When thirtysomething deadbeat Marc Châtaigne (played by the irresistible Vincent Macaigne) snags an internship with a French government ministry, he is surprised to learn that his assignment is to launch a ski resort in tropical French Guiana. Naturally, once in Guiana, everything that could go wrong goes way wrong: the resort site is overgrown, a dogged tax collector is on Marc’s heels, and an encounter with local guerillas propels Marc deep into the jungle, where he proceeds to get lost and have a close encounter with a boa constrictor—not to mention some hairy spiders. Luckily, he is accompanied by the beautiful and savvy Tarzan, a scrappy beauty played by the ever excellent Vimala Pons. Relentlessly inventive and popping with sight gags and dead-on one-liners, Struggle for Life is a riotous send-up of an aging France buried in administrative absurdities, a deeply eccentric take on the state of the nation that gives way to an offbeat, sensual love story.
LUMIÈRES FRANÇAISES
Lumiéres Françaises highlights an exciting new generation of rising French-language talent on both sides of the camera, from rebellious comedies to exquisite dramas and vivid documentaries.