Essays in French Literature and Culture (Oct 2019)
Belleville Noir in Twenty-first Century Cinema: Adaptation and Innovation
Abstract
The focus of this article is on the representation of the inner Parisian quartier of Belleville in three twenty-first century films neo- noirs, through a study of their use of setting and location. After first examining how the depiction of the quartier in twentieth century French cinema contributed to the establishment of a Belleville stereotype, the article explores the extent to which these three recent films adopt and adapt the conventions of the original noir series. Setting in cinema has been closely studied, and Paris has been the subject of wide research in this context. The article’s originality lies in its focus on the cinematic representation of a Parisian quartier, highlighting the interaction between the conventions of the neo-noir genre and the changing identity of Belleville.
