24th Nov 2009 8:00pm
Sallis Benney Theatre
Jean-Pierre Melville’s independent and original approach to film-making on titles such as Bob Le Flambeur, Le Doulos, and Le Samourai earned him the reputation of the father, or at least the precursor, of the French New Wave. However, what is less known is that Melville spent eight years of his life between 1937 and 1945 as a soldier in the French army and then the Free French Forces, which he joined after the French defeat the Germans. Having escaped through the South of France to Spain, he became a member of the Resistance and took on the code name of Melville (after Herman Melville, the writer he most admired). He used the name for the rest of his life. This fascinating documentary examines how Melville’s life experience impacted on his choice of projects, his aesthetics and his working methods in the world of film. Real insight is gained through interviews with surviving family members, and his work is examined by those who worked closely with him including Volker Schlondorff (TIN DRUM) and Bertrand Tavernier (ROUND MIDNIGHT).
Q&A: Followed by Q&A with director Olivier Bohler
Tickets available on 0871 704 2056
More information available from www.cine-city.co.uk
