SMOKING CAUSES COUGHING (FUMER FAIT TOUSSER) World Cinema

French filmmaker Quentin Dupieux (DEERSKIN, AFI FEST 2019) returns with another delightfully absurdist comedy, featuring a band of spandex-clad vigilante superheroes called the Tobacco Force – Benzene, Nicotine, Methanol, Mercury and Ammonia – who channel the negative effects of smoking to combat the enemy. When it becomes clear that their group cohesion is faltering, they are sent on a mandatory team-building work retreat. Huddled around the campfire, each tells scary stories, which come to life as a series of ludicrous vignettes. A sudden call from their chief informs the troupe that the Emperor of Evil, Lézardin, plans to destroy the planet Earth. They must repair their team spirit quickly to save the human race, but unearthed secrets threaten to disrupt their mission. With delightful turns by Adele Exarchopoulos and Oulaya Amamra and with a fantastic soundtrack featuring cult synth icon Mort Garson, Dupieux’s latest is a riot, unpredictable, ridiculous, and brimming with charm. –Malin Kan