Versailles Rive Gauche

Arnaud (Denis Podalydès) is frantically preparing a romantic night in with a charming recent acquaintance Claire (Isabelle Candelier).  However, his best laid plans are soon turned on their head as technical problems abound in his flat (including an embarrassing toilet issue).  This brings undesired intrusions from a pesky neighbour and soon a cast full of other quirky characters, including his older brother, an inebriated woman and a five-piece band, invade Arnaud’s tiny flat before he even has time to set the table.

Bruno Podalydès’ comedy of errors is a small gem and testifies to the possibilities of great filmmaking under restrictive circumstances.  Made on a shoestring budget, he and brother Denis deliver a perfectly performed, air-tight script and maximise the farcical potential of the flat’s claustrophobic space.

The refreshing originality of the film did not go unnoticed, picking up awards at the prestigious Clermont-Ferrand short film festival and subsequently the César for best short film.  The film’s success spurred on a prolific career for the brothers Polyadès and thankfully they reincarnated the character of Arnaud twice more in films set around two other  areas of Versailles: Dieu seul me voit: Versailles-Chantiers (1998, also playing on CinéMoi) and Bancs publics: Versailles Rive-Droite (2008).