Irma Vep

Named after the slinky heroine of Feuillade's Les Vampires (which neurotic, idealistic director Léaud is here planning to remake), Assayas' partly improvised film charts the experiences of Hong Kong actress Cheung (playing herself) when she turns up in Paris to take the lead in Léaud's doomed movie. Crew members come on to her; journalists lecture her on the future of cinema, Léaud cracks up and is replaced by the gloriously seedy Castel, and Cheung starts having strange dreams. A delightfully nonchalant movie, complete with some nice satirical barbs aimed at contemporary French film culture, and fine performances throughout.