Frogs Fete Film

Tuesday night's screening of "Avenue Montaigne" -- France's official foreign film Oscar entry -- at the DGA was packed with members of L.A.'s Gallic community, with helmer Daniele Thompson receving many felicitations at the dessert reception after the pic, which was originally dubbed "Fauteuils d'Orchestre" ("Orchestra Seats"). The film's name was changed for its upcoming U.S. release in February via ThinkFilm.

The charming comedy of manners is somewhat of a departure from the typical weighty period French Oscar hopefuls, and was also a hit at the Palm Springs Fest where it screened twice over the weekend.

Sydney Pollack, who was honored in Palm Springs, has an amusing turn in "Avenue Montaigne" as an eminent American director casting a biopic of Simone de Beauvoir, and his French isn't half bad. (P. Saperstein)