Belleville-Tokyo

Director Elise Girard was once in charge of public relations for Action Cinemas, a chain of Parisian movie theaters founded and owned by Jean-Marie Rodon and Jean-Max Causse. The chain specialized in American movies, both classics and cult films. It also introduced the work of new directors not well known at the time, such as Jim Jarmush's first movie. Girard directed a 2003 documentary about the Action Cinemas.

All of this is reflected in this movie; the protagonist, Marie (Valérie Donzelli) works in a fictional version of Action Cinemas. Belleville, the background, is a colorful, multi-ethnic quarter of Paris where many artists and musicians lived and worked in the 1980s.

Belleville-Tokyo is Girard's first feature film. It deals with the gradual dissolution of Marie's relation with her boyfriend Julien (Jérémie Elkaim). It is a short (72 minutes), minimalistic movie. Belleville-Tokyo is one of these privileged works that hits the right notes all the time; every scene rings true. Acting is first rate as is the script by the director and Isabelle Pandazopoulos. A must see.