Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Closely Watched Trains (Ostře sledované vlaky)

INVITATION:
Bistro Bohem, in collaboration with the Embassy of the Czech Republic, will screen the Oscar-winning film Closely Watched Trains (Ostře sledované vlaky) by acclaimed director Jiří Menzel on February 19, at 7 pm. The film is part of a year-long Menzel Retrospective.  Enjoy delicious Czech cuisine while watching Czech films.
Location:
Bistro Bohem
600 Florida Ave., Washington, DC
www.bistrobohem.com

Closely Watched Trains (Ostře sledované vlaky)
1966, 93 min., Czech with English subtitles 
In this coming of age story, a young man working at a train station in German-occupied Czechoslovakia during WWII, develops a crush on a young conductor. He receives some advice from the experienced train dispatcher, who takes him under his wing to explain the art of lovemaking. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film (1968). 
About Jiří Menzel:
Jiří Menzel is an award-winning director, screenwriter, actor, and theater director. He studied filmmaking at the famous Czech National Film Academy, FAMU, in Prague. Like Forman, he was one of the leaders of the Czech New Wave. Most notably, Menzel won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film for his first feature-length film Closely Watched Trains (Ostře sledované vlaky, 1967). With the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact forces in 1968, and the period of so-called ‘normalization’ that followed, he was one of the first directors to be barred from filmmaking. Menzel’s controversial film Larks on a String (Skřivánci na niti, 1969) was banned by the government, but released twenty years later, in 1990, after the collapse of the communist regime. The film won the Golden Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival. In 1986, his film My Sweet Little Village (Vesničko má středisková, 1985) was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film (1987). Other renowned works include Capricious Summer (Rozmarné léto, 1968), Cutting It Short (Postřižiny, 1981) and most recently I Serve the King of England (Obsluhoval jsem anglického krále, 2006). Menzel is a member of the Czech Film and Television Academy, the European Film Academy and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He has received many prestigious awards, among them the French order of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and the Akira Kurosawa Prize for a lifetime’s achievement at the San Francisco Film Festival. 
About the Czech New Wave:
The Czech New Wave was an artistic movement of the 1960s, hailed as the “golden era” in Czechoslovakia's cinematic history boasting some of the most attractive films produced in Europe. The core of the New Wave was comprised of recent graduates of the Film and Television Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU) in Prague, who made their debuts in or around 1963 and continued to produce internationally acclaimed work throughout most of the decade. Prominent Czech directors include Miloš Forman, who directed Black Peter (Černý Petr, 1963), Loves of a Blonde (Lásky jedné plavovlásky, 1965) and The Firemen's Ball (Hoří, má panenko, 1967); Věra Chytilová who is best known for her film Daisies; and Jiří Menzel, whose film Closely Watched Trains (Ostře sledované vlaky, 1966) won an Academy Award for best foreign language film.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

The Embassy of the Czech Republic and the Embassy of the Slovak Republic present the film series The Golden 60s of Czechoslovak Cinema

INVITATION:
 
The Embassy of the Czech Republic and the Embassy of the Slovak Republic present the film series The Golden 60s of Czechoslovak Cinema, launching on February 21, 2013, at 7 pm, with the screening of The Sun in a Net (Slnko v sieti).   
   

The series features four films from the New Wave, an artistic movement of the 1960s, hailed as the “golden era” in Czechoslovakia's cinematic history boasting some of the most attractive films produced in Europe. The films encompass a broad range of approaches, from highly stylized literary adaptations to semi-improvised comedies. The films frequently feature absurd, black humor, and the concerns of ordinary people when faced by political change.        

Opening remarks will be presented by Czech and Slovak Ambassadors or Deputy Chiefs of Missions.
                                               
Screenings and Locations
February 21, 7 pm: The Sun in a Net | Slnko v sieti (SLOVAK EMBASSY)  
February 28, 7 pm: The Shop on Main Street | Obchod na korze (CZECH EMBASSY)             
March 21, 7 pm: Celebration in the Botanical Garden | Slávnosť v botanickej záhrade (SLOVAK EMBASSY)
March 28, 7 pm: The Cremator | Spalovač mrtvol (CZECH EMBASSY)       

RSVPs
RSVP for films at the Czech Embassy: czech_events@yahoo.com            
RSVP for films at the Slovak Embassy: rsvp.washington@mzv.sk

ADDRESSES
Embassy of the Czech Republic       
3900 Spring of Freedom Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008
              
Embassy of the Slovak Republic      
3523 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008              

Light refreshments will be served following the screenings.         
THE  GOLDEN 60s
of Czechoslovak Cinema
February 21, 7 pmThe Sun in a Net | Slnko v sieti
Directed by Štefan Uher
1962, 90 min., black and white, Slovak with English subtitles
 
More than any other film of the early 1960s, Štefan Uher’s The Sun in a Net opened the doors for the liberated films of the New Wave that extended from 1963-69. Its story centers on a young teenager, nicknamed Fajolo (Marián Bielik), and his love for the fair haired Bela (Jana Beláková). When their relationship undergoes a temporary crisis, he joins a summer work brigade on a collective farm. Against this story of young love, viewers are introduced to the world of their parents. Fajolo’s mother is always absent at work while Bela’s mother is blind and an apparent burden on her husband. While Uher’s portrait of everyday life confronted a number of previously forbidden and “negative” themes, his main innovations are formal. The film is dominated by the role of the sun, and a solar eclipse forms one of its essential elements. Fajolo is also an obsessive photographer and, like the film’s makers, focuses on the revealing image. The director's mosaic of impressionist effects, the cross-cutting of parallel themes, and use of ambiguous symbolism creates a film poetry that was unique for its time – in which word, image, and music contribute to the film’s portrait of individual subjective worlds.       

Opening remarks will be presented by Slovak Ambassador Peter Kmec.   

Location: Embassy of the Slovak Republic     
3523 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008
February 28, 7 pm              The Shop on Main Street | Obchod na korze
Directed by Ján Kadár and Elmar Klos            
1965, 125 min., black and white, Slovak and Yiddish with English subtitles            

During World War II, mild-mannered carpenter Tono Brtko (Jozef Króner) is torn between greed and guilt when the Nazi-backed bosses of his town appoint him “Aryan controller” of an old Jewish widow’s sewing shop. To appease his money-hungry wife, he takes on the responsibility of running the shop. Meanwhile, the old Jewish woman (Ida Kaminska) is oblivious to the outside world and does not understand that Tono is now the new owner. Offering no financial gain, Tono debates giving up the shop. The Jewish community, knowing that the woman could be sent to be exterminated if he leaves, offers Tono a weekly payment as an incentive to keep the store. Tono agrees to stay and even develops a friendship with the old woman. When the authorities start rounding up the town’s entire Jewish community for transport, Tono must decide whether to save her or turn her in to the authorities. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film (1966) and received the Special Mention Award at Cannes Film Festival for the acting performances of Jozef Kroner and Ida Kaminska (1965).
 
Opening remarks will be presented by Czech Deputy Chief of Mission Jaroslav Zajíček.         
Embassy of the Czech Republic       
3900 Spring of Freedom Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008
RSVP: czech_events@yahoo.com | Please put “Shop” in the subject line.
March 21, 7 pm  
Celebration in the Botanical Garden
| Slávnosť v botanickej záhrade
Directed by Elo Havetta
1969, 83 min., color, Slovak with English subtitles
 
Mária (Hana Slivková), the innkeeper in the town of Babindol in the Little Carpathians, has eight daughters by the same father, Pišta, who lives in a hermit’s hut outside the vineyards. Their lives are disturbed by the arrival of Pierre (Slavoj Urban), a wanderer from France, who brings new life to the village. Pierre (a counterpart of Pierrot from the Commedia dell’Arte) becomes a rival of the botanist Gašpar (whose counterpart is Casper, the jester from puppet theatre). Pierre achieves a miracle during the celebration of the vintage when local legends about a spring of red wine come to fruition. The film’s episodic structure and liberated style express a freewheeling sense of creativity, joy, and freedom. Director Havetta admits to the influence of René Clair’s An Italian Straw Hat (Un chapeau de paille d’Italie) and of French cinema of the “golden era,” and the film opens with an extract from the Lumière brothers. Like Jakubisko, Havetta draws on folk traditions but there are also visual links to le Douanier Rousseau, Monet, and Renoir. With its elephant, tightrope walkers, and ambling musicians, the whole film evokes the spirit of carnival.        

Opening remarks will be presented by Slovak  Deputy Chief of Mission Peter Zeleňák.          
Location: Embassy of the Slovak Republic     
3523 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008
RSVP: rsvp.washington@mzv.sk      
March 28, 7 pm  
The Cremator | Spalovač mrtvol
Directed by Juraj Herz      
1969, 95 min., black and white, Czech with English subtitles   
  
The Cremator is a stunning example of the New Wave movement of Czechoslovak cinema, gliding effortlessly between surrealism and expressionism. The horror film, filled with black comedy, centers on Karel Kopfrkingl (Rudolf Hrušínský), who lives in Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia and works at a crematorium in Prague during the 1930s. Obsessed with his duties, he believes that he is not just cremating the bodies, but liberating the souls of the departed. With Nazi forces gathering at the Czechoslovak  border, Karel descends into a mania that allows him to carry out his disturbed beliefs. No one is safe from his quest for salvation, not even his own family. The film is based on a novel by Ladislav Fuks. After its premiere in 1969, the film was banned and not released until the collapse of the communist regime in 1989. The film was selected as the Czechoslovak entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 42nd Academy Awards, but did not make the short list. It won the Best Film award at the Sitges Film Festival (1972), and also received awards for Best Actor (Rudolf Hrušínský) and Best Cinematography (Stanislav Milota). The film is considered to be one of the best movies ever made in the former Czechoslovakia.

Opening remarks will be presented by Czech Ambassador Petr Gandalovič.            

Location: Embassy of the Czech Republic     
3900 Spring of Freedom Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008
RSVP: czech_events@yahoo.com | Please put “Cremator” in the subject line.

Friday, January 18, 2013

FRENCH CINEMA Jean Grémillon and the Poetry of Realism at the National Gallery of Art JANUARY 19, 20 & 26

FRENCH CINEMA
Jean Grémillon and the Poetry of Realism
at the National Gallery of Art
JANUARY 19, 20 & 26


Dear Friends of La Maison Française,

This month, the National Gallery of Art will screen five films by Jean Grémillon. (details below)

1) Gueule d’amour (1937)
2) Maldone (1927) -- Ciné-concert
3) Lumière d'été (1943) -- Restoration première
4) Le Ciel est à vous (1943)
5) Remorques (1941)

One of the forgotten figures of mid-century French cinéma, Jean Grémillon (1901-1959) entered filmmaking as a musician for silent films. He developed into a director, making his mark in poetic realism. This series presents five of his most beautifully crafted works.

1) Saturday, January 19 (2pm) - Gueule d’amour
at the National Gallery of Art, East Building Concourse Auditorium
4th Street at Pennsylvania Ave., NW
In French with English subtitles
Jean Gabin — blue-collar provincial army hero known as “lover lips” among the ladies — meets his match in Parisian femme fatale Mireille Balin. Completely besotted, he gives up his career for her, opting for a life of obsessive self-reproach.
ADMISSION: Free
MORE INFO: www.nga.gov/programs/film/gremillon.shtm

2) Saturday, January 19 (4pm) - Maldone -- Ciné-concert / Andrew Simpson, piano
at the National Gallery of Art, East Building Concourse Auditorium
4th Street at Pennsylvania Ave., NW
French intertitles translated live
A rarely screened early feature, Maldone’s location shooting, bold camera, superimpositions, experimental angles and clever cutting mark it stylistically as one of the more sophisticated films of the late silent era. The narrative centers on Olivier Maldone (Charles Dullin, well-known man of the theater), a carefree field hand and vagabond, given a chance to enjoy the life of a landowner through marriage. Eventually, he finds real love in the carnal snare of a gypsy called Zita, and abandons the bourgeois life.
ADMISSION: Free
MORE INFO: www.nga.gov/programs/film/gremillon.shtm

3) Sunday, January 20 (4pm) - Lumière d'été / Summer Light -- American première of the restoration
at the National Gallery of Art, East Building Concourse Auditorium
4th Street at Pennsylvania Ave., NW
In French with English subtitles
The characters in Lumière d'été (Summer Light), meeting for relaxation in a remote mountain chateau, begin a mad romantic roundelay that ends in a bizarre masked ball. The suggestion of class prejudices within the group—bourgeois characters seem undesirable while the working-classes shine—infuriated the Vichy censors who suppressed the film. "Lumière d'été is not only Grémillon's most overtly political film, it is arguably his finest technical achievement"—James Travers.
ADMISSION: Free
MORE INFO: www.nga.gov/programs/film/gremillon.shtm

4) Saturday, January 26 (2pm) - Le Ciel est à vous / The Sky is Yours
at the National Gallery of Art, East Building Concourse Auditorium
4th Street at Pennsylvania Ave., NW
In French with English subtitles
Le Ciel est à vous’s (The Sky is Yours) unusual feminist perspective flew in the face of the Vichy government’s decree for women to stay home and raise children. Thérèse Gauthier (Madeleine Renaud) is a free spirit who rules her husband and ignores her children. Her main ambition is to break the solo flying record for women.
ADMISSION: Free
MORE INFO: www.nga.gov/programs/film/gremillon.shtm

5) Saturday, January 26 (4pm) - Remorques
at the National Gallery of Art, East Building Concourse Auditorium
4th Street at Pennsylvania Ave., NW
In French with English subtitles
The primal power of l’amour fou is measured against that other out-of-control force of nature, the waters of the sea. Off the Britanny coast, Jean Gabin, captain of a salvage tugboat, meets Michèle Morgan whom he rescues, one ill-omened stormy night. They become lovers, trapped in a painful triangle with Gabin’s delicate and devoted wife (Madeleine Renaud). Grémillon, who uses the sea metaphor to full effect, also exploits the potential of music and sound, dramatically adding to the edgy mise-en-scène, especially in the final sequence.
ADMISSION: Free
MORE INFO: www.nga.gov/programs/film/gremillon.shtm

We hope that you can make it to the National Gallery of Art for these special screenings!

Please also take the time to scroll down and discover some of the upcoming cultural events happening at the Embassy of France!

Warm regards,

La Maison Française
www.HouseofFranceDC.org


P.S. Click HERE to take a survey on a proposed new French bookstore in New York City!

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Intouchables (The Intouchables) WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16 AT 8PM

La Cinémathèque @ the Avalon
Intouchables (The Intouchables)
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16 AT 8PM
Dear Friends of La Maison Française,

This Wednesday, January 16 at 8 p.m., the Avalon Theatre will screen the heartwarming, award-winning Intouchables (The Intouchables), directed by Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache.

Based on a true story of friendship, this irreverent, uplifting comedy, rooted in honesty and humor, broke box office records in France and Europe. The Intouchables takes us on a journey with two individuals who would seem to have nothing in common - a handicapped millionaire (Francois Cluzet) and his street-smart, ex-con caretaker (Omar Sy).

Nominated for nine César Awards and winning Best Actor for the superb performance by newcomer Omar Sy, The Intouchables also won the Grand Prize at the Tokyo International Film Festival as well as audience awards at numerous other film festivals around the world.

Watch the trailer (In French with English subtitles):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7g_OjLKeZ4
Presented with the generous support of:
WHAT: Intouchables (The Intouchables) - details below
In French with English subtitles
WHEN: Wednesday, January 16 at 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: The Avalon Theatre, 5612 Connecticut Avenue, NW
ADMISSION: $11.50 / Seniors: $8.75 / Students: $9 / Members: $7.25
TICKETS ONLINE: http://boxoffice.printtixusa.com/avalon/movies
MORE INFO: www.theavalon.org/programs-events/french-cinematheque/
We look forward to seeing you for this edition of La Cinémathèque @ The Avalon Theatre!

Please also take the time to scroll down and discover some of the upcoming cultural events happening at the Embassy of France!

Warm regards,

La Maison Française
www.HouseofFranceDC.org


P.S. Click HERE to take a survey on a proposed new French bookstore in New York City!

==============
D E T A I L S
==============
Intouchables (The Intouchables)
France — 2011 — 112 min. — 35mm
Directed by Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache
Cast: François Cluzet, Omar Sy, Anne Le Ny, Audrey Fleurot
In French with English subtitles

S Y N O P S I S
An irreverent, uplifting comedy about friendship, trust and human possibility, The Intouchables has broken box office records in France and across Europe. Based on a true story of friendship between a handicap millionaire (Francois Cluzet) and his street smart ex-con caretaker (Omar Sy), The Intouchables depicts an unlikely camaraderie rooted in honesty and humor between two individuals who, on the surface, would seem to have nothing in common.

Directed by Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache, the film was nominated for a total of nine 2012 César Awards, France's equivalent to the Oscars, including Best Picture, and won Best Actor for breakout star Omar Sy. The film also won the Grand Prize at the 2011 Tokyo International Film Festival.The film has received Audience Awards from U.S. film festivals including the San Francisco Film Festival, COL COA, and the Nashville Film Festival.

P R E S S
"An exuberantly charming French buddy comedy... superbly crafted" — USA Today

"A perfect star vehicle for Omar Sy... who makes Driss an unstoppable life force." — The Wall Street Journal

T R A I L E R (In French with English subtitles)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7g_OjLKeZ4

U P C O M I N G   E V E N T S
at La Maison Française, Embassy of France, 4101 Reservoir Rd, NW
RESERVE YOUR SEATS TODAY!
TUES, FEB 12 AT 7:00PM: Screening of "Angèle et Tony" - FILM
Angèle, a beautiful young woman with a past, arrives in a small fishing harbor in Normandy. She meets Tony, a professional fisherman, who finds himself attracted to her although he dislikes her blunt ways. Tony hires her as a fishmonger, lodges her and teaches her the tricks of the trade. The relationships between Tony's mother and Angèle are far from easy but the young woman gradually adapts to her new environment and little by little Tony and Angèle manage to tame each other...
MORE INFO / TICKETS

TUES, FEB 26 AT 7:30PM: Percussions Claviers de Lyon - CONCERT
With a dizzyingly varied repertoire that spans Bach to Ravel to Zappa and back again, Percussions Claviers de Lyon are five passionate and demanding musicians who have succeeded in maintaining an ensemble dedicated solely to percussion keyboard instruments — marimbas, vibraphones, and xylophones. This ensemble explores and surpasses genres, forms, and techniques, continually surprising and engaging their audiences.
MORE INFO / TICKETS

THUR, MARCH 21 AT 7:30PM: Court-Circuit - CONCERT
In French, “court-circuit” refers to a “short circuit” — and while this electrical mishap usually indicates that something has gone awry, for Ensemble Court-Circuit, it instead encompasses a charged flow of artistic adventurousness that surveys the boundaries of contemporary music. Founded in 1991 by Philippe Hurel and Pierre-André Valade and composed entirely of virtuoso musicians, Ensemble Court-Circuit was quickly recognized as one of Europe’s most outstanding new music ensembles.
MORE INFO / TICKETS

FRI, APR 12 AT 7:30PM: Christophe Rousset, harpsichord - CONCERT
A renowned harpsichordist, conductor, and expert of all things Baroque, Christophe Rousset has gained the intriguing reputation of a musical archaeologist who proclaims that “there is no greater feeling than to revive works that have never been heard for centuries.”
MORE INFO / TICKETS


Monday, January 14, 2013

J-Film: Shodo Girls!

Banner
Presented by the JICC, Embassy of Japan
and the Japan Commerce Association of Washington, D.C.
J-Film: Shodo Girls!
© NTV
Wednesday, January 23rd @ 6:30 pm
When
Wednesday, January 23rd at 6:30 PM
Add to Calendar


Where
JICC, Embassy of Japan
1150 18th St., NW
Suite 100
Washington, DC 20036

 
In Shikoku Chuo City in Ehime Prefecture, which boasts the highest output of calligraphy paper, the ancient art of calligraphy has always been a formal and traditional practice. However, after a group of high school students see their beloved hometown gradually decline in prosperity, they decide to host a calligraphy performance contest in an attempt to restore the city's former vitality. As they dance around on paper to pop music and use large brushes to write, students compete against each other to determine who has the best calligraphy performance skills.

Based on a true story about a group of students from Ehime Mishima High School, Shodo Girls! tells a tale of hope as youthful vigor meets ancient art. The calligraphy performance contest has since become a tradition in the region and was held for the fifth time in 2012. 

Japanese with English Subtitles | Not Rated | 120 min | 2010 | Directed by Ryuichi Inomata  

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Please note that seating is limited and registration does not guarantee guests a seat. Registered guests will be seated on a first come, first served basis.  
Doors open at 6:00pm. No admission or re-entry after 7:00pm.

 

Thursday, January 10, 2013

The Embassy of the Czech Republic will launch a retrospective of films by Oscar-winning Czech director Jiří Menzel at the local Czech restaurant Bistro Bohem on January 15, at 7 pm.

INVITATION:
The Embassy of the Czech Republic will launch a retrospective of films by Oscar-winning Czech director Jiří Menzel at the local Czech restaurant Bistro Bohem on January 15, at 7 pm. The series begins with the film Pearls of the Deep (Perličky na dně), featuring the work of the acclaimed director and his Czech New Wave colleagues. Enjoy delicious Czech cuisine while watching Czech films.
 
Location:
Bistro Bohem
600 Florida Ave., Washington, DC
www.bistrobohem.com

Pearls of the Deep (Perličky na dně)
1965, 115 minutes, Czech with English subtitles

Five directors teamed up for this film that strings together five short stories from a collection of writings by Bohumil Hrabal. "Mr. Baltazar's Death," made when Jiří Menzel was still a student, follows a family that has a strange obsession for accidents to a motorcycle race. Jan Němec directs "The Imposters" about two old men in a hospital who embellish their younger days, boasting of their professional accomplishments. In Evald Schorm's "The House Of Joy," two insurance salesmen pay a visit to an eccentric painter. In "The Restaurant the World," directed by Věra Chytilová, a young woman's body is found at a wedding celeration. The final feature, "Romance" directed by Jaromír Jireš, involves a young man having an affair with a gypsy woman. The feature marks the emergence of five young directors who were part of the boom of the Czech New Wave during the 1960s. For additional background information on the film, please visit: http://www.criterion.com/current/posts/2269-eclipse-series-32-pearls-of-the-czech-new-wave.
 
About Jiří Menzel:
Jiří Menzel is an award-winning director, screenwriter, actor, and theater director. He studied filmmaking at the famous Czech National Film Academy, FAMU, in Prague. Like Forman, he was one of the leaders of the Czech New Wave. Most notably, Menzel won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film for his first feature-length film Closely Watched Trains (Ostře sledované vlaky, 1967). With the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact forces in 1968, and the period of so-called ‘normalization’ that followed, he was one of the first directors to be barred from filmmaking. Menzel’s controversial film Larks on a String (Skřivánci na niti, 1969) was banned by the government, but released twenty years later, in 1990, after the collapse of the communist regime. The film won the Golden Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival. In 1986, his film My Sweet Little Village (Vesničko má středisková, 1985) was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film (1987). Other renowned works include Capricious Summer (Rozmarné léto, 1968), Cutting It Short (Postřižiny, 1981) and most recently I Serve the King of England (Obsluhoval jsem anglického krále, 2006). Menzel is a member of the Czech Film and Television Academy, the European Film Academy and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He has received many prestigious awards, among them the French order of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and the Akira Kurosawa Prize for a lifetime’s achievement at the San Francisco Film Festival. 
 
About the Czech New Wave:
The Czech New Wave was an artistic movement of the 1960s, hailed as the “golden era” in Czechoslovakia's cinematic history boasting some of the most attractive films produced in Europe. The core of the New Wave was comprised of recent graduates of the Film and Television Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU) in Prague, who made their debuts in or around 1963 and continued to produce internationally acclaimed work throughout most of the decade. Prominent Czech directors include Miloš Forman, who directed Black Peter (Černý Petr, 1963), Loves of a Blonde (Lásky jedné plavovlásky, 1965) and The Firemen's Ball (Hoří, má panenko, 1967); Věra Chytilová who is best known for her film Daisies; and Jiří Menzel, whose film Closely Watched Trains (Ostře sledované vlaky, 1966) won an academy award for best foreign language film.
Jiří Menzel Retrospective
All screenings start at 7 pm.
 
January 15
Pearls of the Deep
Perličky na dně
 
February 19
Closely Watched Trains
Ostře sledované vlaky
 
March 19
*Those Wonderful Movie Cranks Báječní muži s klikou
 
April 16
Larks on a String
Skřivánci na niti
 
May 21
Capricious Summer
Rozmarné léto
 
June 18
*I Served the King of England
Obsluhoval jsem anglického krále
 
July 16
*Crime in a Music Hall
Zločin v šantánu
 
August 20
*Who Looks for Gold
Kdo hledá zlaté dno
 
September 17
Cutting It Short
Postřižiny
 
October 15
The Snowdrop Festival
Slavnosti sněženek
 
November 19
Seclusion Near a Forest
Na samotě u lesa
 
December 17
My Sweet Little Village
Vesničko má středisková
 
*These films will be screened in Czech. All others will be screened with English subtitles.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

La Cinémathèque @ La Maison Française: Populaire

La Cinémathèque @ La Maison Française
Populaire
TUESDAY, JANUARY 15 AT 7PM


Dear Friends of La Maison Française,

On Tuesday, January 15 at 7 p.m., La Cinémathèque @ La Maison Française will screen Régis Roinsard’s Populaire.

From the producers of such French favorites as Le concert / The Concert (2009), Les petits mouchoirs / Little White Lies (2010), and OSS 117 (2006), comes this romantic comedy starring Romain Duris (L’arnacoeur / Heartbreaker - 2010), Déborah François (Le premier jour du reste de ta vie / The First Day of the Rest of Your Life - 2008) and Oscar nominee Bérénice Bejo (The Artist – 2011).

Set in 1958, this entertaining film – already a classic – takes us on the journey of a secretary, whose lightning speed on the typewriter catapults her into the international spotlight and opens the door to romance!

P R E S S
"Somehow managing to combine the peppiness of a Doris Day with the sulky intensity of a Noomi Rapace, Deborah Francois is a revelation."
— DailyScreen
Watch the trailer (in French): www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p6xo2W-DHs
WHAT: Populaire - details below
In French with English Subtitles
WHEN: Tuesday, January 15 at 7 p.m.
WHERE: Embassy of France - 4101 Reservoir Rd, NW
ADMISSION: General: $8; Seniors/Students: $5 - reservations required
RESERVATIONS: www.cinematheque15jan2013.eventbrite.com/
Presented with the generous support of:


We look forward to seeing you for this edition of La Cinémathèque!

Please also take the time to scroll down and discover more upcoming cultural events happening at the Embassy of France!

Warm regards,

La Maison Française
www.HouseofFranceDC.org
===========
D E T A I L S
===========
Populaire
France — 2012 — 111 min.
Directed by Régis Roinsard
Cast: Romain Duris, Déborah François, Bérénice Bejo
In French with English Subtitles

Synopsis
Spring 1958. 21-year-old Rose Pamphyle lives with her grouchy widower father who runs the village store. Engaged to the son of the local mechanic, she seems destined for the quiet, drudgery-filled life of a housewife. But that’s not the life Rose longs for. When she travels to Lisieux in Normandy, where charismatic insurance agency boss Louis Echard is advertising for a secretary, the ensuing interview is a disaster. But Rose reveals a special gift - she can type at extraordinary speed. Unwittingly, the young woman awakens the dormant sports fan in Louis. If she wants the job she’ll have to compete in a speed typing competition. Whatever sacrifices Rose must make to reach the top, Louis declares himself her trainer. He’ll turn her into the fastest girl not only in the country, but in the world! But a love for sport doesn’t always mix well with love itself...

Press
"Somehow managing to combine the peppiness of a Doris Day with the sulky intensity of a Noomi Rapace, Deborah Francois is a revelation."
— DailyScreen

Watch the trailer (In French):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p6xo2W-DHs
U P C O M I N G   E V E N T S
at La Maison Française, Embassy of France, 4101 Reservoir Rd, NW
RESERVE YOUR SEATS TODAY!
TUES, JAN 15 AT 7:00PM: Screening of "Populaire" - FILM
From the producers of such French favorites as "Le concert / The Concert" (2009), "Les petits mouchoirs / Little White Lies" (2010), and "OSS 117" (2006), comes "Populaire" - a romantic comedy starring Romain Duris, Déborah François, and Oscar nominee Bérénice Bejo. Set in 1958, this entertaining film takes us on the journey of a secretary, whose lightning speed on the typewriter catapults her into the international spotlight and opens the door to romance!
MORE INFO / TICKETS

TUES, FEB 12 AT 7:00PM: Screening of "Angèle et Tony" - FILM
Angèle, a beautiful young woman with a past, arrives in a small fishing harbor in Normandy. She meets Tony, a professional fisherman, who finds himself attracted to her although he dislikes her blunt ways. Tony hires her as a fishmonger, lodges her and teaches her the tricks of the trade. The relationships between Tony's mother and Angèle are far from easy but the young woman gradually adapts to her new environment and little by little Tony and Angèle manage to tame each other...
MORE INFO / TICKETS

TUES, FEB 26 AT 7:30PM: Percussions Claviers de Lyon - CONCERT
With a dizzyingly varied repertoire that spans Bach to Ravel to Zappa and back again, Percussions Claviers de Lyon are five passionate and demanding musicians who have succeeded in maintaining an ensemble dedicated solely to percussion keyboard instruments — marimbas, vibraphones, and xylophones. This ensemble explores and surpasses genres, forms, and techniques, continually surprising and engaging their audiences.
MORE INFO / TICKETS

THUR, MARCH 21 AT 7:30PM: Court-Circuit - CONCERT
In French, “court-circuit” refers to a “short circuit” — and while this electrical mishap usually indicates that something has gone awry, for Ensemble Court-Circuit, it instead encompasses a charged flow of artistic adventurousness that surveys the boundaries of contemporary music. Founded in 1991 by Philippe Hurel and Pierre-André Valade and composed entirely of virtuoso musicians, Ensemble Court-Circuit was quickly recognized as one of Europe’s most outstanding new music ensembles.
MORE INFO / TICKETS

FRI, APR 12 AT 7:30PM: Christophe Rousset, harpsichord - CONCERT
A renowned harpsichordist, conductor, and expert of all things Baroque, Christophe Rousset has gained the intriguing reputation of a musical archaeologist who proclaims that “there is no greater feeling than to revive works that have never been heard for centuries.”
MORE INFO / TICKETS


La Cinémathèque @ La Maison Française Populaire

La Cinémathèque @ La Maison Française
Populaire
TUESDAY, JANUARY 15 AT 7PM


Dear Friends of La Maison Française,

On Tuesday, January 15 at 7 p.m., La Cinémathèque @ La Maison Française will screen Régis Roinsard’s Populaire.

From the producers of such French favorites as Le concert / The Concert (2009), Les petits mouchoirs / Little White Lies (2010), and OSS 117 (2006), comes this romantic comedy starring Romain Duris (L’arnacoeur / Heartbreaker - 2010), Déborah François (Le premier jour du reste de ta vie / The First Day of the Rest of Your Life - 2008) and Oscar nominee Bérénice Bejo (The Artist – 2011).

Set in 1958, this entertaining film – already a classic – takes us on the journey of a secretary, whose lightning speed on the typewriter catapults her into the international spotlight and opens the door to romance!

P R E S S
"Somehow managing to combine the peppiness of a Doris Day with the sulky intensity of a Noomi Rapace, Deborah Francois is a revelation."
— DailyScreen
Watch the trailer (in French): www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p6xo2W-DHs
WHAT: Populaire - details below
In French with English Subtitles
WHEN: Tuesday, January 15 at 7 p.m.
WHERE: Embassy of France - 4101 Reservoir Rd, NW
ADMISSION: General: $8; Seniors/Students: $5 - reservations required
RESERVATIONS: www.cinematheque15jan2013.eventbrite.com/
Presented with the generous support of:


We look forward to seeing you for this edition of La Cinémathèque!

Please also take the time to scroll down and discover more upcoming cultural events happening at the Embassy of France!

Warm regards,

La Maison Française
www.HouseofFranceDC.org
===========
D E T A I L S
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Populaire
France — 2012 — 111 min.
Directed by Régis Roinsard
Cast: Romain Duris, Déborah François, Bérénice Bejo
In French with English Subtitles

Synopsis
Spring 1958. 21-year-old Rose Pamphyle lives with her grouchy widower father who runs the village store. Engaged to the son of the local mechanic, she seems destined for the quiet, drudgery-filled life of a housewife. But that’s not the life Rose longs for. When she travels to Lisieux in Normandy, where charismatic insurance agency boss Louis Echard is advertising for a secretary, the ensuing interview is a disaster. But Rose reveals a special gift - she can type at extraordinary speed. Unwittingly, the young woman awakens the dormant sports fan in Louis. If she wants the job she’ll have to compete in a speed typing competition. Whatever sacrifices Rose must make to reach the top, Louis declares himself her trainer. He’ll turn her into the fastest girl not only in the country, but in the world! But a love for sport doesn’t always mix well with love itself...

Press
"Somehow managing to combine the peppiness of a Doris Day with the sulky intensity of a Noomi Rapace, Deborah Francois is a revelation."
— DailyScreen

Watch the trailer (In French):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p6xo2W-DHs
U P C O M I N G   E V E N T S
at La Maison Française, Embassy of France, 4101 Reservoir Rd, NW
RESERVE YOUR SEATS TODAY!
TUES, JAN 15 AT 7:00PM: Screening of "Populaire" - FILM
From the producers of such French favorites as "Le concert / The Concert" (2009), "Les petits mouchoirs / Little White Lies" (2010), and "OSS 117" (2006), comes "Populaire" - a romantic comedy starring Romain Duris, Déborah François, and Oscar nominee Bérénice Bejo. Set in 1958, this entertaining film takes us on the journey of a secretary, whose lightning speed on the typewriter catapults her into the international spotlight and opens the door to romance!
MORE INFO / TICKETS

TUES, FEB 12 AT 7:00PM: Screening of "Angèle et Tony" - FILM
Angèle, a beautiful young woman with a past, arrives in a small fishing harbor in Normandy. She meets Tony, a professional fisherman, who finds himself attracted to her although he dislikes her blunt ways. Tony hires her as a fishmonger, lodges her and teaches her the tricks of the trade. The relationships between Tony's mother and Angèle are far from easy but the young woman gradually adapts to her new environment and little by little Tony and Angèle manage to tame each other...
MORE INFO / TICKETS

TUES, FEB 26 AT 7:30PM: Percussions Claviers de Lyon - CONCERT
With a dizzyingly varied repertoire that spans Bach to Ravel to Zappa and back again, Percussions Claviers de Lyon are five passionate and demanding musicians who have succeeded in maintaining an ensemble dedicated solely to percussion keyboard instruments — marimbas, vibraphones, and xylophones. This ensemble explores and surpasses genres, forms, and techniques, continually surprising and engaging their audiences.
MORE INFO / TICKETS

THUR, MARCH 21 AT 7:30PM: Court-Circuit - CONCERT
In French, “court-circuit” refers to a “short circuit” — and while this electrical mishap usually indicates that something has gone awry, for Ensemble Court-Circuit, it instead encompasses a charged flow of artistic adventurousness that surveys the boundaries of contemporary music. Founded in 1991 by Philippe Hurel and Pierre-André Valade and composed entirely of virtuoso musicians, Ensemble Court-Circuit was quickly recognized as one of Europe’s most outstanding new music ensembles.
MORE INFO / TICKETS

FRI, APR 12 AT 7:30PM: Christophe Rousset, harpsichord - CONCERT
A renowned harpsichordist, conductor, and expert of all things Baroque, Christophe Rousset has gained the intriguing reputation of a musical archaeologist who proclaims that “there is no greater feeling than to revive works that have never been heard for centuries.”
MORE INFO / TICKETS