Film still of Rendez-vous de juillet (Rendez-Vous With Tomorrow) © RR
Three reasons to go and see Rendez-vous in July
They're young, they're beautiful and they have a passion for life. In post-war Paris, Lucien is preparing an African expedition for his ethnographic research, while his friends are putting on a theatre play. Within the group a series of amorous encounters ensues, against a background of jazz music. Rendez-vous In July by Jacques Becker is presented today in a restored version for Cannes Classics.
Relive the jazz scene in post-war Paris
Jacques Becker made his film in 1959 after falling in love with the ambience of Paris' jazz clubs. Young people gather to party in the underground cellars in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area. The director took an interest in this generation, about which he knew little, and decided to explore the profound sense of freedom they exuded.
(Re)discover the charm of Daniel Gélin
Cocteau, Chabrol, Malle, Hitchcock… Daniel Gélin starred in over 150 films for the greatest directors of his generation. He shot to fame at the ages of 28 with Rendez-vous in July – a film perfectly suited to the jazz loving actor. During the Occupation, he had been a regular at the capital's clandestine clubs, rubbing shoulders with Boris Vian, Jean-Paul Sartre and Jacques Prévert, other key figures on the intellectual scene in Saint-Germain.
And the talented Jacques Becker
With Max Ophuls and Robert Bresson, the post-war cinema of Jacques Becker paved the way for the New Wave. A student and long-time assistant of Jean Renoir, Becker brought an extremely meticulous approach to his work throughout his career. The director of Paris Frills, Casque d’or and Touchez pas au Grisbi got involved in every possible role on set, from screenplay writing to editing – his recipe for creating authentic works.
2K restoration presented by Gaumont. Images by Eclair, sound restored by L.E. Diapason in partnership with Eclair. Soon to be released in cinemas and on DVD/Blu-ray.
