CIFF

Smoking Causes Coughing

Original Title
Fumer fait tousser
year
2022
country
France
language
French
runtime
80
closed captions
No
audio description
No
english subtitles
Yes
film contact
Magnolia Pictures
film contact email
[email protected]

When a team of Power Rangers-like superheroes known as the Tobacco Force and their trusty robot are forced to take a one-week retreat, their team building exercises transform into an anthology of horror in the latest oddity from French provocateur Quentin Dupieux (“Rubber”—CIFF35; “Deerskin”—CIFF44). —M.G.


With their cancer-causing chemicals combined, Tobacco Force is the Captain Planet-meets-Power Rangers squad to be reckoned with. Although, lately, morale has been low for the anti-cigarette avengers. Donning their matching blue and yellow leotards, the five superheroes go on a retreat to regroup and boost their team spirit before facing the world’s most threatening villain, Lizardin. With occasional stints of excessive violence, gruesome campfire tales, and laugh-out-loud absurdity, SMOKING CAUSES COUGHING is nothing short of outrageously entertaining. The wild antics and treacherous consequences, albeit hilarious, may have first-timers thinking twice about taking that initial puff. It could ultimately be their devastating demise. —A.B. 

After Hours
Comedies
Only at Playhouse Square
International Narrative Competition