Brisbane International Film Festival - Eric Rohmer

Sometimes the process is as enticing as, if not more intriguing, than the outcome….
Be it the process of falling in love, or the process of disillusionment

Eric Rohmer is one of the most literary and most philosophical among the French New Wave directors. Philosophical in the sense that it is always related to our day-to-day life, with his characters perpetually in dialect with moral ambivalence, seduction and dilemmas. He has inspired many generations of cinephiles by series such as THE MORAL TALES, COMEDIES AND PROVERBS, TALES OF THE FOUR SEASONS; and experimental representation of medieval/historical tales such as PERCEVAL, THE LADY AND THE DUKE, and THE ROMANCE OF ASTREE AND CELADON. The recurrent theme in Rohmer’s works is the process of falling in love, the delights and disappointments of being seduced; Rohmer never ages, and neither do his films.

In this year’s BIFF, we are presenting a small tribute to the late master by showcasing Marie Rivière (the star and alleged co-writer of THE GREEN RAY, one of Rohmer’s favourite obviously)’s intimate and intuitive documentation of the Rohmer: IN THE COMPANY OF ERIC ROHMER; alongside one of the duo’s most sensitive and sensual collaborations, THE GREEN RAY. Join us on Saturday and Sunday afternoons for these delightful screenings:

In the Company of Eric Rohmer

Marie Rivière | France | Filmmakers In Focus | 100 mins  

Sat 12 Nov 3:15 PM Palace Centro Cinema 2

AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

"Rohmer [was] the romantic philosopher of the French New Wave, the director whose characters make love with words as well as flesh." - Roger Ebert

The late Eric Rohmer (The Aviator's Wife, An Autumn Tale), who passed away early 2010, was a deeply humanist filmmaker. His characters were filled with passion, humour and lashings of charm.
It is perhaps unsurprising that this deeply personal portrait of Rohmer from Marie Rivière reveals the same qualities in the director. Rivière has been a close collaborator of Rohmer's, and the star of several of his masterpieces (including The Green Ray, the Rohmer companion film for this BIFF program) - here she invites us into his conversations with friends and collaborators, including actors Fabrice Luchini and Arielle Dombasle, and director François Ozon.

D/P/WS Marie Rivière L French w/subtitles TD DigiBeta/2010

Tickets: http://tix.biff.com.au/session2_biff.asp?sn=In+the+Company+of+Eric+Rohmer

The Green Ray

Eric Rohmer | France | Filmmakers In Focus | 90 minsM

Sun 13 Nov  4:00 PM Palace Centro Cinema 1
 

 
Eric Rohmer's improvised comedy masterpiece, The Green Ray chronicles an anxious quest for the perfect summer vacation.

Delphine (Marie Rivière), a young Parisian secretary, suddenly finds her summer holiday plans cut adrift when her friend unceremoniously dumps her to go travelling with a new boyfriend. Hoping for love and distraction, Delphine flits from one abortive vacation plan to the next as the summer days slip away.
With this charming and deftly observed film, Rohmer effortlessly constructs a wry, humorous, human story about the restlessness and frustrations of youth.
"There's a whiff of fairytale to this particular slice of realism... the film oozes honesty and spontaneity; the word, quite bluntly, is masterpiece." - Time Out London

D Eric Rohmer P Margaret Ménégoz WS Les Films Du Losange L French w/subtitles TD 35mm/1986

Tickets: http://tix.biff.com.au/session2_biff.asp?sn=The+Green+Ray