When Gianni Di Gregorio’s directorial debut ‘Mid-August Lunch’ gained widespread acclaim and a multitude of accolades from international film festivals in 2008 due to its charm and gentle wit, his follow up feature was always going to be highly anticipated. Well, it has arrived in the form of ‘The Salt of Life’, and to mark its 12 August UK release date, we have remembered some of the brightest comedic gems of World Cinema.
Good Bye, Lenin!
Good Bye Lenin!
A self-proclaimed ‘tragicomedy’, this German film takes a quirky approach to the reunion of two very different political ideologies previously separated by the Berlin wall upon its collapse. An elderly woman awakes from a coma to find that the Berlin wall is no more, yet in an attempt to protect her frail mind her son tries to convince her that nothing has changed. Satirical and absurd, the laughs are certainly not lost in translation.
Le Dîner de Cons
Le Dîner de Cons
This film has a truly delicious premise: every week, Pierre and his friends hold a dinner party where each friend has to bring a guest – the biggest idiot they can find. The friends then ridicule their guests after they have left the dinner and select the best buffoon. Pierre thinks he has found the moron to steal the show but not everything goes to plan… Hilarious modern classic, yet avoid the recent US “reimagining” ‘Dinner for Schmucks’ at all costs.
Kung Fu Hustle
Kung Fu Hustle
Director/Star/Chinese hero Stephen Chow’s experienced his biggest commercial success with ‘Kung Fu Hustle’ in not only his native Hong Kong (it’s the highest grossing film in HK history) but also achieved huge success in the West, demonstrating its culturally-transcending humour. Wonderfully weird with a striking comic-book visual style, a must-see with plenty of in-jokes for fans of old-school kung fu movies too.
Potiche
Potiche
‘Potiche’ – the French equivalent for the term ‘trophy wife’ sees Catherine Deneuve in the titular role with a superb comic performance. Forced to run her husband’s umbrella factory after he is held hostage by his employees, Denueve proves to be far more than a useless trophy wife. However, complications arrive when her ex-lover returns, portrayed by the brilliant Gerard Depardieu.
Amelie
Amelie
Audrey Tautou’s breakthrough picture, ‘Amelie’ tells the story of a shy waitress who decides to change the lives of those around her for the better. Quirky and romantic, the film features a whimsical portrayal of contemporary Parisian life through the eyes of a character that lets her imagination run away with her frequently and to wonderful effect.
La Cage Aux Folles
La Cages Aux Folles
A musical this time, yet with plenty of room to accommodate laughs as well as songs. The story centers on a gay couple – Albin and Georges who respectively star in and run a drag nightclub. A bombshell is dropped when Georges’ son announces that he is engaged, and shall be bringing his fiancée’s ultra-conservative parents to meet them. Hilarity ensues.
OSS 117: Cairo Nest of Spies
OSS 117: Cairo Nest of Spies
It might seem lazy to call this Eurospy caper ‘The French Austin Powers’, but it is an accurate description. Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath, aka OSS 117, is a 60s fictional spy as well known as Bond as homeland, and this re-imagining of the series both parodies and lovingly recreates the period detail. Director Michel Hazanavicius and star Jean Dujardin recently re-teamed for silent cinema homage he Artist, which was the toast of this year’s Cannes festival.
The Salt of Life
The Salt Of Life
Writer/ director/ star Gianni Di Gregorio ‘s first film Mid-August Lunch, at the tender age of 59, was a surprise international hit. His second feature picks up where the first left off, with the loveable Gianni coming to terms with old age, bumbling around Rome, but still with an eye for the ladies. It’s sweet, life-affirming and most of all hilarious, and definitely worth seeking out.
THE SALT OF LIFE is in cinemas 12 August.
