Frances Ha

Noah Baumbach wrote this with Greta Gerwig, who plays Frances Halladay, 27 and trying to become a dancer. Gerwig announced the project in April 2012; Baumbach’s involvement stayed unknown until the Telluride line up was published. It was shot in black and white on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II, a body built for still photography. The lenses were photographic rather than cinema glass, mostly a 50 mm prime and a 70-200 mm zoom. The production could have afforded an Arri Alexa, but the small body and minimal lighting let the crew move location without drawing attention. One reason for black and white was Woody Allen and Gordon Willis’s Manhattan. The budget was 3 million dollars. The sections are separated by the addresses Frances moves through. The title comes from her mailbox: Frances Halladay will not fit the slot, so the paper is folded and Frances Ha is left. Adam Driver and Michael Zegen play Lev and Benji. At the 71st Golden Globes in January 2014 Gerwig was nominated for best actress in a musical or comedy, and the award went to Amy Adams; the film also took two Independent Spirit nominations. A good fit if you want failure described without being turned into a shaming scene. Not for anyone after a plot: the story is built from everyday moments.