Lost In Frenchlation

Today we interview John Botros, comedian, cinephile and content creator. On instagram he is john.bot.ros. He recently started reviewing the cinemas of Paris and making film commentary and criticism on his channel.
Hosts Manon Kerjean and ARBL Murray (Alex Brook Lynn) chat with John about what cinemas he likes, how he thinks about filmmakers and genre, and what he thinks is special about moviegoing in theaters.
For more information on the LOST IN FRENCHLATION Cinema club and to book tickets go to:
https://lostinfrenchlation.com
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Episode Notes:
John's favorite cinemas in Paris:
Cinematheque , La Filmothèque , Le Champo, Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé (For silent films), and Saint Germain Des Prés (Partner cinema of Lost In Frenchlation)
John's favorite French Filmmakers:
Jacque Tati FAVORITE FILMS: Monsieur Hulot's Holiday, and Playtime
We also recommend the documentary called Playtime Story about the making of Playtime.
François Truffaut FAVORITE FILMS: The Man Who Loved Women (L'Homme qui aimait les femmes)
Louis Malle, FAVORITE FILMS: Viva Maria!, Elevator To The Gallows
Jacques Audiard, FAVORITE FILMS: The Beat My Heart Skipped, On My Lips
Claire Denis, FAVORITE FILMS: High Life, Stars At Noon
Agnes Varda, Vagabond

On this episode Alex Brook Lynn (ARBL Murray) and Manon Kerjean talk to the Lost in Frenchlation interns about their favorite French films to get us started in the new fall season of French film watching.
Manon will also introduce some exciting news and new films coming up at the Lost in Frenchlation Cinema Club like the new partner theater at Le Saint Germain Des Pres, and the films she is excited to screen in the coming months.

A list of the films we discuss in this episode.
Staff Pick: Lleyton Hughes, La Haine
Hatred'; released in the United States as Hate) is a 1995 French social thriller film written, co-edited, and directed by Mathieu Kassovitz. Starring Vincent Cassel, Hubert Koundé and Saïd Taghmaoui, the film chronicles a day and night in the lives of three friends from a poor immigrant neighborhood in the suburbs of Paris.
Staff Pick: Alejandra Gonzalez, Le Bonheur
Le Bonheur ("Happiness") is a 1965 French drama film directed by Agnès Varda. It is associated with the French New Wave, and won two awards at the 15th Berlin International Film Festival, including the Jury Grand Prix. The film is about a man with a wife, kids, and a mistress.
Staff Pick: Rosemary Ho, L'evenement
Happening (French: L'Événement) is a 2021 French film, set in the 1960s directed by Audrey Diwan. The film stars Anamaria Vartolomei as Anne, who experiences the emotionally and physically traumatic process of obtaining an abortion in France before it was legalized.
Staff Pick: Dearbhail Kent, L'histoire de Soulymane
Souleymane's Story (French: L'Histoire de Souleymane), is a 2024 French film directed by Boris Lojkine. The film stars Abou Sangaré as Souleymane, an immigrant from Guinea working for a food delivery service in Paris.
Staff Pick: Altuğ Kaan PAÇACI, Zero Conduite
Zero for Conduct (French: Zéro de conduite) is a 1933 French featurette directed by Jean Vigo. The film draws extensively on Vigo's boarding school experiences to depict a repressive and bureaucratised educational establishment in which surreal acts of rebellion occur, reflecting Vigo's anarchist view of childhood. The title refers to a mark the boys would get which prevented them from going out on Sundays.
For more information on screening with Lost in Frenchlation visit: https://lostinfrenchlation.com

Welcome to our Cannes 2026 Wrap up recommendations with screenwriter, composer, and podcaster, Youri Rebeko.
ARBL Murray (Alex Brook Lynn) chats with Youri about what it's like to be a member of the press at Cannes, and how he felt about this years' selections.
Youri has been reporting during Cannes for La Perch Podcast, a French language pod about cinema.
In This Episode-
Films Discussed:
The Electric Kiss - Dir, Pierre Salvadori
French period comedy opening the festival this year.
Fjord - Dir. Cristian Mungiu
Social Commentary, winner of Palme d'Or
Youri Recommandation *
The Black Ball - Dir. Javier Calvo & Javier Ambrossi
A Period Film about gay men through several periods of history.
Youri Recommandation *
A Man Of His Time - Dir. Emmanuel Marre
A Period film about compliance in the workplace during the Nazi Occupation in France.
Youri Recommandation *

The History of Queer French Cinema with David A. Gerstner
This June, Paris gets a queer‑film takeover: David A. Gerstner is guest‑curating the Lost in Frenchlation screening series across art‑house theaters for Pride Month — all films shown with English subtitles. Want the perfect primer before you dive in? This episode is it.
More Info on Tickets and Program HERE.
David A. Gerstner is our brilliant guide: a published historian of cinema, professor at CUNY, and the author of multiple books and scholarly articles on film and queer culture. His sharp knowledge, warm humor, and infectious enthusiasm turn film history into a lively, unmissable ride.
Hosts Alex Brook Lynn (ARBL Murray) and Manon Kerjean sit down with David to trace the stories of queer filmmakers and films in France across the 20th century. Read David's short essay on this series here.
David A. Gerstner is a Professor of Cinema Studies at the City University of New York, Chevalier d’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and a prolific author of essays and writings on cinema, and queer culture. He is the author of 'Queer Imaginings: On Writing and Cinematic Friendship (2023)' and 'Christophe Honore: A Critical Introduction.' David's sharp knowledge, warm humor, and infectious enthusiasm make film history feel like the best kind of story, told by a friend in a cozy cafe somewhere..
From the Episode:
Notable filmmakers: Germaine Dulac, Christophe Honoré, Jean Epstein, Jacqueline Audry
David's short essay on the series: Queer French Cinema: A Historical Sketch
A few of David's books on Thrift Books
For further reading on Queer culture during the Vichy occupation of France David recommends:
Denis Quinqueton. ÉTUDE Loi du 6 août 1942.
Richard Plant. The Pink Triangle: The Nazi War Against Homosexuals.

This time on Lost in Frenchlation we talk with Vladimir Rodionov about his documentary which has been 15 years in the making. Vladmire and his co-director Avril Tembouret spent 15 years searching for any footage from a man who worked with famous actors, who shot a lot of projects but the films themselves never materialized and the footage, if there ever was, is lost without a trace.
L'Oeuvre invisible traces the life of Alexandre Trannoy, an enigmatic filmmaker who, despite a 30 year career, never completed a single film. Through archives, interviews, and production traces, the doc attempts to understand this Don Quixote of cinema.
This is the second time we Vladimir has been on the show. last time he was introducing a very different kind of film for Valentine's Day called ANGES & CIE, a romantic comedy about how angels guide people through and to love.

L'Oeuvre invisible on IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39398831/
Find out more about the cinema club Lost In Frenchlation on https://lostinfrenchlation.com/
Donate to World Radio Paris Here: https://worldradioparis.org/donate/
You can listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify