Valentine ❤️ Amélie Paris map

 

OK, confession time. I went up to Montmartre on Saturday to research sites from the movie, Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain for the February ❤️ Valentine map.

Too boot, the film just celebrated its 20th anniversary🥂 For many people the world over its their absolute favorite movie. And the highest grossing French film ever!

A delightful love ❤️ story of a lonely, shy, introverted girl who decides (while crossing the Pont des Arts) to make other people’s lives happier by little acts of kindness. Have you seen Amélie? Its always streaming nonstop on Netflix.

I saw it when it opened in 2001 because I’d loved director Jean-Phillip Jeunet’s previous, surreal film, Delicatessen. Jeunet is meticulous in the design and coloration of his films. 

Every scene was storyboarded pre-production with the help of a comic book/BD artist.

Amélie is specially colored red(love) and green(hope) with occasional accents of bright blue.

Post-production Jeunet color-corrected digitally every single frame to his taste, also removing trash and graffiti. 

All those steps at Metro Abbesses.

Amélie put French actress Audrey Tautou on the map. Watch her charming audition. Jeunet said he knew within 3 seconds she was the one. He was crying behind the camera.

There are a gazillion youtube videos analyzing everything about Amélie. How it was made, the angle of shots, personal reviews. The soundtrack is lovely.

Geraldine of Comme Un Française will help you learn the film’s French expressions. 

In Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, you name it…tourists come to Paris and walk in her footsteps. 

You can follow along with the February map 🗺 

Did you love ❤️ this movie too? 

Do tell. 

I spotted her shoes on the Metro today. Shes never gone out of fashion. 

Why not walk round Paris with Amélie next trip? The new map 🗺 is on Etsy 😊 + a new letter subscription bonus watercolor. Bon Week-End dear PBers ❤️💋❤️