Journeys Through French Cinema

Overview

My Journey Through French Cinema (2017), Bertrand Tavernier’s CĂ©sar-nominated three-and-a-half-hour tour through French film history, was too short to introduce audiences to all that he wanted to share. In this new eight-part series (8x55min), the acclaimed director of such films as Coup de Torchon and ‘Round Midnight guides us through a roster of filmmakers both influential and forgotten, explores how his country’s cinema was shaped by the German occupation and changed again through the New Wave, spotlights little-known female filmmakers, and more. Subjects include: RenĂ© ClĂ©ment, Henri-Georges Clouzot, Julien Duvivier, Henri Decoin, Claude Autant-Lara, as well as composers who made movie music an art in and of itself, far from the Hollywood spotlight.

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Episodes

My Go-To Filmmakers, Part 1

S01E01 My Go-To Filmmakers, Part 1

September 16, 2017 56 min
In the first episode of this expansive series, Bertrand Tavernier discusses the directors who have both influenced him personally and impacted French Cinema at large. The journey begins with Jean Grémillon, whose film LE CIEL...
My Go-To Filmmakers, Part 2

S01E02 My Go-To Filmmakers, Part 2

September 23, 2017 56 min
In part two of his discussion of influential filmmakers, Tavernier explores the formal and thematic approaches of Sacha Guitry, Marcel Pagnol, Jacques Tati, and Robert Bresson. The first two directors were introduced to Tavernier through...
Les Chansons, Julien Duvivier

S01E03 Les Chansons, Julien Duvivier

September 30, 2017 56 min
Tavernier dissects the importance of music in French Cinema with palpable enthusiasm, highlighting French actors who came from music hall backgrounds (Jean Gabin, Magali Noël, and Jean Gabin, among others), and the oft-overlooked contributions of...
Under German Occupation

S01E04 Under German Occupation

October 7, 2017 56 min
Discussing the artistic and political atmosphere during the German occupation, Tavernier explores the ways in which French cinema was enriched by foreign talent as many directors, cinematographers, and technicians forced to leave their native countries...
Occupation to New Wave

S01E05 Occupation to New Wave

October 14, 2017 56 min
As a postscript to his survey of moviemaking in France under German occupation, Tavernier takes a deep dive into how that period of history impacted films by three essential directors—Claude Autant-Lara, RenĂ© ClĂ©ment, and Henri-Georges...
The Forgotten Ones

S01E06 The Forgotten Ones

October 21, 2017 56 min
In seeking to upgrade his own outmoded perspective on several filmmakers, Tavernier credits critic/programmer Patrick Brion and other writers for early and often championing directors who—decades after their heyday—were finally restored the respect they deserve....
Underrated Directors

S01E07 Underrated Directors

October 28, 2017 56 min
Continuing to spotlight names that might be unfamiliar even to ardent film buffs, Tavernier unveils glorious restored footage from one of France’s first-ever color films, 1936’s La Terre qui meurt. The latter’s director, Jean VallĂ©e,...
My Sixties

S01E08 My Sixties

November 4, 2017 56 min
Closing out his “exercise in admiration and gratitude” from an even more personal perspective, Tavernier recounts firsthand experiences from his 10 rewarding years as press attachĂ© to and with legendary producer and publicist Pierre Rissient....

Cast

Bertrand Tavernier
Bertrand Tavernier
Self

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