Janus Films Takes Refuge with ‘Le Havre’

Finally. Perhaps the crowd pleaser of the 2011 Cannes edition has finally found a home – with the provider of retro art-house cinema. Janus Films who make about one theatrical pick-up every 24 months have secured the North American rights to a film that might have gone home empty handed (it was however bestowed with the FIPRESCI Prize), but essentially slayed the majority of the international press with its slow burn, simplistic charm. Aki Kaurismaki’s Le Havre will be set up for a release in the autumn and will surely premiere at major upcoming North American fests such as Telluride, TIFF and Chicago.

Gist: Marcel Marx (noteworthy performance from Andre Wilms), a former bohemian and struggling author, has given up his literary ambitions and relocated to the port city Le Havre. He leads a simple life based around his wife Arletty (Kaurismäki regular Kati Outinen), his favourite bar and his not too profitable profession as a shoeshiner. As Arletty suddenly becomes seriously ill, Marcel’s path crosses with an underage illegal immigrant (newcomer child actor Blondin Miguel) from Africa, who needs Marcel’s help to hide from the police (lead by Jean-Pierre Darroussin).

Worth Noting: Don’t expect any Best Foreign Film nominations from Finland anytime soon as Kaurismäki envisions the film as the first installment in a trilogy about life in port cities with follow-ups set in Spain and Germany, shot in the local languages.

Do We Care?: We could have bet the house that Sony Pictures Classics would have picked up the film, but are especially glad that a label like Janus will have more time to support this charmer. I’d be up to seeing this a second-time out perhaps after a dozen harsh dramas and documentary films. This Kaurismäki warms the cockles.