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Sakpata is one of the main deities of the "Vodoun" pantheon in Benin (Dahomey at the time of filming, in 1958). Initiation into the cult of the Vodoun gives rise to a long seclusion in a "convent" where young neophytes learn the sung dances specific to their divinity. The first part of the film shows the dance being performed to thank someone for a donation. The shot was made using a spring-loaded camera stopping after thirty seconds, while the sound recording on a tape recorder was continuous; the editing was done (for the first part only) not from the image but from the sound. The temporal architecture of the music is thus respected as well as that of the dance, linking several figures, and this in spite of the blacks replacing the missing images.

Felix is a middle-aged bourgeois husband. Much to his discomfort, he learns that his wife Gabrielle is carrying on with a young man--a very young man. Rather than express outrage, Felix decides that there's something lacking in him. He spends the rest of the picture trying to keep his wife by altering his own personality and outlook.

The tramp Fernand and his dog Brigadier discover some extraordinary jewels in a bag lost in a ditch. Brigadier, who doesn't like being mistaken for a dog, doesn't believe in the authenticity of the jewels. Then, discovering the owner, he introduces Fernand to the big wide world. Ghislaine Lafont-Dubreuilh, the daughter of the found jewels, sure of her fiancé, whom she neglects, is only concerned with the tramp's future. Her introduction to politics, boxing and wrestling leads to as many failures for the tramp as successes for Fernand Raynaud in his repertoire. Finally, the tramp becomes chaplinesque, restoring the fiancé to his belle's heart and taking only the English chambermaid on the road.

Passing for crazy and locked up, the CEO of a company escapes from the asylum and claims that he is the captain of a troop of pirates. To the disappointment of the director of the company and in the company of three employees, he accomplishes many extravagances which will be beneficial for his acolytes.

Envoi de Fleurs is based on incidents in the life of French composer Paul Delmet. Played by popular French singing star Tino Rossi, Delmet is depicted as a man all too willing to give up personal happiness in favor of blind ambition. After carrying on a romance by correspondence with beautiful young Suzanne (Micheline Francey), Delmet is on the verge of marrying the girl. Instead, he allows himself to be talked out of leaving France to further his own career, with disastrous results for all concerned.

Noël is a bachelor who inherits a matrimonial agency. After contemplating selling it, he chooses to manage it.

By taking the defense of Raymond Denis, accused of having killed his mistress, when she committed suicide because he did not want to recognize his child, the lawyer Claude Nogent, learns that he himself was born of unknown father.

Georgina comes to see her sister Gladys in Paris in order to dissuade her from becoming attached to Rigo, a gypsy conductor. When she meets the latter, it is love at first sight. Louis, Georgina’s husband, does not accept this situation.

In Paris in 1314, the knight Jean Buridan is in love with Mirtille but the young woman is already coveted by the king's brother.

Dr. Claude Moulin leaves his wife and child for a younger woman but the child needs attention and the wife falls very ill.

Alain Brécourt, a former pilot who distinguished himself during the war, meets Françoise Clozat, a test pilot. They become lovers, but Françoise learns that Alain is married to a singer. Françoise despairs, but Alain proves to her that he has been living away from his wife for some time. She meets the singer, no longer believes Alain, and attempts suicide during a flight. Her instinct for self-preservation saves her. Alain is the first to turn his attention to her: when she opens her eyes again, she receives the assurance of his love.

A viscount is ruined and wants to commit suicide. A young noceur pursued by his creditors is to inherit 60 million on condition that he marries a widow. The latter proposes to the former to do him the favor of marrying his mistress before committing suicide in order to fulfill the conditions of the will, while marrying the woman he likes. But once married, the viscount regains a taste for life. Everything will work out in everyone's best interests.

Poor girl sells matches with brief flickering flame reflecting her span of life & dreams.

The maid of a clandestine brothel in Marseille is found murdered. The inspector Sergil, in charge of the investigation will employ somewhat particular methods in order to unmask the assassin.

François wants to buy a house to help underprivileged children. He lacks money, but a generous donor allows him to realize this dream.

Yesterday night, Lazare Chantoiseau painted the town red. This morning he wakes up with a very unsettling idea in mind: he is sure to have stolen and raped a strange woman in the Luxembourg Gardens, so he decides to give himself up. On that occasion he gets to know his victim, Hortense, as well as her husband, an astronomer. Lazare realizes he is innocent, which does not prevent from becoming... Hortense's lover!

Véronique gives a mathematics lesson to a dunce who answers the prepared questions with disconcertingly sound answers.

Gaston Duboutois and Catherine Berton love each other, and are about to play Romeo and Juliet in their small provincial town. The industrialist Duboutois is opposed to his accountant Berton, both of whom are running for parliament. Tempers flare and invective quickly escalates. In the end, Duboutois wins and Berton loses his position. Although futile and foolish, it's the excellent Mme Duboutois who brings peace to the situation, brings about reconciliation and helps the two children to unite.

20 years after the assassination of his father, the son of Lagardère seeks revenge.

Jules, small and weak, dreams of becoming a formidable athlete. He strives every morning to practice physical culture exercises and takes comforting tablets, without success. But he meets Nénette, a woman who, when he kisses her, suddenly endows him with prodigious strength.

A tribute to Jean de Lattre de Tassigny (1889-1952) who commanded the French First Army which he led from Provence to the Rhine and the Danube. Later, from 1950 to 1951, he became the high commissioner and the commander-in-chief of Indochina where he once again proved heroic by defeating General Giap three times on the run. But cancer forced him to return to Paris where he died some time later. De Lattre de Tassigny was posthumously made Maréchal de France.

Representing the French authority in Morocco, Captain Ardant is the target of the bloodthirsty rebel leader Malek. In order to appropriate himself in arms, he does not hesitate to take the captain's collaborator hostage and to do despicable blackmail.

As the title of this French documentary indicates, Ce Siecle a 50 Ans examines the 20th Century at its halfway point. Utilizing the archives of several European film reserves, director Denise Tua offers a fascinating mosaic of the people and events that shaped the years 1900 to 1950. Complementing the vintage film clips are three dramatized sketches, delineating the romantic customs of three different points in time. These sketches are inadequately performed, and can easily be ignored. Ce Siecle a 50 Ans both preserved and provided celluloid material for scores of future documentaries.

Robert Vernier is assigned by the Secret Service to unmask a band of gangsters determined to get their hands on the plans for a new plane. They manage to steal part of it and kidnap Robert's fiancée, named Monique. Robert will manage to dismantle the gang and will be surprised to find that at the head there is a policeman...

Through film clips, news footage and reconstructions, this film traces the history of dueling

Employed in a beauty salon, Amédée must undergo a pentothal injection. The dose is too strong; suddenly Amédée reveals the truth to everyone; to clients of the institute; to his cheating wife; to his boss that he robs; to the tax collector; etc. When the effects of the truth serum wear off, everyone returns contentedly to their little swamp.

In a port area of ​​France, clashes between a gang of young delinquents and a tribe of gypsies.

Due to a garbage strike, inmates are called in to take care of the garbage collection. Taking advantage of this unexpected situation, three of them manage to elude their guards.

Two episodes of the TV series "Wild Bill Hickok", The Yellow Haired Kid and Johnny Deuce, edited together and released as a feature.

Armand Varescot, a rich and tyrannical old man, is killed by his young and pretty secretary, Caroline, while he was trying to abuse her. To avoid scandal, his granddaughter Marie Varescot convinces Frank, his cousin, to take responsibility for this "accidental" death, he who is in love with Caroline. But Commissioner Legrand, who has designs on Marie, only agrees to close the affair if Marie marries her, and if Frank leaves with Caroline, abandoning his share of the inheritance. The arrangement is accepted and life goes on.

A pilot, hero of the war, finds himself implicated in spite of himself in a traffic. He is wanted by the police, but his former companions and an air hostess will help him prove his innocence.

Part of Reichenbach's series of short documentaries on America.

Prosper Bourrache, who has the gift of the gab, is natural born street vendor. Due to a mistake he gets involved in the burglary of a shady banker's house. In fact, the whole operation is a setup. But Prosper will finally get away with it, have the crooked financier arrested and pinch his girlfriend away from him.

The film documents an old drifter in Paris in the poetic realist style

Montmartre in the summertime. A group of street urchins idles outside while the other kids of the neighborhood are away on holiday.To keep the gang busy, Pivolo, their leader, has an idea : they are going to kidnap Aunt Faguet's doggy. Just for the fun of it. A few days pass after the crime is accomplished and one of them suddenly realizes that a reward is being offered by the aunt to anyone who would bring her her pet back. Mademoiselle Hélène, the kind-hearted social worker, does it for them and gives them the reward money, which is instantly exchanged for lollipops, nougat and merry-go-round and cinema tickets. So, why not continue? That's what they do, abducting several dogs, until they realize they are becoming ... too rich! They can't buy themselves luxurious gifts or else their parents are bound to suspect something. Instead, they decide to do good by helping poor people around them. One day, Pierrot, a member of the gang, gets run down by a cyclist and becomes blind.

In this film, Philippe Durand wanted to express all that his experience of the Algerian war left in him, as physical and moral bruises. It is a love film, it shows the daily life in France of the fiancée that the young called left and who fights against absence. He drew a close correspondence between this girl, who was harmed by the accidents of daily life, and that boy was soiled by what was forced to do for the superior needs of pacification.

The film evokes all the aspects of bullfighting - its history, the bulls, the toreros, the arena, the audience - and involves numerous matadors from the era.

The first feature-length animated film in Canada. The story of a new village somewhere in Abitibi, it's people, it's church and a werewolf causing trouble.

A few aspects of Tahiti, whose inhabitants lead an easy, idle life.

Captain Joris Kniper believes so strongly that he is "skipper next to God" that he is used to playing God on his ship. Tough and bossy, he gives orders which are not to be discussed. But, some day, he is driven to accept on board several German Jews fleeing the nazis and who are refused asylum everywhere. He gradually realizes that skipper he is, but next to God only.The Bible will help him to find the way to self-questioning, awareness and charity.

A man of of principle leads a double life: one for his mistress and one he takes home to his wife.

Pierre Leroy has a garage that he manages with the help of a couple of friends, Raymond and Annette. But the bills pile up and Leroy is on the brink of bankruptcy.

Exotic vehicle for the singer-dancer-model-actress Dalida, winner of the Miss Egypt beauty contest of 1954, who the French painter-director Gastyne discovered.

A comedic take on the Frankenstein story.

Pierre Chambrac, a French industrialist, and Canadian Paul Laforêt, two former brothers in arms, meet again by chance in Paris five years after the end of World War II. Pierre is engaged to a beautiful foreign young lady by the name of Helen Bering. He introduces her to his friend, which seems to trouble him. To his amazement, Helen and Paul disappear without notice. Pierre, who was beginning to feel jealous, sees his suspicion confirmed. He decides to fly to Montreal where he thinks the couple has taken refuge. Once there, he learns that his dear Helen is actually a criminal and that Paul is a policeman whose duty was to arrest her.

After failing to carry out an urgent repair to the car of two German tourists, mechanic Robert has a crisis of conscience. Accidents loom at every turn of the wheel. Robert finally alerts the police, and the breathless pursuit of the Mercedes begins, turning into a thriller that ends to everyone's satisfaction.

Françoise Marinier, a strong-willed young woman, won't accept a husband being forced on her. She left her family and moved to Paris, where she found work as a secretary for a fashionable artist, Edith Mars. The understanding Edith Mars encourages Françoise's budding love affair with an embassy attaché. Edith is the mistress of the Minister of Justice, and the Marinier parents arrive believing it's their daughter they're interviewing. While Mme Marinier puts up with it, her husband is scandalized. Gr ce to Edith, all confusion cleared up, the father is promoted to magistrate and Françoise marries.

Durand, a big industrialist, works with an international adventurer, Mr. Ernest, who covets Mrs. Durand and threatens to bankrupt her husband if she does not consent. She calls him a jerk. Mr. Ernest sets out to ruin the Durands, and leaves in the castle that they must sell their couple of servants, Victor and Marie, who become the new masters, at the same time as they serve as a screen for Ernest for his dubious business.

Moving from contemporary images of Paris in the 1950s to old photographs and documents, this short film evokes the heroic radical Commune of 1871 which was violently suppressed, and it's legacy today.

Jacques Hélian, an attractive charm singer, too stifled by the jealousy of the radio director's niece, flees with his orchestra, on the advice of his secretary Bob. They fail in a small village, where there is a boarding school for young girls. Bob responds to the love letters the teacher sends to the handsome singer.

Documents relevant to National Defence have been concealed in a certain vase by a dangerous gang of robbers. To neutralize the criminals, a seasoned police commissioner and his clumsy assistant, young inspector César, join forces with a colorful trio of thieves nicknamed Le Pouce (Thumb), L'Index (Index Finger) and Le Majeur (Middle Finger)...

Three young men working at a filling station fall in love with the same woman.

An officer brings to him in Morocco a dancer he loves.

A band of Marseilles, lazy and happy to live, are involved in trafficking; Titin, put in prison for a while, is finally released and can marry Miette.

(auto-translation: LA CINÉMATHÈQUE FRANÇAISE ) Using a subjective camera, set to music by Bela Bartók and text by Arthur Rimbaud, François Reichenbach offers a highly singular vision of the American megalopolis. (MIFF:) These are no ordinary travel notes brought back from America by filmmakers; they are not enthusiastic records of skyscrapers and crowds. but disturbing aspects of a hallucinatory world of concrete and metal, glaring light and haunting shadow. The film is notable for its dramatic use of colour, and music from Bela Bartok's ballet "The Miraculous Mandarin". (a-t:) F.B. confides in his memoir 'Le monde a encore un visage' (1981): "When I went to New York for the first time, I'd brought along a Bell & Howell 16mm camera whose instructions I hadn't read. I didn't know how to use the film, and inadvertently loaded some rolls that had already been printed, which resulted in these strange superimposed images. A well-known process that I had reinvented by accident".

With no contract in view, Aimé Barelli, the leader of the band of the same name, decides to take a holiday. As this is the Holy Year, the young artist accepts to follow his mother on a pilgrimage to Rome. His band members - complete with their agent - decide to follow suit. Good idea because on the train to Rome, there is a whole class of charming schoolgirls, including charming Rosita and - surprise ! - Nicole, Aimé's pretty but elusive beloved. The trip is cheerful but eventful and life gets even more complicated with the interference of Duranval, a fake talent agent but genuine trouble shooter. At a time confusion is such that a bomb explodes and the whole gang find themselves in ... heaven! But Saint Peter has pity on them and sends them back to earth. At long last Aimé can marry Nicole while his musicians spread mirth around them.