Today marks the beginning of the 21st MonteCarlo Film Festival de la Comédie: the films in competition

SEVEN FILMS IN COMPETITION

Puan by María Alché and Benjamín Naishtat (competition, Argentina, 110’), winner of multiple awards at the 71st San Sebastián Film Festival, tells the story of Marcelo, who, after the unexpected death of his mentor, Professor Caselli, expects to become the new head of the Philosophy Department. However, his plans are disrupted by the sudden arrival of Rafael Sujarchuk. Charismatic and seductive, Rafael returns from European universities to claim the vacant position for himself. The cast includes Marcelo Subiotto, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Julieta Zylberberg, Alejandra Flechner, Andrea Frigerio, and Mara Bestelli.

Paul & Paulette take a Bath by Jethro Massey (competition, UK, 109’), winner of the Audience Award at the International Critics’ Week, is a sharp romantic comedy about a young American photographer, Paul (Jérémie Galiana), and a French girl (Marie Benati) with a taste for the macabre.
The chance meeting between Paul and Paulette on a Parisian boulevard leads to an unusual friendship, revolving around a grim pastime: reenacting famous crime scenes from the past in the locations where they occurred.

Une langue universelle (Universal Language) by Matthew Rankin (competition, Canada, 89’), Canada’s Oscar submission, is a comedy set in Winnipeg, Canada. Matthew leaves Montreal, where he has lived his entire life, to return to Winnipeg, his hometown. Space and time are disrupted, and suddenly, everyone in the Canadian metropolis speaks Persian. In this winter tale, Matthew’s encounters with two mischievous children, an irritable teacher, and a more enthusiastic than capable tour guide lead him on a rediscovery of himself in a wonderfully absurd and intimate journey. Featuring Rojina Esmaeili, Saba Vahedyousefi, Sobhan Javadi, Pirouz Nemati, Matthew Rankin, Mani Soleymanlou, and Danielle Fichaud.

Le procès du chien (Dog on Trial), debut film by Laetitia Dosch (competition, Switzerland, France, 80’) tells the story of Avril, a lawyer specializing in hopeless cases who has made a promise: she will win her next case! But when Dariuch, an equally desperate client, asks her to defend his loyal companion, Cosmos, her sense of justice overpowers her intentions. An unexpected and turbulent trial begins: the trial of the dog. The cast includes Laetitia Dosch, François Damiens, Jean Pascal Zadi, Anne Dorval, Kodi, and Anabela Moreira.

La Scommessa (High Stakes: A Night in the Ward) by Giovanni Dota (competition, Italy, 84’) is a dark comedy starring Carlo Buccirosso, Lino Musella, Nando Paone, and Iaia Forte. Some nights in the ward can be intense, frantic, and tense: everything is done to save a life. Other nights, however, are just hot and boring. On one of these nights, in the middle of August, Angelo (Carlo Buccirosso) and Salvatore (Lino Musella), cynical and lazy nurses, find themselves at the bedside of Mr. Caputo. For Angelo, the man won’t make it through the night. Salvatore, on the other hand, insists he will survive. “What if we bet our Christmas vacation on it?” A handshake, and the game is on. This sets the stage for a series of wild events, with underhanded tactics, a drugged head doctor, out-of-control patients, escaping prisoners, and intersecting lovers and wives, while the clock ticks and dawn approaches. A night when anything can happen, in this dark and exhilarating comedy where everyone plays dirty. Even life itself.

Una casa en flames (A House on Fire) by Dani de la Orden (competition, Spain, 105’) returns for the fourth consecutive year with a new dramedy starring Emma Vilarasau, Alberto San Juan, Enric Auquer, Maria Rodríguez Soto, Jose Pérez-Ocaña, and Macarena García.
Montse is excited because she is about to spend the weekend with her whole family at her house in Cadaqués, on the Costa Brava. She has been divorced for a long time, her ex has a new partner, and her grown-up children live their lives without paying attention to her, but nothing and no one will ruin Montse’s mood. She has been waiting for this moment for too long, dreaming of it: this weekend will be perfect… even if she has to burn everything to make it so.

Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant (Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person) by Ariane Louis-Seize (competition, Canada, 90’), winner at the Authors’ Days, stars Sara Montpetitm, Félix-Antoine Bénard, Steve Laplante, Sophie Cadieux, and Noémie O’Farrell. This noir comedy tells the story of Sasha, a young vampire with a serious problem: she is too sensitive to kill. When her parents, frustrated, cut off her blood supply, Sasha’s life is at risk. Fortunately, she meets Paul, a lonely teenager with suicidal tendencies, who is willing to sacrifice his life to save hers. Their agreement soon turns into a nocturnal mission to fulfill Paul’s last wishes before dawn.

OUT OF COMPETITION FILM

The closing film of the festival is OPS! E GIA’ NATALE (A SUDDEN CASE OF CHRISTMAS) (Out of competition, USA), directed by Peter Chelsom, starring Danny DeVito, Lucy DeVito, Andy McDowell, and Wilmer Valderrama.
It’s August, and Abbie and Jacob, an American couple, are taking their ten-year-old daughter Claire to her grandfather Lawrence’s hotel in the Dolomites, Italy. They usually go there for Christmas, but this year they will make an exception. The truth is, they are separating and want Lawrence to tell Claire. Once Claire realizes there won’t be a family Christmas this year, she insists that they celebrate Christmas in August, even bringing her other grandparents from overseas. Supported by her grandfather, Claire comes up with a plan to reunite her parents. But not everything goes as planned…

The event, in collaboration with EFG Bank (Monaco) and Marlù Jewels, has always been held under the High Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco and the Embassy of Italy. As in previous years, Radio Monte Carlo is the official radio of the festival.
As every year, Marlù Jewels participates in the festival and this year presents the Marlù Social Award “Your Words Can Make a Difference.” With this award, Marlù seeks to recognize the role of words as a means of amplifying social themes and messages dear to the community and to strengthen the voices of those who help young people grow and dream, because each of us, with just one word, can make a difference and improve the lives of many.

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