Lola Montès will open Cannes Classics

In 2007, the Cinémathèque Française and Les Films du Jeudi (Laurence Braunberger) commenced, with the help of Marcel Ophuls, the restoration of Lola Montès, directed in 1955 by Max Ophuls.

This restoration has been made possible thanks to close collaboration with the Thomson Foundation for Film and Television Heritage (which has notably made available the Technicolor Laboratory), with the support of the Franco-American Cultural Fund, and thanks to the patronage of Oréal and agnès b.

The Cinémathèque Française, managed by Serge Toubiana, will present this new Technicolor restoration of Lola Montès in its world avant-premiere at the 61^st Festival de Cannes, in the Cannes Classics programme.

Inspired by the scandalous life of the Countess of Landsfeld, better known as Lola Montès, this picture is Max Ophuls’ last work but equally his only film in colour.

Under the attentive eye of Marcel Ophuls, following the technical expertise of François Ede, and thanks to the technical innovations of the Technicolor Laboratory, the Cinémathèque Française has undertaken to restore Lola Montès, to its original editing, colours, sound and image format, thus offering this film cult the possibility of delighting new young audiences and seducing once again those the film has already long since conquered.

The presentation of this restoration will equally mark the occasion to honour Max Ophuls, who passed away in 1957, shortly after the release of the film.

Lola Montès by Max Ophuls – © 2008 Les Films du Jeudi