Create 2024-11-20-district-b13.md

bfidatadigipres · Nov 20, 2024 · 5acd7f5 · 5acd7f5
1 parent 31c3895
commit 5acd7f5
Showing 1 changed file with 208 additions and 0 deletions.
diff --git a/_posts/2024-11-20-district-b13.md b/_posts/2024-11-20-district-b13.md
@@ -0,0 +1,208 @@
+---
+layout: post
+title: District B13
+published: true
+date: 2024-11-20
+readtime: true
+categories: [ART OF ACTION<br> CELEBRATING THE REAL ACTION STARS OF CINEMA]
+tags: [Action]
+metadata: 'France 2004, 85 mins<br> Director: Pierre Morel'
+pdf: '2024-11-20-district-b13.pdf'
+---
+
+_+ intro by Chee Keong Cheung, writer, director, producer and CEO of Action Xtreme (Wednesday 20 November only)_
+
+This dystopian actioner follows the same blueprint as the earlier _Taxi_: a cop and a civilian team-up in an uneasy partnership to try and stop a team of criminals. This time, instead of car-chases there is parkour, with one of the key pioneers of the discipline, David Belle, pairing his jaw-dropping abilities with the martial artistry of Cyril Raffaelli. It’s a lightning-paced thrill-ride that had a huge influence on the action genre and inspired that chase in _Casino Royale_.  
+**Dick Fiddy, bfi.org.uk**  
+
+Set in a walled-off urban hellhole that must be penetrated in order to complete a deadline-based mission, Pierre Morel’s _District 13_ owes an overt debt to John Carpenter’s _Escape from New York_. That it cannot easily be dismissed as a rehash of Carpenter’s film is largely due to its dynamic displays of the French cultural phenomenon ‘le parkour’ (also known as ‘free running’). Defined in the press notes as ‘a philosophy of action-based movement in an urban environment in which objects such as buildings are obstacles to be scaled rather than circumvented’, _le parkour_ has previously been showcased in 2001’s _Yamakasi_ (produced by Luc Besson, who also produces and co-writes this), the documentary _Jump London_ and a series of 2002 BBC idents featuring the concept’s inventor, David Belle.
+
+Belle it is who plays _District_ _13_’s hero, Leïto, who teams up with Cyril Raffaelli’s police officer to track down the neutron bomb threatening the lawless ghetto of the film’s title. Stunt expert Raffaelli previously appeared in _Taxi 2_ (2000) and _Kiss of the Dragon_ (2001), both co-produced by Besson. _District 13_ is primarily a vehicle for the pair’s remarkable physical prowess, giving them ample opportunity to jump across rooftops, swing from balconies and squeeze through tiny gaps with the fluid grace of acrobats (Raffaelli is a circus veteran) and the limitless stamina of video game icons. Both get thrilling solo set-pieces early on in the film (an extended foot chase followed by a casino bust) before they team up to find the supposedly stolen bomb.
+
+Driving the techno-scored action along at an almost overwhelming pace, first-time director Morel (a former camera operator) tries to make room for a little social commentary. While displaying a faith in the law, or at least the law as embodied by rubber-limbed individualists, the film takes a cynical view of the French government, which is ultimately revealed as the villain of the piece. (Co-writer Larbi ‘Bibi’ Naceri makes a good fist of his role as ostensible bad guy Taha, a droll drug lord who goes out in a _Scarface_-style hail of bullets.) Following France’s recent wave of riots, the images of Parisian lawlessness have a certain resonance beyond their dramatic function. Yet this is no _La Haine_-style meditation on life in the _banlieue_. Emblematic of _District 13_’s cursory class politics is the speeded-up tracking shot at the start that sketches out the setting’s pervasive squalor but doesn’t dwell on it. Meanwhile, Belle’s closing lecture to the corrupt politician who plotted _District 13_’s annihilation ‘violence isn’t the only way to solve problems’ – rings hollow after more than 70 minutes of problem-solving by feet, fists and firepower.
+
+But judged in terms of spectacle, _District 13_ is a success. Morel makes occasional use of slow motion during the fight scenes, but doesn’t rely much on flashy editing, CGI or stunt doubles. The result is close to Prachya Pinkaew’s _Ong-Bak_, which Besson re-edited for international release and whose brutal authenticity provided a refreshing antidote to the ‘wire-fu’ balletics of post-_Matrix_ action cinema. But whereas _Ong-Bak_ was saddled with a slow first act, this has next to no downtime; it crashes through its crisply choreographed chain of pursuits, scraps and shoot-outs with single-minded exhilaration. Subtleties of plot, character and acting (the leads rip through their dialogue) fall by the wayside. Action fans won’t mind the trade-off.  
+**Matthew Leyland, _Sight and Sound_, June 2006**  
+<br>
+
+**DISTRICT B13 (BANLIEU)**  
+_Un film de_: Pierre Morel  
+_©/Presented by_: EuropaCorp  
+_©/In Co-production with_: TF1 Films Production  
+_With the participation of_: Canal+  
+_Presented by_: EuropaCorp  
+_Production Services in Romania_: MediaPro Pictures (Buftea)  
+_Executive Producer_: Bernard Grenet  
+_Unit Production Manager_: Marc Guidetti  
+_Production Manager_: Thierry Guilmard  
+_Production Accountant_: Romuald Drault  
+_Location Managers_: Jean-Pierre Nossereau, Évelyne Baussant  
+_Post-production Supervisor_: Éric Bassoff  
+_1st Assistant Director_: Stéphane Glück  
+_Script Supervisor_: Isabelle Querrioux  
+_Casting (Director)_: Swan Pham  
+_Scenario_: Luc Besson, Bibi Naceri  
+_Director of Photography_: Manuel Téran  
+_Steadicam Operator_: Éric Leroux  
+_Digital Visual Effects_: Éclair Numérique  
+_Special Effects Supervisor_: Philippe Hubin  
+_Special Effects_: Bigbang SFX  
+_Editor_: Frédéric Thoraval  
+_Art Director_: Hugues Tissandier  
+_Set Decorator_: Gérard Marcireau  
+_Properties_: Pierre Bandini  
+_Costume Designers_: Alexandre Rossi, Martine Rapin  
+_Key Make-up_: Myriam Hottois  
+_Key Hairstylist_: Frédérique Arguello  
+_Titles_: Éclair Numérique, Cinécool  
+_Laboratory_: Éclair  
+_Colour Timer_: Jean-Louis Alba  
+_Original Music_: Da. Octopusss  
+_Original Music Performed by_: Da. Octopusss  
+_Supervising Sound Recordist_: Frédéric Ullmann  
+_Boom Operator_: Pierre Dachery  
+_Sound Re-recording_: Didier Lozahic  
+_Sound Editors_: Alexandre Hernandez, Maud Lombart  
+_Associate Sound Editor_: Frédéric Dubois  
+_Dialogue Editor_: Christophe Leroy  
+_Stunt Co-ordinator_: Frédéric Vallet  
+_Parkours Choreography_: Cyril Raffaelli  
+_Armourers_: Christophe Maratier, Arnaud Peltier, Nicolas Sislian, Jean-Claude Lecoq, Armand Rivas  
+
+**Cast**  
+Cyril Raffaelli _(Damien)_  
+David Belle _(Leïto)_  
+Tony D’Amario _(K2)_  
+Larbi Naceri _(Taha)_  
+Dany Verissimo _(Lola)_  
+Marc Andreoni _(Carlos)_  
+François Chattot _(Krüger)_  
+Alain Rimoux _(superintendent)_  
+Lyes Salem _(Samy)_  
+Mc Jean Gab’1 _(Nico Le Black)_  
+Jeffrey Zade Rudom _(Yéti)_  
+Ludovic Bertillot _(main hitman)_  
+Nicolas Woirion _(Corsini)_  
+Patrick Olivier _(colonel)_  
+Samir Guesmi _(Jamel)_  
+Tarik Boucekhine _(Yoyo)_  
+Grégory Jean, Warren Zavatta _(hitmen)_  
+Dominique Dorol _(Cerbère Taha)_  
+Turan Bagci _(bodyguard)_  
+Azad _(Tarik)_  
+Gilles Gambino _(guard 1)_  
+Shamsy Meyeer _(guard 2)_  
+Nicolas Wan Park _(Chinese man)_  
+Eric Forcinal _(policeman)_  
+Roberto Gil _(Pedro)_  
+Patrick Médioni _(shopkeeper)_  
+Bernard Grenet _(M. Keijman)_  
+Christophe Maratier _(SWAT team leader)_  
+Philippe Soutan _(police van driver)_  
+Michel Estrade _(prison guard 1)_  
+Jean-Marc Bellu _(prison guard 2)_  
+Olivier Lobe _(follower 1)_  
+Louis Philippe Manuel _(follower 2)_  
+Jérôme Paquatte _(Yéti henchman)_  
+Éric Boissier _(Krüger office officer)_  
+Noé Nzaou-Niambi _(Bouboule)_  
+Gadner Jérôme,  Kazuma Steve Rognoni, Dominique Lexilus, Karim Mouhous, Stéphane Vigroux, Rudy Duong, Afif Ben Badra, Thierry Guerrib, Éric Mondoloni, Areski Garidel, Romain Moutault, Sébastien Goudot _(K2 boys)_  
+
+France 2004  
+85 mins  
+Digital  
+<br>
+
+**ART OF ACTION: CELEBRATING THE REAL ACTION STARS OF CINEMA**  
+
+**Big Screen Classics: The History of Action**  
+
+**Safety Last! + One Week**  
+Mon 21 Oct 14:30; Tue 5 Nov 20:30; Sat 30 Nov  
+**Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior**  
+Mon 21 Oct 18:20; Wed 27 Nov 20:50  
+**Seven Samurai** Shichinin no samurai  
+Mon 21 Oct 18:30; Sun 3 Nov 13:30; Sun 10 Nov 11:45; Sun 24 Nov 14:30  
+**Hell Drivers**  
+Tue 22 Oct 18:15; Thu 14 Nov 12:20; Sat 16 Nov 20:40  
+**The Thief of Bagdad**  
+Wed 23 Oct 14:30; Thu 31 Oct 12:20; Sat 9 Nov 12:30  
+**Goldfinger 60th anniversary screenings**  
+Wed 23 Oct 18:20 (+ intro by season programmer Dick Fiddy); Sun 10 Nov 18:40; Sat 23 Nov 18:20  
+**Bullitt**   
+Wed 23 Oct 20:40; Sun 3 Nov 16:25; Thu 21 Nov 14:30; Tue 26 Nov 20:45  
+**The Mark of Zorro**   
+Thu 24 Oct 14:30 (+ intro by Bryony Dixon, curator, BFI National Archive); Sat 2 Nov 11:45; Sat 23 Nov 15:00  
+**Enter the Dragon**  
+Thu 24 Oct 20:45; Fri 1 Nov 14:40; Mon 4 Nov 20:50; Wed 13 Nov 18:10 (+ intro by film critic Katie Smith-Wong); Mon 18 Nov 14:30  
+**Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon**  
+Wo hu cang long  Fri 25 Oct 20:35; Sun 3 Nov 11:00 BFI IMAX; Fri 8 Nov 12:20; Mon 11 Nov 18:00; Wed 27 Nov 18:10 (+ intro)  
+**Battleship Potemkin** Bronenosets Potyomkin   
+Sat 26 Oct 13:20; Thu 7 Nov 20:55; Tue 12 Nov 14:30  
+**Captain Blood**  
+Sun 27 Oct 12:45; Wed 6 Nov 18:10 (+ intro)  
+**The Train**  
+Sun 27 Oct 17:45; Sat 2 Nov 20:25  
+**Taxi**  
+Mon 28 Oct 18:30; Fri 22 Nov 18:20; Mon 25 Nov 20:50  
+**Three the Hard Way**  
+Wed 30 Oct 18:15 (+ intro by Ti Singh, BFI FAN season producer); Thu 7 Nov 12:30; Sun 17 Nov 16:10  
+**Police Story** Ging chaat goo si  
+Fri 15 Nov 18:00 (+ panel discussion with Action Xtreme); Tue 19 Nov 20:55; Thu 28 Nov 18:20  
+**District B13** Banlieue 13  
+Wed 20 Nov 18:20 (+ intro by Chee Keong Cheung, writer, director, producer and CEO of Action Xtreme); Fri 29 Nov 20:45 
+
+**Woman Kings**
+
+**The Woman King**  
+Fri 1 Nov 18:00 (+ intro); Sat 30 Nov 20:10  
+**Terminator 2: Judgment Day**  
+Thu 7 Nov 18:00; Fri 29 Nov 20:20  
+**Coffy**  
+Sat 9 Nov 20:30; Thu 21 Nov 20:45  
+**Polite Society + Q&A with director Nida Manzoor**  
+Sun 17 Nov 18:00  
+**The Long Kiss Goodnight**  
+Fri 22 Nov 20:35  
+**Yes, Madam!** Huang jia shi jie  
+Sat 23 Nov 18:30  
+**Executioners** Yin doi hou hap zyun  
+Sat 23 Nov 20:45  
+**Run Lola Run** Lola rennt  
+Tue 26 Nov 20:50  
+
+**With thanks to**  
+A BFI FAN initiative supported through National Lottery<br><br><br>
+<img style="float: left;" src="/img/action.png" width="40%" height="40%"><br><br><br><br>
+
+
+**SIGHT AND SOUND**  
+Never miss an issue with _Sight and Sound_, the BFI’s internationally renowned film magazine. Subscribe from just £25*<br>
+*Price based on a 6-month print subscription (UK only). More info: [**sightandsoundsubs.bfi.org.uk**](https://sightandsoundsubs.bfi.org.uk/subscribe)
+
+<img style="float: left;" src="/img/sight-and-sound.jpg" width="40%" height="40%"><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>
+
+**BFI SOUTHBANK**  
+Welcome to the home of great film and TV, with three cinemas and a studio, a world-class library, regular exhibitions and a pioneering Mediatheque with 1000s of free titles for you to explore. Browse special-edition merchandise in the BFI Shop.We&#39;re also pleased to offer you a unique new space, the BFI Riverfront – with unrivalled riverside views of Waterloo Bridge and beyond, a delicious seasonal menu, plus a stylish balcony bar for cocktails or special events. Come and enjoy a pre-cinema dinner or a drink on the balcony as the sun goes down.  
+
+**BECOME A BFI MEMBER**  
+Enjoy a great package of film benefits including priority booking at BFI Southbank and BFI Festivals. Join today at [**bfi.org.uk/join**](http://www.bfi.org.uk/join)  
+
+**BFI PLAYER**  
+ We are always open online on BFI Player where you can watch the best new, cult &amp; classic cinema on demand. Showcasing hand-picked landmark British and independent titles, films are available to watch in three distinct ways: Subscription, Rentals &amp; Free to view.  
+
+See something different today on [**player.bfi.org.uk**](https://player.bfi.org.uk)  
+
+Join the BFI mailing list for regular programme updates. Not yet registered? Create a new account at [**www.bfi.org.uk/signup**](http://www.bfi.org.uk/signup)
+
+**Programme notes and credits compiled by Sight and Sound and the BFI Documentation Unit  
+Notes may be edited or abridged  
+Questions/comments? Contact the Programme Notes team by [email](mailto: [email protected])**
+<!--stackedit_data:
+eyJoaXN0b3J5IjpbLTE1MDI3OTQ1OTksMTg0MDA3NDk3NCw5OD
+AzNDYyMDFdfQ==
+-->
+
+<!--stackedit_data:
+eyJoaXN0b3J5IjpbLTIwNjg0MDQyNjNdfQ==
+-->