Cinema St. Louis French Film Festival
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FRENCH FILMPROGRAM8/19/102:37PMPage1 CO-PRESENTED BY CINEMA ST. LOUIS AND WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY’S PROGRAM IN FILM AND MEDIA STUDIES | SUPPORTED BY THE CULTURAL SERVICES OF THE FRENCH CONSULATE IN CHICAGO SECOND ANNUAL STELLA ARTOIS Cinema St. Louis French Film Festival SEPTEMBER 17 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 19 2010 | WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY | BROWN HALL AUDITORIUM | SAINT LOUIS FRENCH FILM PROGRAM 8/19/10 2:37 PM Page 2 Second Annual Friday, September 17 effortlessly from scene to scene, the story runs. Using a massive, specially con- Sunday, September 19 reimagines the perverse bedtime story as floating on Mr. Rivette’s gentle camera structed set - known as “Tativille” - and one of sibling rivalry, adding a measure of Stella Artois 7 p.m. movement. Yet at the same time, like the shooting on 70mm film, Tati fills every 3 p.m. religion and soupçon of class awareness French Film Festival Mr. Hulot’s Holiday work of Clémence and the other perform- corner of the film’s generous frames with Just Anybody to the mix.” (Les vacances de ers in her small, itinerant troupe, the film telling details and bits of comic business. (Le premier venu), Monsieur Hulot), reflects meticulous discipline and unerring Distinctly experimental in form, “Playtime” Jacques Doillon 8 p.m. September 17-19, 2010 Jacques Tati, craft.” consists of six sequences linked only by 2008, 121 min. French Cancan, 1953, 83 min. the presence of Hulot and American Jean Renoir, Washington University Saturday, September 18 tourist Barbara. In this drama from 1954, 102 min. Brown Hall Auditorium the director of “Ponette,” Camille Corner of Forsyth Boulevard and A restored print of the Tati classic, “Mr. 3 p.m. Film critic Kent Jones writes: “The film is (Clémentine Beaugrand), a 20-something Nineteenth-century Chaplin Drive (two blocks west of Hulot’s Holiday” introduced the writer- Eldorado a series of giddy encounters between dissatisfied with her life, craves the Paris comes vibrantly Skinker Boulevard) director-star’s signature character to the (Eldorado Preljocaj), people and things, the wonders of ’mod- opportunity to give her love to the person alive in Jean Renoir’s world. While on holiday at a seaside Olivier Assayas, 2008, ern life’ relinquishing their functionality in who needs it the most. She finds this exhilarating tale of the opening of the Co-presented by Cinema St. Louis resort, Mr. Hulot - an endearing, pipe- 90 min. favor of an unaccountably rapturous opportunity when she follows one-night- world-renowned Moulin Rouge. Jean and the Washington University smoking clown - finds his presence pro- beauty. Playtime indeed: an airport termi- stand Costa (Gérald Thomassin), a crimi- Gabin plays the wily impresario Danglard, Program in Film and Media Studies voking one catastrophe after another. A A documentary about nal, an office lobby, a hotel, an ideal nal drifter, to a coastal resort town in who makes the cancan all the rage while gently funny satire of vacationers deter- the creation of a bal- home exhibition, an apartment complex northwest France. Even as their relation- juggling the love of two beautiful women - Supported by the Cultural Services mined to enjoy themselves, the first entry let, “Eldorado” is the work of celebrated and a jazzy restaurant, with their polished, ship begins to take its toll on them both - an Egyptian belly-dancer (Maria Félix) and of the French Consulate in Chicago in the Hulot series includes a series of film director, screenwriter, and Cahiers du reflective surfaces, form one continuous complicated further by the attentions of a naive working girl turned cancan star brilliantly choreographed sight gags about cinema critic Olivier Assayas, whose films delirium of design, the impromptu play- local cop Cyril (Guillaume Saurrel) - (Françoise Arnoul). This celebration of life, Sponsored by Stella Artois, boats, dogs, tennis, and other hazards of include last year’s acclaimed “Summer ground for a group of American tourists Camille finds happiness in her efforts to art, and the City of Light (with a cameo TV5Monde, and MetLife leisure. Hours” and the much-anticipated epic and assorted locals, including Hulot him- rescue Costa from his own self-destruc- by Edith Piaf) is a Technicolor tour de “Carlos,” which debuted at Cannes in self and various doubles.” tion. force by a master of modern cinema. Cinema St. Louis, the presenter of the Roger Ebert writes of “Mr. Hulot’s May. The film chronicles the evolution of a annual St. Louis International Film Holiday”: “It is not a comedy of hilarity but piece by renowned choreographer Made during the lengthy production of The Hollywood Reporter writes: “With its Critic Andrew Sarris calls “French Festival, is pleased to celebrate the city’s a comedy of memory, nostalgia, fondness Angelin Preljocaj, whom the New York “Playtime,” the rarely screened “Cours du minimalist plot, witty dialogue and young Cancan” “the happiest and most exuber- Gallic heritage and France’s continuing and good cheer. There are some real Times describes as “one of the most soir (Evening Classes)” - shot by characters in search for love, ’Just ant ripple in Renoir’s career as a river of cinematic vitality with its Second Annual laughs in it, but ’Mr. Hulot’s Holiday’ gives acclaimed choreographers to come out “Playtime” assistant director Nicolas Anybody’ represents the very essence of personal expression…. Only repeated Stella Artois French Film Festival. us something rarer, an amused affection of the experimental-dance boom that Ribowski - is a gag-filled quasi-documen- Jacques Doillon’s cinema. Which means viewings of Renoir’s films uncover the for human nature - so odd, so valuable, erupted in France in the 1980s.” Adding a tary that features Tati teaching a course fans of the French director will love this inexorable logic and lucidity of his style. This fest includes recent work by four of so particular.” And “Time Out” says of the third major artist to the mix, the dance is on mime to a group of enthusiastic but deep dive into his obsessions…. Doillon Still, of all his films, ’French Cancan’ is France’s most significant directors and a sparkling black-and-white print: “This choreographed to “Sonntags Abschied,” less-than-expert students. shoots the interaction between his the one that bursts out again and again quartet of classics by two French film brand-new restoration of Tati’s ode to the a composition for five synthesizers by the youngsters and the unexpected situations with lyrical explosions of color, vitality, and masters, Jacques Tati and Jean Renoir. hazards of leisure makes the various mis- late Karlheinz Stockhausen, a pioneer of 8:30 p.m. that arise from their confrontations in sensuality. There is unmistakably more to adventures look more drop-dead mag- electronic music whom the Guardian The Doctor’s intriguing ways.” Renoir than meets the eye, but what an Tickets are $10 each; $8 for students nifique than ever.” declares “one of the great visionaries of Horrible Experiment eye he has.” with valid and current photo ID, Cinema 20th-century music.” (Le testament du 5:30 p.m. St. Louis members with valid member- 9 p.m. Docteur Cordelier), Blue Beard ship cards, and Alliance Française mem- Around a Small Lifting the veil on the secrets of a dance Jean Renoir, 1959, (Barbe Bleue), bers. Mountain (36 vues piece’s gestation, Assayas’ “Eldorado” 95 min. Catherine Breillat, du Pic Saint Loup), revealingly illuminates the means by 2009, 80 min. Tickets can be purchased in advance by Jacques Rivette, which sound and music are transformed A rare, seldom-seen TV film from late in Cinema St Louis calling the Cinema St. Louis office at 2009, 84 min. into gesture and movement. Describing Jean Renoir’s career, “The Doctor’s Based on Charles Centene Center for Arts & Education 314.289.4153; tickets will be available the film, Times dance critic Gia Kourlas Horrible Experiment” is a quirky spoof of Perrault’s grisly fairy- 3547 Olive Street St. Louis, Missouri for pickup at will call at the screening. In the newest film says that “the creative process unfolds as horror movies that freely adapts “Dr. tale, “Bluebeard” tells the story of young 63103.1014 Phone sales are limited to full-price tick- from French New Wave icon Jacques if it were a drama. Along with lively inter- Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” The film features Marie-Catherine (Lola Créton), child bride Rivette (“Céline and Julie Go Boating,” views with Stockhausen, filmed just “Children of Paradise” star Jean-Louise to an aristocratic ogre (Dominique ets only; discounts can only be obtained For more information, call 314.289.4153 “La Belle Noiseuse”), Vittorio (Sergio before his death, there is extensive Barrault as the titular Dr. Cordelier, a psy- Thomas) with a reputation for murdering in person at the box office because ID is or e-mail [email protected]. required. Castellitto), an Italian traveling through the rehearsal footage, which begins with tight chiatrist coping with his own mental- his wives. Controversial director Catherine Cévennes range in the south of France, shots of Mr. Preljocaj rolling on the floor health issues, and is “hosted” by Renoir, Breillat (“The Last Mistress,” “Fat Girl,” Sponsors assists Kate (Jane Birkin) with a stalled with his dancers.” who introduces and concludes the film “Romance”) brings her personal touch to For more information, visit car on a mountain road. After learning from a TV-studio set. this classic tale. Princess Marie-Catherine www.cinemastlouis.org or call that Kate is a tightrope walker en route to 5 p.m. must employ all her cunning to outwit her 314.289.4150. rejoining her family’s one-ring circus, Playtime, Jacques The Chicago Reader’s Jonathan husband and escape a potentially which she abandoned mysteriously years Tati, 1967, 115 min.