This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and China. In the past six decades, cinema has always been an important medium and bond for cultural exchanges between the two countries. The Beijing Film Panorama section this year has selected the representative works of the most iconic French actresses since the establishment of China-France diplomatic relations, one film for each, and specially launched the “She Is France” sub-section.
This spring, the screen Muses are about to come hand in hand, bringing the extremely brilliant light of French women to the audience in Beijing.
Bond of Outsiders
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A dance for three people with black humor and extreme romance
Anna Karina is a muse that inspires Jean-Luc Godard and a goddess of the New Wave in the hearts of many moviegoers. As Godard’s second classic black film after Breathless, this film Bond of Outsiders, starring Anna Karina, also had a far-reaching influence on later films. The classic “a minute of silence” has redefined the length of time, and the reflexive narrative deconstructing everything was even a direct inspiration for many new Hollywood movies.
Tristana
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An ill-fated life of the beauty, and a lustful tragedy in the film industry
Catherine Deneuve, the eternal “Beauty of the Day” in world cinema, has won countless awards since her acting career, and was awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice International Film Festival in 2022. The film Tristana starring Deneuve has been considered as director Luis Buñuel’s masterpiece in his later years. Deneuve has vividly depicted the change of the heroine from an innocent girl to a desperate woman, leaving a beam of timeless light on the world screen.
Lumiere
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A movie love letter of Jeanne Moreau off screen
Speaking of Jeanne Moreau, most people may think of her as a French legendary actress. World-renowned directors, such as François Truffaut, Luis Buñuel and Michelangelo Antonioni, have all worked with her. Her works together can form a history of French New Wave cinema. In this film Lumiere, Moreau, changing her identity from an actress to a director, picked up the camera and presented the landscape of cinema in her eyes to the audience. This is the first time that the restoration version of this film will premiere in Chinese mainland.
Possession (4K)
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Winner of Best Actress at Festival de Cannes; a terrible crazy love lost in intimacy
Isabelle Adjani with blue eyes, black hair and beautiful red lips has all beautiful imaginations about a “French beauty”. In the film Possession, her hysterical and neurotic performance and angel-like face have formed an extreme contrast, making every viewer enchanted with her. Thanks to this film, Adjani has not only won Best Actress at Festival de Cannes, but also received Best Actress at the French César Awards and other international film festivals.
Police
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A masterpiece that initially showcased the charm of the goddess, and made Maurice Pialat a nominee of Golden Lion
Sophie Marceau is the “eternal love” of French men. The charming actress is a mix of Western sexiness and Eastern mystery, captivating moviegoers all over the world. In this film, Sophie Marceau, who was just 18 years old, worked with Gérard Depardieu, a famous French actor who also played in Cyrano, to present an excellent crime film with French style. The 18-year-old goddess began to showcase her charm in this film, which should not be missed by moviegoers.
Manon of the Spring (4K)
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A forest fairy stunning the film history, and a Greek tragedy with French style
Emmanuelle Béart is one of the greatest actresses in French film history. The best French goddess in the hearts of countless fans has a “stunningly beautiful” face. In this film, Béart who wears coarse clothes and does not apply any makeup, is herding sheep on the hillside and playing the harmonica, a perfect illustration of what the “fairy” is. Her beauty is like a revelation from God, adding a divine undertone to such a quite fatalistic tragedy.
The Night Is Young (4K)
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The decadent and lost youth can only be cured by love
Juliette Binoche, a French national treasure winning Best Actress, has won numerous awards during her acting career, but what is most remembered is the close-up shot that director Leos Carax has affectionately made for her. The film is so fascinating with its decadent and psychedelic atmosphere. The love story in this film is like the flame that burns out, with only embers left, but that dazzling fire has always remained in the hearts of all moviegoers.
La Vie En Rose
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A film making Marion Cotillard the winner of Best Actress, and telling about a legendary life of the iconic French singer
Thanks to her acting as Édith Piaf, the French national treasure in music, Marion Cotillard won the Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role that year, and also took the trophy of the Golden Globes for Best Actress. Both Marion Cotillard’s vivid portrayal of the character and the well-known song La Vie En Rose are good reasons for you to watch this movie.
The Beast
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A preview of Léa Seydoux’s new film, which tells about love like a trapped beast that cannot escape its fate
This is the latest work of Léa Seydoux, an emerging screen goddess in France. From 1910 to 2044, three torturous romances across three ages let the audience see three totally different styles of the actress. When talking about what is love, the film also wrote a fable of the times about where human destiny is going by virtue of the entanglement the beloved couple for three ages.
All Your Faces
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A film helping Adèle Exarchopoulos conquer the César Awards with her performance, and a healing work with humanistic care
How could scars in the hearts of women be healed after they are assaulted? The film All Your Faces with Jeanne Herry as the screenwriter and director has worked with Adèle Exarchopoulos and other French accomplished actors to issue a prescription with humanistic care for this unspeakable pain. It has received a few César Awards nominations including Best Film and Best Director, and helped Exarchopoulos win the honor of Best Supporting Actress.
My New Friends
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The latest work of Isabelle Huppert, and a contemporary sketch criticizing the problems of the society
As a long-established screen goddess in the French film industry, Huppert has always maintained a strong artistic vitality in her film career for five decades. In this realistic sketch directed by André Téchiné, a police officer played by Huppert falls in love with her neighbor, a “reactionary”. In such a contradictory romance, the contemporary ills of French society are also slightly uncovered.
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In case of any changes to the film lineup, please refer to the actual official screening schedule. Stay tuned for more exciting content about the Beijing Film Panorama.
