An objective appraisal of African muslim community.

Police (1985) directed by Maurice Pialat

Police is an objective appraisal of African muslim community wherein Pialat takes us on a fantastic tour of Parisian drug dealing activities.He has vibrantly portrayed Arab world from an evenhanded French perspective by depicting individuals caught in a vortex of social context.All its characters are so vulnerable that even the slightest fantasy pays a heavy price.Pialat has acquired laudable brilliance from his leading players.Depardieu is exceptionally brilliant in his role as Inspector Mangin.Sophie Marceau is equally impressive in her role as compulsive liar Noria.She has incarnated her role with noteworthy aplomb.Police is a solemn chronicle about the interminable combat involving corrupt people on the one hand and an honest police officer like Mangin on the other hand.Police differs from other films of thriller genre by laying a good deal of emphasis on its protagonists' frame of mind.

Well oiled Turkish wrestlers : great bodies, great fun, good picnic.

Pehlivan (1964) directed by Maurice Pialat

Instead of an over the top,overblown film review,I would like to just write a couple of my observations.I saw this short feature at FEMIS (famous French film school).I later spoke to master cameraman Willy Kurant who not only shot this film but also "Sous le soleil du Satan" directed by Maurice Pialat.According to him Pialat paid great deal of attention to the way he liked his films to be shot.Pehlivan means "Wrestler".This is a short film about a wrestling competition.We see a lot of people in the crowd both men and women alike appreciating, applauding and cheering wrestlers who have come from all parts of Turkey.A lot of honor is at stake as no body wants to lose.For this reason there is a fierce competition. The wrestling matches are held with loud drums playing in the background.A couple of belly dancers also join when there is a break after a wrestling bout.All in all, Pehlivan is a good piece of ethnographic cinema made by a great visionary of French cinema who is no more with us.