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Summer Love
Names of Love (LE NOM DES GENS)
Sarah Forestier and Jacque Gamblin in The Names Of Love
The Names of Love could possibly be this summer’s indie movie to see. A French romantic-comedy directed by Michel Leclerc, the film stars Sarah Forestier, as Baya Benmahmoud; and Jacque Gamblin, as Arthur Martin.
Baya Benmahmound is described as a young, extroverted, liberal that literally lives by the classic hippie phrase: “Make love, not war”. Baya does make love, to her political, right-wing opponents; in return, they convert to her left-wing, activist cause. Baya was having great success with the plan, successfully converting all her political enemies she had slept with to support her cause; that was up until she ran into Arthur Martin. Arthur is a Jewish, discreet, middle-aged man, who if afraid to take risks. Baya assumes Arthur will fall easily for her political strategy, but Arthur refuses Baya’s offers of seduction. But when the two share a common bond through their families tragic histories (Algerian War & the Holocaust), the unlikely duo fall in love.
This movie isn’t your typical romantic-comedy. Despite the cliché story of an unlikely couple falling in love (Baya is Arabian, Arthur is Jewish), this movie includes quite a bit of jokes towards race and religion, unlike typical movies of the genre. One of the trailers reveals a dinner scene between Baya, Martin and Martin’s parents. Baya was unable to prevent herself from insulting Martin’s parents by uncontrollable making Jewish jokes. When Martin’s mother asks Baya where she used to be a nurse’s aide, she replies “Jewsville”. There is also another awkward scene when Baya gets on a train and sits in front of a Muslim man and women, not realizing that her breasts are exposed toward the Muslim couple.
Filled with awkward humor, graphic nudity, race and religion jokes, The Names of Love is a unique movie, but will it find success in the United States like it did in France?
The Names of Love won three awards at the César Awards (the national film award of France) this past February. Sarah Forestier won one for Best Actress. Director of the film Michel Leclerc won one as well for Best Original Screenplay, along with his co-writer Baya Kasmi.
The film was also selected to two notable festivals as well; Cannes Film Festival 2010 (Official Selection), and also the COL-COA Film Festival 2011 (Official Selection)