The Film Club and Chorleywood Twinning Association are joining forces to banish any mid-January blues by screening the French comedy drama Untouchable.
“I don’t quite remember who first came up with the idea for a joint fundraising screening but both groups thought it would be a merveilleux! way to start the New Year,” explains Vivien Lantree of the Twinning Association. “We had great fun drawing up a shortlist of potential films, then watching the trailers. In the end we decided on this thought provoking, funny, heart-warming movie which was actually inspired by a true story.”
Kevin Andrews, the Film Club’s founding member, adds “The French are justifiably proud of their distinctive contribution to cinema – so there was no shortage of candidate films for us to choose from.”
Philippe (Francois Cluzot) a wealthy, habitual thrill-seeker becomes quadriplegic following a paragliding accident. Alone in the world and unable to care for himself in even the most basic ways, he employs young Senegalese émigré, and ex-convict, Driss (Omar Sy) as his carer. Despite their very different backgrounds and outlooks on life, the two men quickly form a strong bond, teaching each other important life lessons about acceptance, respect and the true meaning of friendship in the process.
“We thought the story had all the ingredients that we loved in cinema. We wanted to make a realistic comedy with a real deep subject,” says the film’s co-director Oliver
Nakache and clearly audiences around the world agreed with him. Untouchable became a huge international hit, proving to be even more successful at the box office than that other French hit of 2011 – The Artist.
But how has Vivien found working with the Film Club?
“Its shown me just how passionate they are about film and making it available locally – great stuff…C’est si bon as the French might say!”
Untouchable (Cert 15, Running time: 107 minutes, English subtitles) is being screened in association with the Hive at the Russell School at 8 p.m. on Saturday 17th January. Doors open at 7.30 p.m. Licensed bar and French cheese snacks available on the night. Tickets available online at cwfilm.org or at Chorleywood Bookshop.
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