CANNES CLASSICS 2008

For the 5th year in a row, the Festival uses Cannes Classics to place the spotlight on rediscovered or restored masterworks from the past, or ones that have been re-released in theatres or on DVD. This programme is presented in the Palais des Festivals (in either the Buñuel theatres or Soixantième theatre) as well as at the Cinéma de la Plage and in the La Licorne Theater.

Cannes Classics 2008 is placed under the sign of Manoel de Oliveira to whom the Festival pays the most lively of tributes for his 100th birthday, by screening the first of his films DOURO, FAINA FLUVIAL (1931, 18’, Portugal) in the main Lumière theatre, and with Wong Kar Wai presenting ASHES OF TIME REDUX (1994, 120’, Hong-Kong) in the Debussy theatre.

THE PROGRAMME IN DETAIL

Main event: LOLA MONTÈS by Max Ophüls

The Technicolor restoration of LOLA MONTÈS, directed by Max Ophüls in 1955, is to have its world premier, presented by the Cinémathèque française, on Saturday May 17th.

Inspired by the scandalous life of Countess Landsfeld, known as Lola Montès, the film was Max Ophüls’ last work and his only film in colour.

Under Marcel Ophuls’ watchful eye, and benefiting from the technical expertise of François Ede – and thanks to theTechnicolor Lab., the Cinémathèque française set about restoring LOLA MONTÈS in its original version, giving back its colour, sound and original format, and thus providing this cult film with the possibility of amazing a younger audience as well as once again seducing all the people whose hearts it has already conquered.

The presentation of the restored print is our way of paying homage to Max Ophüls who died in 1957, shortly after the film was released.

Documentaries about cinema

NO SUBTITLES NECESSARY: LASZLO & VILMOS (2008,105’, USA) by James Chressanthis. A documentary that tells of the journey and friendship of Laszlo Kovacs and Vilmos Zsigmond, the famous directors of photography from Hungary, who contributed to the golden age of Hollywood in the 70’s and 80’s.

THE CINEMA CINEMAS COLLECTION (104’, France, 1980-1990) by Claude Ventura. Two episodes chosen from the many hours of programmes filmed in the ‘80s.

“YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS”: A HISTORY OF WARNER BROS” (120’, 2008, United States)

Warner Bros. celebrates 85 years of film with this documentary by Richard Schickel, YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS, about the studio’s history.

The programme will be accompanied by a “Warner screening” every night at the Cinéma de la Plage, including a one-off “Looney Tunes” event which will show off the Burbank company at its cartoon best.

A selection of 9 new or restored prints

GUIDE by Vijay Anand (1965, 179′, India)

LOLA MONTES by Max Ophüls (1955, 115’, France)

EFFECT OF GAMMA RAYS ON MAN-IN-THE-MOON MARIGOLDS by Paul Newman (1972, 100’, USA)

LET’S GET LOST by Bruce Weber (1988, 120’, USA)

SANTA SANGRE by Alejandro Jodorowsky (1989, 123’, Mexico)

ORPHEE by Jean Cocteau (1949, 93’, France)

FINGERS by James Toback (1977, 90’, USA)

GAMPERALIYA by Lester James Peries (1965, 105’, Sri Lanka)

THE SAVAGE EYE by Ben Maddow, Sydney Meyers, Joseph Strick (1960, 71’, USA)
 

1968: 40 years on

In 1968, the Festival was interrupted a few days after opening due to events linked to the social uprising of the time. By showing a few of the films which were not able to be screened that year, we will provide an active and fun nod of recognition to the 1968 Festival – in the presence of Carlos Saura whose film Peppermint Frappé was the one on which the curtains came down on the Festival that year.

PEPPERMINT FRAPPE by Carlos Saura (1968, 92’, Spain), in the presence of Carlos Saura, presenting a new print.

13 JOURS EN FRANCE by Claude Lelouch (1968, 115’, France), in the presence of Claude Lelouch, presenting a restored copy.

ANNA KARENINA by Aleksandr Zarkhi (1968, 145’, USSR)

THE LONG DAY’S DYING  by Peter Collinson (1968, 95’, United Kingdom)

24 HOURS IN THE LIFE OF A WOMAN by Dominique Delouche (1968, 80’, France), in the presence of the director.

David Lean Centenary (1908-1991)

THE PASSIONATE FRIENDS (1949, 91′, United Kingdom)

THIS HAPPY BREED (1944, 114′, United Kingdom)

IL ETAIT UNE FOIS… LAURENCE D’ARABIE (2008, 52’ , France) by Anne Kunvari

Kawakita Memorial Film Institute

The Kawakita Institute promotes Japanese films at festivals, in museums and at centres for culture around the world. Under the Kawakita umbrella there is a library, a museum and an annual prize that is awarded to a person or company that has helped the development of Japanese film.

The centenary of Kashiko Kawakita, Kawakita Memorial Film Institute will be celebrated with the screening of Seijun Suzuki’s film, ZIGEUNERWEISEN (1980, 145′, Japan)

 
World Cinema Foundation: second year, second harvest.

The World Cinema Foundation is a non-profit-making organization that was created to help developing countries maintain their cinematographic treasures. Presided by Martin Scorsese, it asks different film-makers each year to sponsor the restoration of a film.

SUSUZ YAZ (Dry Summer) by Metin Erksan (1964, 85’, Turkey) – film presented by Fatih Akin

HANYO by Kim Ki-young (1960, 109’, Korea)

TOUKI BOUKI by Djibril Diop Mambéty (1973, 88’, Senegal)

 
Cinéma de la Plage: Carte Blanche to Warner Studios

DIRTY HARRY by Don Siegel (1971, 102’) (restored copy)

I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG by Mervyn LeRoy (1932, 93’)

WHAT’S UP, DOC? by Peter Bogdanovich (1972, 94’)

BONNIE AND CLYDE by Arthur Penn (1967, 112’) (restored copy)

ENTER THE DRAGON by Robert Clouse (1973, 110’)

BLAZING SADDLES by Mel Brooks (1974, 93’)

CAPTAIN BLOOD by Michael Curtiz (1935, 120’)

MATRIX by the Wachowski Brothers (1999, 136’)

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? by Robert Aldrich (1962, 134’)

“LOONEY TUNES” COLLECTION (1936 – 1957, 71’)