Paris, 13th District (French: Les Olympiades) is a 2021 French film, directed and cowritten by Jacques Audiard and starring Lucie Zhang, Noémie Merlant, and Makita Samba. It is inspired by the works of cartoonist Adrian Tomine, specifically the short comics "Hawaiian Getaway" from Summer Blonde and "Amber Sweet" and "Killing and Dying" from Killing and Dying.
The film is set in Les Olympiades, an apartment complex in Paris' 13th arrondissement, and focuses on an ever-shifting love triangle between Parisian millennials Émilie (Zhang), a woman moving from one dead-end job to another; her former roommate with benefits Camille (Samba), a teacher beginning his doctorate; and Camille's new coworker at a real estate firm, Nora (Merlant). Nora's life is also complicated by her resemblance to cam girl Amber Sweet (Jehnny Beth).
Following a debut at Cannes 2021, the film was theatrically released in France on 3 November 2021.
Tropes:
- Deliberately Monochrome: This 2021 film is shot entirely in black and white.
- Friends with Benefits: Émilie and Camille begin sleeping together and make it clear that neither of them want to be in a relationship. Frustrations arise when Émilie falls for Camille.
- From Roommates to Romance: Émilie is initially hesitant to rent to a man, but finds that she likes Camille well enough and the two eventually begin a Friends with Benefits relationship. Camille rebuffs Émilie's new feelings though, before coming around in the end.
- Gender-Blender Name: Émilie initially responds to Camille as a prospective roommate because she thought Camille was a woman due to the name, and is surprised when he turns out to be male.
- Mistaken for Prostitute: Due to their physical resemblance, Nora is mistaken for online sex worker Amber Sweet after she dons a blond wig at a party. The bullying from this resemblance makes her drop out.
- The Place: Paris, 13th District refers to the 13th arrondisement of Paris, where most of the film takes place.
- Platonic Prostitution: After Nora is mistaken for camgirl Amber Sweet, she buys camming time with Amber just to talk about it, and the two eventually become friends.
- Right Through the Wall: Émilie and Camille's friendship is strained when she gets home after a party and hears him having sex with his girlfriend in the other room.
