The Cinematheque

Virtual Screening

“Jeanne Balibar invented a beautifully absurd comedy, served by a cohort of talented actors, from Mathieu Amalric to Marlène Saldana.”

Thomas Sotinel, Le Monde

As the new mayor of Montfermeil, an underprivileged municipality on the outskirts of Paris, Emmanuelle Joly (Emmanuelle Béart) has great expectations. However, two of her staffers, Joëlle (Jeanne Balibar, the film’s director) and Kamel (Ramzy Bedia), have just culminated their long separation with a finalized divorce. As the mayor starts implementing her quirky campaign promises — naps for all, rooftop farms, sexual assistance in the home, harmonization of breathing — political rivals start sabotaging her enthusiastic plans, while Joëlle and Kamel’s bickering further disrupts the administration and threatens this year’s Brioche Day. A strikingly eccentric and, in these cynical times, refreshingly utopian political satire, Wonders in the Suburbs is longtime actress and singer Jeanne Balibar’s first solo feature as a director. It premiered at the Locarno Film Festival in 2019.

To stream this film:
Click on the ​“Stream” button above.
This will take you to Kino Lorber’s streaming platform, where you can watch the film.
Purchase a virtual ticket for $8 USD (you may need to create an account first).
Once a virtual ticket has been purchased, you have five days to watch the film.
If you are having technical issues with the stream, click here.

“Decidedly original in tone … An unlikely mix of romantic comedy and musical, boasting an impressive cast.”

Giorgia Del Don, Cineuropa