A fanfareby Emmanuel Courcol, is a divine surprise at the end of the year. The film does a lot of good for morale, has been a big success for ten days, navigates between arthouse and general public, comedy and tragedy, describes the rituals of a symphony orchestra as a harmony, confirms that music crystallizes the society and that the social environment determines tastes. It has a lot going for it – not the least of which is dampening some illusions.
Thibaut (Benjamin Lavernhe), star and globalized conductor, discovers that he has a brother, Jimmy (Pierre Lottin), canteen employee in a small northern town and trombonist in a brass band. Everything opposes them except music, which appears in their genetic capital. They prove to be complementary, and even indispensable to each other, building bridges while each remaining on their own bank.
A miracle of the film is that the bridges exist in parallel in real life. We imagined this class fable would please the public much more than the critics; well no. We saw her being demolished by arty journalists; no yet. These are no small feats, the film being carried by a protective fluid. Many spectators applaud at the end, social networks add more, the ratings on Allociné are close to the heights.
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A fanfare achieved nearly 365,000 entries in the first week. He is promised two million admissions at the end of his career, which is excellent without being exceptional.
The reason is worth a surprise. The film is a hit in Paris or Lyon, less so in small towns. It works better in arthouse theaters than on circuits. It attracts more CSP+ spectators than employees. We saw in the public the harmony lovers crushing the music lovers of the Philharmonie de Paris, especially since 280 previews were hosted by brass bands. No, again.
Soapy question
So let’s look at the music we hear there. Dalida, fanfare medleys, the Concerto pour piano n° 23by Mozart, the jazz piece I remember Cliffordby saxophonist Benny Golson, Aidasaid Verdi, The Hebridesby Mendelssohn, or a work of contemporary music by Michel Petrossian.
This is not background music. This music is part of the script and the dramaturgy, which is rare in cinema. They ring as true as the dialogues and gestures that comment on them, avoiding an avalanche of clichés, for example the conductor as a tormented and arrogant guru, waving his arms in all directions.
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