by Heidi Ellison
Unlucky Number
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| George Babluani plays Sébastien. |
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It seems unlikely that Hollywood would take an interest in such a dark film as 13 Tzameti, but critics were quick to see its potential as an American remake after the movie picked up prizes at the Sundance and Venice film festivals.
Shot in contrasty black and white, the just-released film, written and directed by Géla Babluani, tells its shocking story sparingly, with few words. It begins simply, as we watch the main character, the youthful Sébastien (vividly portrayed by George Babluani), a roofer, crossing paths with members of his Georgian family, who live in Normandy. Their limited conversation is always about money – Is the job finished? Did you get paid? Did you find a new job? How much will it pay? – but it is clear that these are people who care for each other in spite of their difficulties.
At his current job, Sébastien is working on the house of an ex-con, Jean-François (Philippe Passon), who regularly drugs himself into unconsciousness while waiting for word on a caper that will pay big dividends.
Everyone around him is interested in this mysterious project: a cash-strapped cohort who drops by looking for help; the fed-up live-in girlfriend who would probably rather live out; the roofer; and, we soon discover, the police. They are all spying on Jean-François. The girlfriend lingers in the corridor to eavesdrop on him, while the roofer listens and watches through a hole in the roof. Outside, a policeman on a stakeout is taking photos of everyone who approaches the house and reading Jean-François’s mail.
The letter Jean-François is waiting for finally arrives, but he dies of an overdose before he can carry out his mission. The roofer is let go without pay, but the mysterious letter has come into his hands, so he takes it with him. Knowing that a big payoff is promised at the end of the trail, he follows its instructions, which eventually take him to a house well-hidden in the forest, where a high-stakes game of Russian roulette is being played. Our feckless young hero has gone too far and must play the game.
We won’t reveal the rest of this highly suspenseful story, but suffice it to say that it does not focus on the pretty side of human nature. In this small world, money and bloodlust rule, and no one is innocent.
In his first feature film, the young Georgian director tells his tale simply yet artfully. The use of black and white creates a certain distance from the horrific events that occur in the film, removing some of the shock value and giving the viewer the freedom to consider the thorny moral and philosophical issues raised.
Somehow it’s hard to imagine that the Hollywood version will be in black and white – how would we know what color the blood is?
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Heidi Ellison
© 2006 Paris Update
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