RUGBY and a town's passion for the game is the backbone of the French movie 'Pour l'honneur' (A Chance to Win). Currently showing as part of the 2024 French Film Festival (LEFF) at Golden Screen Cinemas, the movie is a delightful watch and a feel-good offering for the family.
It's about two villages south of France which have been rivals in rugby. The villages themselves are facing issues over economic sustainability, but when the people learn that asylum-seekers are coming to their part of the world, some are not welcoming. "France is for the French" are among the sentiments that rattle the fragile peace of the quaint countryside place.
The rugby coach (Patrick Sebastien) and his wife (Olivia Bonamy), who run a hotel and farm, agree to host the dozen-or-so immigrants after no one else would.
The villages have their 100th rugby match coming up, and the coach sees potential in his hotel guests. However, they don't know a thing about rugby and prefer football instead.
That does not deter the coach and soon he gets them involved in scrums, scrimmages and the whatnot of rugby.
There are laugh-out-loud and tender moments in this movie by Philippe Guillard — a well-known sports journalist, former professional rugby player and filmmaker.
There's a young villain who wants to win the game and be the town's kingmaker as well.
The movie features a song called 'Je l'aime a mourir' which means "I love her to death". It's a romantic song, but the movie offers its take on it as loving France.
The last verse is about getting the chance to rebuild everything, and "Je l'aime a mourir".
Nice touch!
I caught another offering, called 'Beating Sun'. The first feature film of Philippe Petit, it's about a landscape gardener (Swann Arlaud) and his partner who want to transform a dreary-looking plot into an open garden.
What a dream! And not many people with money understand what he wants to do. At times, the movie moves as dreary as the plot of an urban wasteland that tries to bloom.
It's a bittersweet offering that highlights the differences between what town planners do and what is really needed today.
The 22nd edition of the French Film Festival is currently happening in Kuala Lumpur until July 14, Penang from June 13 to 23, Johor Baru from June 27 to 30, and Kuching from July 4 to 7.
Co-organised by Alliance Francaise de Kuala Lumpur and the French Embassy in Malaysia, audiences can also cast their vote on their favourite LEFF 2024 film.
Visit www.alliancefrancaise.org for more details.
