#TIFF13 Recap: Bright Days Ahead (Les Beaux Jours) Movie Premiere

Hi there,

Thanks to the fabulous folks at Mongrel Media, I won passes for 4 to the premiere movie called Bright Days Ahead (Les Beaux Jours) starring Fanny Ardant!

I was so excited to be seated next to the talent in the film. It was quite a whirlwind experience and I fully enjoyed just being a ‘movie-goer’. Don’t misunderstand me though, while I adore covering events and am grateful to be invited to them, sometimes the best means of decompressing comes in the form of being a simple spectator.

As I took my place in the cozy fold-down seats at Roy Thompson Hall, I experienced the animated and devoted nature of the ‘fans of film’. It’s a culture and environment I hadn’t partaken in for some time so it was incredibly rewarding to do so now. From the spirited laughter, the exuberant cheers, to the pirate “Arrrrs” when a copyright notice appeared on screen– it reminded me how wonderful it was to watch a movie with people who are supportive and optimistic rather than critical and skeptical.

It made me remember the purpose of the Toronto International Film Festival… a celebration of artistic, creative minds and showcasing these talents on the big, bright screen. It’s interesting to note all these emotions I felt but after speaking with a few PR industry folks, it seems to be the norm to be caught up in the organizational aspects of TIFF but being unable to carve out time to see a film! (*Hint! This is my next post– I attended a panel of speakers, those of which included executives from The Weinstein Company!)

Bright Days Ahead is a bit of a pseudo-romantic comedy about a recently retired dentist named Caroline dite Caro (played by Ardant). As a gift, one of her daughters gives her a pass to Bright Days Ahead– essentially an ‘older/mature’ folks home where participants are free to sign up for workshops that enrich their lives. As she is trying to hit her stride with the activities offered, in a series of events, she attends a computer class in the hopes of learning how to solve her internet woes at home with her husband. Unknowingly, she enters into a dalliance with her younger ‘playboy’ instructor named Julien (Laurent Lafitte).

As the number of trysts rise, the chance of being found out increases– including by her husband Philippe played by Patrick Chesnais… and the entire town, it appears. As a dentist in a tight-knit community, she’s always been unavoidably in the spotlight. As she posits, “I know half the town and the other half knows me!” It is a heartfelt story and I encourage you to watch it to find out what happens in this twisted lust-love triangle.