Encontro Inesperado

"The Girl From Paris" is not a film the average person would likely watch. It's got subtitles, is very slow and deliberately paced and is about a young lady who abandons Paris to live and work on a farm. But it is a lovely film...one well worth seeing.

Sandrine (Mathilde Seigner) is on a farm owned by Adrien (Michel Serrault) when the film begins. She is looking it over and deciding whether or not to buy the place. So, instead of showing the steps leading up to Sandrine giving up her old life and moving to the farm, the film is more like a snapshot of her life...a small period in which she's already made the decision and has taken classes on agriculture. This is not a bad thing...just unusual that the context isn't important to the film.

As for the elderly Adrien, it's obvious early on that he isn't happy about selling and seems to have little interest nor regard for Sandrine and her new life. He seems, at best, indifferent or perhaps contemptuous of her decision. Slowly, however, through the course of the film the two become closer, as although he's sold the farm, he remains behind in his home while Sandrine lives in a nearby trailer.

Not surprisingly, as time passes, Sandrine and Adrien become a bit closer and he actually begins to talk...something he very rarely did earlier in the film. And, at times, her life is very tough as they live in a mountainous portion of the country....with lots of snow, cold and loneliness.

While none of this sounds exciting or wonderful, the film is very nice if you just accept it for what it is. Don't expect fireworks or romance or great depth....just see two people living their lives and, oddly, you will find that you care and enjoy these little moments.



By the way, I have some words of warning about the film. It is a no holds barred look at farm life. You see a pig brutally killed with lot of blood, several cows being killed and a goat having a stillbirth. It's not a film for the overly tender-hearted....but it is what farm life is often...the good and the ugly.

A stressed Parisienne decides to take up sheep-rearing in the Massif du Vercors, situated not far from Grenoble, France. She buys up a farmstead and the owner of the latter remains on site while waiting for transfer to a town. The film is basically about the tense relationship between the young lady played by Mathilde Seigner and the retired farmer played by Michel Serrault who generally tries to make life hard for her but eventually is taken with affection by the same young lady. I am no fan of Michel Serrault, but his performance in this film is excellent as is that of Mathilde Seigner. Although the script is limited in scope, the dialogues and development of the characters may be followed with pleasure by the spectator. The décors are magnificent as the film was made in natural surroundings so we see the mountains change in form and colour according to the passing seasons. I would strongly recommend the film to people of all countries as it has a very universal message. It may be noted that the film was made by someone who has a very rural background. It is now available on DVD in France and the editor has taken the unusual (but welcome) step of including English Subtitles on the DVD. The title is a play on words because the expression `Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps' = `One Swallow doesn't make a Summer'. So it's as if you were saying ` One Swallow has Made the Summer' ! This film deserves to be successful outside France, unlike many of the other mediocre productions of that country today !

Greetings again from the darkness. Wonderful, subtle French film that displays the nuances of quiet desperation of the young and fear of loneliness and death of the elderly. Make no mistake, the venerable Michel Serrault MAKES this movie! He is downright remarkable as Adrien, the long time farmer, who sells is farm to the young city girl played well by Mathilde Seigner. Many excellent scenes including awkward moments for all. The ridiculous comments about cruelty to animals during the filming is not worthy of mention. This is a fact of life on a farm and obviously the cow scenes were real life - not created for the film. The pig scene, may be painful to watch, but effectively makes the point of life and death on a farm - just like the goat birth scene. As far as the rabbit, give me a break, we see a live bunny and then one being prepared for dinner. This can happen in any restaurant on a daily basis. Yes the hang glider was a bit too much, too often, but I loved the Volvo, the Weimeramer and the "dumb" goat. Very personal film with much insight into human nature at all ages.

"The Girl From Paris" tiptoes liltingly though a slice of life of a young French city woman who buys a farm and finds herself wrestling with the rigors of farm life and the stoic, laconic, and crusty old previous owner. The odd couple put of with each other at the outset but as time passes they find something of value in one another and a tender, sensitive but mostly unspoken relationship emerges. A light drama about mutual needs in a bucolic milieu which explores a different kind of relationship, "The Girl From Paris" is a lovely little film with minimal dialogue worth a look for anyone into people flicks of the French persuasion. (B)

a slow tempo movie, with no big scenes, no breathtaking special effects, just a small number of actors and the peaceful scenery of the French alps that touch the heart. all these are the background of the slow development of the relationship between the 2 main characters of the story. Sandrine, a young Parisian woman, who decided to leave the big city and buy a farm at the French alps. Adrian is the old owner of the farm, who remained living at the farm after the sale, but at first, refuses to help Sandrine and guide her. the peaceful yet cruel nature is the background of the mutual process that the two characters experience. the old man and the young woman who learn to accept each other and even like each other very much.