Ah, l'amour!

Paris, Je T'aime: The Actress and the Blind Student
I decided to go Tisch and check out Paris, Je T’aime. I chose this film because it has some of favorite actors like Natalie Portman, Elijah Wood, and Maggie Gyllenhaal, as well as my favorite French actor, Gérard Depardieu. The film is actually twenty short films that take each take place in one of Paris’ twenty arrondissements. The central theme is Paris as the City of Love. Everyone in Paris looking for love whether it be romantic, a one-night stand, lost loved ones, for oneself or one‘s children, or simply the love of the city. For some reason, all this made think of is New York City and Sex and the City. How this is biggest city in the world and how interesting it is that there are so many people here, but so many are lonely and looking for someone.
There was a particular scene with a woman from Denver who came to the 14 arrondissement. She wanted a genuine experience in Paris, so she decided not to travel with a tour group. She constantly walked around with a travel book and as she narrated her story you could hear her strong American accent through her French. She also reflected on a past love and how she wished that she had someone special to share her experience with. One day while sitting in the park, she experiences that “it” that tourists look for that feeling of being alive, although she was alone. She said at that moment she fell in love with Paris and Paris fell in love with her. It makes me think of Carrie, who personified the city as her boyfriend.
Actually, I don’t feel that they focused as much on the city as they did the people. But as far as preconceptions go, they are pretty similar. The city looks very urban and diverse. Love and passion seem to be major themes throughout Paris. There was the expression of the love of jazz. My old French professor told me that the French do not chat, they discuss. They discuss world and political issues, philosophy ,and such. One story was of a man who in just seeing another felt compelled to talk to him about true love, what connects people to each other, and astrology. One thing that surprised me was the story of a tourist taking the metro. He began to stare at a couple making out across from him. In his travel guide, it said do not make direct eye contact. He read it too late, the boyfriend caught him staring and thought he was trying to get at his girlfriend, so he beat him up. I don’t know if that is true, but people watching will be taken off my itinerary as of now. All in all, the people seem normal to me , just trying to find whatever they are looking for, especially love. Well, except for the vampires and mimes!;)