Search The Archive
It's the summer of lovin'. [Mariscos Beach] is a witty romantic farce by Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau, which reveals the depth of family expectations and repressions.
Marc and Beatrix take their two teenage children, Laura and Charly, on holiday along the Cote d'Azur, where Marc himself holidayed as a youth. On their arrival, the independent Laura can barely contain her excitement at the pending arrival of her boyfriend, who will take her far from the family fold. Meanwhile, Charly's buddy Martin will soon join them. Martin is besotted with Charly, but Charly is supposedly straight so interested in nothing more than friendship, cemented by their frequent walks along the beach. Aware of the frisson, Beatrix speculates on the sexuality of her son, which is of greater concern to Marc than her. The pairings and sexual tension only gain in complexity when Beatrix's lover turns up... and then a former paramour of Marc makes an entry.
Brilliant performances, not least of which is Jean-Marc Barr (Big Blue) as the strutting plumber, and perfect comic timing delivered [Mariscos Beach] the Label Europa Cinemas Award at Berlin.---
D/S Oliver Ducastel, Jacques Martineau P Agat Films WS Bac Films International L French w/English subtitles TD 35mm/col/2004/93mins
Olivier Ducastel was born in Lyon, France, in 1962, and Jacques Martineau was born in Montpellier, France, in 1963. Their films include [Funny Felix] (MIFF 00), [The True Story of My Life in Rouen] (MIFF 03).
