THE DINNER GAME / Le Dîner de cons

Friday, April 27 – 2:00 pm – Renoir Theatre

Directed by: Francis Veber
Written by: Francis Veber
Cinematography: Luciano Tovoli
Film Editing: Georges Klotz
Original Score: Vladimir Cosma

Produced by: Alain Poiré (Gaumont), TF1 Films Production, Efve Films
Cast: Thierry Lhermitte (Pierre Brochant), Jacques Villeret (François Pignon), Francis Huster (Just Leblanc), Daniel Prévost (Lucien Cheval), Alexandra Vandernoot (Christine), Catherine Frot (Marlène Sasseur)

International Sales: Gaumont
U.S. Distributor: Lionsgate

A runaway comedy hit when it was released in 1998, The Dinner Game remains an international cult classic. Adapted from director Francis Veber’s own stage play, the film recounts the story of Pierre, a slick literary editor, and François, a low-level schmuck at France’s internal revenue service. Unbeknownst to him, François is to play the role of Pierre’s “jerk” at his weekly “Bring-a-Jerk-to-Dinner” party, where he’s sure to impress Pierre’s snooty pals and win the evening’s top prize. But a series of misadventures, spiraling further and further out of control, keeps the twosome from ever making it to the dinner party. Yet their farcical exploits implicate François deeper and deeper into Pierre’s personal life. In the end, it’s a toss-up as to which of the two men is, indeed, the bigger jerk.

Francis Veber | A master of French comedy, Francis Veber is credited as screenwriter on some 45 films — many of them American remakes of his French originals — and has directed 12 of them. Screenwriting credits include La Cage aux Folles (1979), which was nominated for the Best Foreign Film Oscar. His scripts have been adapted by such Hollywood luminaries as Billy Wilder & I.A.L. Diamond (Buddy Buddy, 1981) and Elaine May (The Bird Cage, directed by Mike Nichols, 1996). Veber has worked with accomplished actors Gérard Depardieu, Pierre Richard and Daniel Auteuil on numerous occasions. He is a four-time César-Award nominee. The Dinner Game, alone, snagged three Césars when it was first released — for Best Actor (Jacques Villeret), Best Supporting Actor (Daniel Prévost), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Veber). The film was subsequently remade in the States by Jay Roach as Dinner for Schmucks (2010), starring Steve Carell and Paul Rudd.

Screening followed by a Q&A with writer/director Francis Veber.

In Association with: Gaumont

Labels: COLCOA Classics, All Audiences