La Cambrure (The Curve) is a 1999 French short film shot in video, directed by Edwige Shaki who also wrote the scenario. Éric Rohmer was a technical advisor and editor for the movie. Despite being directed by Shaki, some of Rohmer's trademarks, extensive dialog and beautiful young actors, including Shaki herself, are present. This short film was the first digital cinema production to be presented in a commercial theater, at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1999.[1][2] The short was produced in preparation for Rohmer's feature film The Lady and the Duke, in which Shaki also appeared.[3]

La Cambrure
(aka: The Curve)
Directed byEdwige Shaki
Written byEdwige Shaki
Produced byFrançoise Etchegaray
Starring
  • Edwige Shaki
  • François Rauscher
  • André Del Debbio
CinematographyDiane Baratier
Edited byÉric Rohmer
Production
company
Release date
Running time
16 minutes
CountryFrance
LanguageFrench

Summary

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As an art student, Roman (François Rauscher) falls in love with an art model (Edwige Shaki) who reminds him of a woman once sculpted by his uncle.

Cast

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  • Edwige Shaki as Eva
  • François Rauscher as Roman
  • André Del Debbio as Le sculpteur

DVD release

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This short film is paired with Claire's Knee on the Criterion Collection DVD. The story is thematically linked to the 1970 movie - it addresses in a playful way the fetishisation of the female body.

Reception

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Tim Lucas of Sight & Sound described the short as "a delightful exploration of art's role in sexual aesthetics and the objectification of desire".[4]

References

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  1. ^ Richard W. Kroon, A/V A to Z: An Encyclopedic Dictionary of Media, Entertainment and Other Audiovisual Terms (McFarland Publishing, 2014), ISBN 978-0786457403, p. 208. Excerpts available at Google Books.
  2. ^ James Monaco, The New Wave: Truffaut, Godard, Chabrol, Rohmer, Rivette (UNET 2 Corporation, 2004), ISBN 978-0970703958, p. 341. Excerpts available at Google Books.
  3. ^ Keith Uhlich, "Eric Rohmer's Six Moral Tales", Slant Magazine, August 15, 2006.
  4. ^ "Nozone—The moral maze; DVD review: Eric Rohmer's Six Moral Tales", Sight & Sound, October 2006.
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