Making love again: the Forum des images celebrates (and questions) the romantic comedy

From Billy Wilder to Monia Chokri, from Hollywood to Georgia, the Parisian institution dissects this essential but often decried genre through dozens of films and conferences.

Basically, the rom comwhat is it? We can stick to a strict definition, and plant the chronological markers of its golden age somewhere between the end of the 80s and that of the 90s, between the release of When Harry Met Sally and that of Love at first sight in Notting Hillthe era of the reigns of Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks and Hugh Grant.

We can also consider the romantic comedy in a broader way, and say that its ramifications start from the Hollywood of the golden age (the films of Preston Sturges, Leo McCarey, Frank Capra, Ernst Lubitsch or Billy Wilder) and extend today to Georgia (Blackbird Blackberry), Norway (Julie (in 12 chapters)), Iran (My favorite cake) or Quebec (Simple as Sylvain). This is the approach taken by the Forum des images and its “Refaire l'amour” series, which is offering, in Paris, from September 17 to December 1, the opportunity to review – and reflect on – these films that we often associate with watching under a blanket, with a cup of hot chocolate within reach.

“Is romantic comedy reactionary?asks journalist Marianne Levy, author of a recent volume on the subject (Romantic comediespublished by Hoebeke), during a cinema lesson that promises to open hostilities without sentimentality (September 20 at 6:30 p.m.). This will be followed over two months by other conferences and cinema lessons (“Sex in rom-coms”, by author and director Iris Brey, “The Making of Prince Charming”, by Ovidie and Sophie-Marie Larrouy, etc.), more than 90 screenings ranging from The Friday Lady has 40 years old, still a virgina reflection on the representation of LGBTQIA+ and racialized people (Nola Darling does what she wants, Go Fish, Bros…), a “karaoquiz”, an exhibition by the artist Jules Magistry and even carte blanche to Monia Chokri.

All the information on the “Refaire l'amour” cycle can be found here here.