Kung Fu Master (film)
| Kung Fu Master | |
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Film poster
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| Directed by | Agnès Varda |
| Written by |
Jane Birkin Agnès Varda |
| Starring | Jane Birkin Mathieu Demy |
| Cinematography | Pierre-Laurent Chénieux |
| Edited by | Marie-Josée Audiard |
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Release date
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Running time
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80 minutes |
| Country | France |
| Language | French |
Kung Fu Master is a 1988 French drama film directed by Agnès Varda. It was entered into the 38th Berlin International Film Festival. It was retitled as Le Petit Amour in France.
Mary-Jane (Jane Birkin) comes across Julien (Mathieu Demy) during a party her teenage daughter Lucy throws at their home. Julien has drunk too much and Mary-Jane induces vomiting to help him feel better. Intrigued by him she goes to visit Lucy at school to see if she can see him again and almost hits him with her car. On the pretext of seeing if he's alright Mary-Jane takes Julien to a café where he plays his favourite arcade game, Kung Fu Master. Intrigued by Julien and knowing she wants to see him again Mary-Jane goes looking for other places with the game. Before she can think of another reason to see Julien however he comes to her home and they spend the day together shopping. At the end of the day Julien kisses Mary-Jane's hand.
At school Julien and Lucy must work together on a project and because he is so eager to work on the project she thinks that he has a crush on her.
Mary-Jane and Julien continue to think of ways to be near one another. When Mary-Jane overhears Lucy talking about Julien missing school she visits his home to give him his homework and allows him to fondle her breast. Later he invites her out to celebrate with him and takes her to a hotel where he kisses her. Mary-Jane tepidly resists but later slaps him after he begins smoking in the elevator and runs away from him.
While working on a project with Lucy, Julien learns that Lucy is going to England with her family over the upcoming holidays. Julien manages to get Lucy to invite him along. On Easter, while she is hiding eggs, Mary-Jane is surprised by Julien. The two end up kissing and are discovered by Lucy who is horrified by the fact that her mother is kissing a 14 year old boy. After telling her mother what has happened, Mary-Jane is encouraged by her to take Julien and her youngest daughter Lou to a remote island where the family owns a home to try and play out their flirtation. On the island the two of them declare their love for one another and enjoy a close relationship. At the end of their time on the island Mary-Jane worries that she'll lose Julien and he'll forget about her but he promises to love her forever.
After their return from the island Julien's mother threatens to press charges while Mary-Jane loses custody of Lucy. Mary Jane never hears from him again.
Meanwhile at an arcade Julien finally wins the Kung Fu Master game. He asks an arcade employee to call Mary-Jane and tell him that he has won but the employee gives up after he calls and Lou answers the phone. Later at his new school when other boys ask if he's ever had a girlfriend he speaks disparagingly of Mary-Jane saying she was just a bored housewife he once slept with.
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