CINEMA REBORN - CLASSIC FRENCH CINEMA - PORT OF SHADOWS (1938), THE WATCHMAKER OF SAINT PAUL (1974), 36 FILLETTE (1988)

The 2026 program includes three remarkable films from three classic periods of French Cinema.

PORT OF SHADOWS (Marcel Carné, 1938) is an early film from the master film-maker best known for the wartime masterpiece Les Enfants du Paradis (1945). In his notes for the film published on the Cinema Reborn website critic Charles Carrall writes: “In his third feature-length film Port of Shadows (Le quai des brumes, 1938), an early masterpiece for Carné, the port city of Le Havre is shrouded in a serious fog. …As one of seven works in his celebrated partnership with screenwriter Jacques Prévert, Carné’s Port of Shadows, based on a Pierre Mac Orlan novel, stands out for its remarkable atmosphere of doom and gloom.

‘A remarkably beautiful motion picture.’ – Frank S. Nugent, The New York Times

The link to Charles’ notes takes you through to bookings and session times in Sydney and Melbourne. Screens twice in each city.

Introduced by Bruce Beresford at Ritz Cinemas and Dr. Felicity Chaplin at Lido Cinemas.

THE WATCHMAKER OF SAINT PAUL (Bertrand Tavernier, 1974)

‘An extraordinary film – the more so because it attempts to show us the very complicated workings of the human personality, and to do it with grace, some humour and a great deal of style.’ – Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

In Bertrand Tavernier’s feature directorial debut, adapted from a Georges Simenon novel, the quiet, orderly life of a widowed watchmaker (Philippe Noiret) is blown apart by the revelation that his teenage son has gone on the run after killing a man. Forming a relationship with a sympathetic police inspector (Jean Rochefort), the watchmaker searches for answers and grapples with the realisation that he knows far less about his son than he believed.

Introduced by Barrie Pattison at Ritz Cinemas and Dr. Andrew McGregor at Lido Cinemas

Read Ben McCann’s program notes and find links to session times and bookings. Screens twice in each city.

36 FILLETTE (Catherine Breillat, 1988)

‘Impressive, painfully candid … Lili is played with devastating realism by Delphine Zentout.’ – David Stratton, The Movie Show

Featuring a key supporting role by French New Wave legend Jean-Pierre Léaud, Catherine Breillat’s international breakthrough film – based on a novel she wrote about her own teenage experiences – was controversial in its day, and time has if anything only increased its transgressive charge. It remains a frank, unsentimental and singularly pungent depiction of feminine coming-of-age, anchored by Zentout’s fearless performance.

Introduced by Beaudicea Smith-Davies at Ritz Cinemas and Philippa Hawker at Lido Cinemas.

Read Jane Mills program notes and find links to session times and bookings. Screens once only in each city.

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Since our inception supporters have continued to ensure that the annual season is able to present the very latest and very best international and Australian film restorations.

Tax deductible charitable donations have enabled us to keep our admission charges to regular Ritz and Lido prices (with the lowest student concessions of any similar film-related event). We have once again set up a page via the Australian Cultural Fund to receive donations of any size, large or small. You can find it IF YOU CLICK ON THIS LINK

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