Arts 24 surveys French cinema from domestic tension to Cocteau restoration

France 24’s Arts 24 has surveyed three contemporary French films, focusing on stories shaped by domestic tension, coercive control and addiction, before turning to a restored cinema classic.

Léa Mysius’ The Birthday Party, based on Laurent Mauvignier’s novel, follows a family celebrating at an isolated farmhouse. The arrival of three unexpected visitors disrupts the gathering. The home-invasion thriller stars Hafsia Herzi, Benoît Magimel, Bastien Bouillon and Monica Bellucci.

Géraldine Nakache’s Think Good marks a departure from the director’s previous comedies. Starring Monia Chokri and Niels Schneider, it follows a couple whose apparently ideal relationship develops into a pattern of control and manipulation over six years.

The film addresses coercive control and the warning signs that can be difficult to recognise from within an abusive relationship.

Jeanne Herry’s Garance, starring Adèle Exarchopoulos, traces eight years in the life of a young woman whose alcohol use increasingly affects her relationships, work and daily life. The film focuses on addiction as a gradual process rather than a sudden collapse.

The programme concludes with Jean Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast, which is returning to cinemas in a new 4K restoration. Arts 24 highlights the film’s sets, costumes and make-up, as well as Jean Marais’ transformation into the Beast.