The Institut français celebrates the French Film Festival UK’s 20th anniversary with the retrospective ‘The Universe of Jacques Demy’, from October 16 to November 8 2012
A WHIMSICAL purveyor of modern fairy tales, Jacques Demy was one of the rare French directors to make musicals and is often considered as one of the most approachable directors of the French Nouvelle Vague.
This retrospective features the visually extravagant musical ode to Charles Perrault classic fairy tale Peau d’ane (Donkey skin, 1970). In this cautionary tale about incest, a young Catherine Deneuve plays a princess who flees disguised as a donkey to avoid marriage to her newly-widowed father (Jean Marais).
Catherine Deneuve also stars in Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, 1964) the original musical with a score by composer Michel Legrand introducing the concept of singing every dialogue.
In Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (The Young girls of Rochefort, 1967) Deneuve shares the screen with her real-life sister Francoise Dorléac and Hollywood star, Gene Kelly.
Darker and slightly less renowned than his musicals celebrating the golden age of Hollywood, Demy’s second feature film La Baie des anges (The Bay of angels, 1963) is filled with the director’s fascination with fate, and stock themes of chance encounters and long-lost love.
Starring Jeanne Moreau, the film is a bitter account of seduction and burning love at the roulette tables.
Closing this retrospective is Agnes Varda’s sweet homage to her husband Jacquot de Nantes (1990).
Married to Jacques Demy for over 30 years, Varda started working on this documentary film when Demy fell ill. Using recreations from Demy’s memories and autobiographical notebooks, interviews with him and clips from his films, Jacquot de Nantes is a loving account of Demy’s childhood and his lifelong love of theatre and cinema.
Although not in this focus, Demy’s first film Lola (1961) has just been the subject of a restoration by the Fondation Technicolor and the Fondation Gan and is scheduled for the 21st edition of the FFF UK in 2013.
Demy’s last film Three Tickets for the 26th / Trois places pour le 26 (12) can be seen on the big screen on 18 November at 14.00 at Glasgow Film Theatre.
THE UNIVERSE OF JACQUES DEMY RETROSPECTIVE STARTS ON TUESDAY OCTOBER 16 AND CONTINUES UNTIL THURSDAY NOVEMBER 8 AT THE INSTITUT FRANCAIS D’ECOSSE, 13 RANDOLPH CRESCENT, EH3 7TT. ALL SCREENINGS ARE FREE AND IN FRENCH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES. BOX OFFICE: 0131 225 5366
For further information, interview requests and images, contact: Vanessa Bismuth, Communications & PR Officer, Institut francais d’Ecosse – 0131 220 7751 / pr@ifecosse.org.uk
ENDS
Listings info:
Peau d’Ane (PG)
1970, 90 mins. With Catherine Deneuve, Jean Marais, Delphine Seyrig…
Tuesday 16 October 6.00 pm & Wednesday 17 October 11.00 am
La Baie des Anges (15)
1963, 90 mins. With Jeanne Moreau, Claude Mann, Paul Guers…
Tuesday 30 October 6.30 pm & Wednesday 31 October 2.00 pm
Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (PG)
1964, 90 mins. With Catherine Deneuve, Nino Castelnuovo, Anne Vernon… .
Wednesday 31 October 6.30 pm & Thursday 1 November 2.00 pm
Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (PG)
1967, 120 mins. With Catherine Deneuve, Françoise Dorléac, Gene Kelly…
Tuesday 6 November 6.30 pm & Wednesday 7 November 2.00 pm
Jacquot de Nantes (PG)
A film by Agnes Varda
1964, 90 mins. With Catherine Deneuve, Nino Castelnuovo, Anne Vernon… .
Wednesday 7 November 6.30 pm & Thursday 8 November 2.00 pm
Notes for Editors
The French Film Festival UK celebrates 20 glorious years. After this year’s Oscar-fuelled success of The Artist and more recently Untouchables, which is on course for a place in history as France’s most successful film, the French Film Festival UK celebrates its 20th anniversary against a background of euphoria.
The 20th edition, embracing French and francophone cinema in all its diversity, in key towns and cities around the country features a bumper programme at Glasgow Film Theatre and The Edinburgh Filmhouse bursting with variety and vitality.
The main Festival runs from 8 to 30 November 2012. More information can be found via the festival website www.frenchfilmfestival.org.uk or follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Contact: Adrienne Benassy, Press Officer, French Film Festival UK / 07776 848928 / communication@frenchfilmfestival.org.uk
The Institut français d’Ecosse promotes French language and culture in Scotland, by providing French courses and organising events (film screenings, talks, exhibitions, concerts, etc.). It also aims to encourage cross-cultural exchange between France and Scotland, in co-operation with Scottish Francophile institutions. The Institut hosts regular free films screenings in its premises, from the classics to the most recent successes of French cinema. For more information about the cinema programme, visit www.ifecosse.org.uk/cinema or follow us on Twitter (@ifecosse) and Facebook
MEDIA RELEASE posted by the Institut francais d’Ecosse. You too can post media releases (aka press releases) on allmediascotland.com. For more information, email here.
Contact: Vanessa Bismuth
Phone: 01312207751
Email: pr@ifecosse.org.uk
Website: http://www.ifecosse.org.uk/cinema
