Focus on French Cinema - French Film Festival of Greenwich

2009

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	Genre: AGATHA CHRISTIE
	Director: Pascal Thomas
	Screenplay: Clémence de Bieville, François Caviglioli, Pascal Thomas. Based on the book by Agatha Christie.
	Director of photography: Renan Pollès
	Cast: Catherine Frot (Prudence Beresford) André Dussollier (Belisaire Beresford) Chiara Mastroianni (Emma) Melvil Poupaud (Frederic) Claude Rich (Roderick Charpentier)
	Running time: 1hr 49min Production: France, 2008 Distributor: Studio Canal ›› OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Le Crime est notre Affaire
Partners in Crime

Introduction by Lindy Leong, Professor of Cinema Studies at Purchase College

After having successfully solved the mysteries unfolded in Mon Petit doigt m’a dit (By the Pricking of my Thumbs, FFC 2006), Prudence and Colonel Bélisaire Beresford are taking a break at their manor in the French Alps. Prudence is bored and dying for a crime to solve, but Bélisaire is more than happy to take advantage of this much-needed vacation. When Prudence’s Aunt Babette claims she witnessed a murder on the train, Prudence is eager to return to the detecting business, although Bélisaire doubts that a crime was even committed. Searching for clues, Prudence gets herself hired at a castle owned by an unpleasant and rich man, whose children are constantly battling over his inheritance.
With this third incursion into Agatha Christie’s world, following Mon Petit doigt… and L’Heure zero (Towards Zero, 2007), Pascal Thomas finds again the right tone to evoke a very British story in a typically French setting. His two partners in crime, embodied by a pair of exceptional actors, play a continuous game of cat-and-mouse, displaying a French humour more than equal to the original, famous British wit.

“Gallic murder mystery "Crime Is Our Business" is a playfully harmless whodunit sparkled with dandyish humor and freewheeling ensemble thesping. Helmer Pascal Thomas' third Agatha Christie adaptation in three years resurrects the adorable, culprit-seeking Beresfords -- returning vets Catherine Frot and Andre Dussollier -- who this time try to nab the killer among a clan of wicked siblings visiting their family's snow-filled chateau for Christmas.” - Jordan Mintzer, Variety

Pascal Thomas, Director
Pascal Thomas was a novelist and journalist before being encouraged by Claude Berri to become a film director. His first short subject was screened before “Last Tango in Paris” in its theatrical engagement. Between 1971 and 1981, he made 11 movies, most of them popular comedies. After a long period of relative inactivity, he recaptured the spotlight with “La Dilettante” (’99) with Catherine Frot. Since then he has brought to the screen the Agatha Christie stories “Mon petit doigt m’a dit” ( “By the Pricking of My Thumbs”) (‘05), “L’heure zero” (“Towards Zero”) (’06) and this year’s “ Le Crime est notre Affaire (“Partners in Crime”).
›› More about Pascal Thomas

2008 Le Crime est notre affaire
2007 L’Heure zéro (Towards Zero)
2006 Le Grand appartement
2005 Mon petit doigt m'a dit... (By the Pricking of My Thumbs)
2001 Mercredi, folle journée! (Day Off)
1999 La Dilettante
1991 La Pagaille
1989 Les Maris, les femmes, les amants
1981 Celles qu'on n'a pas eues
1979 Confidences pour confidences (Heart to Heart)
1977 Un oursin dans la poche (A Sea Urchin in the Pocket)
1974 Le Chaud lapin (The Hot Rabbit)
1973 Pleure pas la bouche pleine (Don't Cry with Your Mouth Full ) - Les Zozos

Catherine Frot
Catherine Frot enjoys a stellar career in both Theatre and Film. She is the winner of a Moliere (the National Theatre Award of France), and a Cesar (for “Un Air de Famille”), and was a nominee for 7 additional Cesars, including for the 2005 FOCUS ON FRENCH CINEMA favorite, “Chaos.” She has also appeared in comedies like “La Dilettante,” and “Les soeurs faches” (FFC 2006.)

André Dussollier, actor
André Dussollier joined the Comédie Française in 1972, the same year he began his film career, in Francois Truffaut’s “Such a Gorgeous Kid Like Me.” One of the most important French actor alive, he was nominated eight times for the Cesar,which he won three times, including Best Actor for Alain Resnais’ “On Connait La Chanson.” He is also known for comedy, including the FFC selections “By the Pricking of My Thumbs,” and “A Ticket to Outer Space”. One of the most prolific and polyvalent French actor, he has been part of more than 110 projects in the last 35 years, and in about 18 plays! He worked with the greatest French Directors, such as Claude Chabrol, Alain Resnais, Francis Veber, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Eric Rohmer, Costa-Gavras or Bertrand Blier. His role in "Partners in crime" is his third collaboration with Catherine Frot and Pascal Thomas, after two earlier Agatha Christie adaptations.