The Little Cafe
France • 12m
Directed by François Reichenbach • Documentary • 1963 • 12 minutes
A slice-of-life film shot in a provincial cafe and hotel in the city of Bethune in the department of Pas-de-Calais, in Northern France. Older men smoke, drink beer and read the paper, young lovers gaze into each other’s eyes, and regulars play cards, while the owner blusters on the phone with potential banquet customers. Meanwhile, from behind the counter, the quiet woman who does the work of ensuring the place runs smoothly keeps watch—and occasionally sneaks a glance at the newspaper herself.
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