Philip Kaufman has never done anything like this, but his experiment is a success in tone. He has made a movie in which reality is asked to coexist with a world of pure sensuality, and almost, for a moment, seems to agree. — Roger Ebert, 1988
Following an American Cinematheque 35mm presentation of Kaufman’s masterwork THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OFBEING—co-written by Jean-Claude Carrière—join Juliette Binoche and the writer-director for a post-screening Q & A.
Apart from being a distinguished artist, Kieslowski had a striking moral authority. Both in his private and public life, he was known as an honest and straightforward man… He was all opposites: his love for others was covered by an outer harshness. This was because he was afraid of lies in public life: he was very severe and refused to compromise… Everything about his life was “clean”—all was transparent. — Krzysztof Zanussi
The American Cinematheque’s SHORT SERIES ABOUT KRZYSZTOF KIEŚLOWSKI features a pair of double features and a Sunday triple-bill of the director’s valedictory TROISCOULEURS films.
The series opens with A SHORT FILM ABOUT LOVE and A SHORT FILM ABOUT KILLING—both 1988—the full-length versions of two of the filmmaker’s Decalogue episodes.
Friday night features a masterworks double bill: THE DOUBLE LIFE OF VÉRONIQUE (1991)—with Irène Jacob in a dual role—and BLIND CHANCE (1981), starring Bogusław Linda, and presented in its complete original form.
The series wraps on Sunday with the trilogy marathon BLUE (1993), WHITE (1994), and RED (1994), Kieślowski’s final features.
To mark the release of NON-FICTION—the new film from Olivier Assayas—the American Cinematheque presents a double feature of Assayas’ 1996 cult film IRMAVEP and a 35mm presentation of his 2008 masterpiece SUMMER HOURS. Both screen on Thursday.
From top: Maggie Cheung in Irma Vep; Jérémie Renier (left) and Olivier Assayas on set, Summer Hours; Édith Scob and Juliette Binoche in Summer Hours; Renier, DominiqueReymond, and Charles Berling in Summer Hours; Jean-Pierre Léaud (right) and Cheung in Irma Vep.
For the opening night of the American Cinematheque program Salt, Sweat and Sunshine—TheCinema of Claire Denis, the director will join L.A. Times writer Mark Olsen for an onstage conversation at the Aero, followed by a double-bill of CHOCOLAT and WHITE MATERIAL, both of which reference Denis’ upbringing in colonial French Africa.
On Saturday afternoon, Denis will present BEAU TRAVAIL and participate in a post-screening discussion with Justin Chang.
Double-features will fill the rest of the weekend, with pairings of NÉNETTE ET BONI with 35RHUMS, both with Alex Descas, and TROUBLE EVERY DAY with LET THE SUNSHINE IN, each featuring Nicolas Duvauchelle.
From top: Cécile Ducasse and Isaach De Bankolé in Chocolat (1988); Alice Houri in Nénette etBoni (1996); Grégoire Colin (left) and Denis Lavant in Beau Travail (1999); Béatrice Dalle in Trouble Every Day (2001); Mati Diop and Alex Descas in 35 rhums (2008); Isabelle Huppert in White Material (2009); Juliette Binoche and Nicolas Duvauchelle in Let the Sunshine In (2017).
HIGH LIFE is a space mystery and it’s a new film directed by Claire Denis, which are the only two things you need to know before going to see it.
(But between your first and second viewing, you’ll want to read as much as you can. And remember that one of Denis’ favorite songs is The Beach Boys‘ “In My Room”—which is not in the film.)
From top: Juliette Binoche and Robert Pattinson in High Life (2018); Binoche, Lars Eidinger, Mia Goth, Pattinson, and Claire Tran; André Benjamin; Jessie Ross and Pattinson. Images courtesy A24.
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