CINEMA DE LA PLAGE – Siméon, to the sound of zouk

This evening, the Cinema on the Beach sees a  homage to Aimé Césaire with Siméon, a Caribbean tale which tells of the birth of a Creole music group, Jacaranda, a fictional version of Kassav.

Two years ago Euzhan Palcy was at Cannes Classics to present two films: the restored version of Rue Cases Nègres, her first feature film, which reaped a host of rewards, and the short film Moly by Moly Kane, which she had just produced.

The director of A Dry White Season is back this year with her third feature film, Siméon (1992), to mark the centenary of the birth of the poet Aimé Césaire. The screening takes place today, 22nd May, in celebration of the day slavery was abolished in  Martinique.

Siméon is the story of a Caribbean musician who dreams of creating a music as popular as jazz or reggae, and of his little girl who helps him in his endeavours, by bringing  the old music teacher, Siméon, back to life, after he fell from his tree after trying to get too close to the moon.

With the exception of Jean-Claude Duverger (Siméon) and Lucinda Messager (the little girl), all the cast are musicians, old beguine pros, like Al Lirvat, or modern stars from the 90s, like the members of Kassav, Jocelyn Beroard, Jacob Desvarieux and Jean-Claude Naimro. 

Béatrice de Mondenard

SCREENING
Wednesday 22nd May, Cinema on the Beach, 9.30 p.m.
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