This week’s NOW finds me back at the talky-talky, interviewing Jean-Marc Vallee and George Miller, directors of “Cafe de Flore” and “Happy Feet Two”, respectively.

I’ve interviewed both filmmakers before: Vallee two years ago for “The Young Victoria”, and Miller nineteen years ago when he came to town with “Lorenzo’s Oil”. I had lunch with him and Augusto and Michaela Odone; it remains one of the most inspiring interviews I’ve ever done. I should see if I can dig up the piece; I should have it here somewhere. Fun fact: For all the knocks Nick Nolte took for his supposedly cartoonish accent, that’s exactly how Augusto speaks.

Anyway, my point is that both Vallee and Miller are swell guys to talk to — warm, well-rounded, intelligent, enthusiastic. Hopefully, some of that comes across in the paper.

Oh, and there’s more: I’ve also got an interview with Vanessa Paradis, one of the stars of “Cafe de Flore”, and a look at the European Union Film Festival, which starts tonight at the Royal. Free movies! Yay!