The Avon Theatre Presents: Focus on French Cinema, a Film Festival screening of THE RETURN OF MARTIN GUERRE (1982) on Monday, April 4 at 7:00 p.m.
ABOUT THE FILM FESTIVAL:
Celebrating its 12th year, FOCUS ON FRENCH CINEMA, the highly anticipated festival of contemporary French-language films, returns to Connecticut and Manhattan from April 1-5, 2016 with a line-up of 12 newly released feature-length films as well as a variety of documentaries, short films, TV series, animated films and classic retrospectives. For the first time, Focus on French Cinema will feature a screening at the Avon Theatre Film Center, a long-time partner of the festival.
ABOUT NATHALIE BAYE:
Nathalie Baye is a unique and legendary actress with appearances in more than 80 films. She began her acting career in 1970 and became widely known for her performance as the script girl in Francois Truffaut’s Academy Award winning film DAY FOR NIGHT in 1973. A nine-time César Award nominee, her four wins were for EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF (1980), STRANGE AFFAIR (1981), LA BALANCE (1982), and THE YOUNG LIEUTENANT (2005). During her thriving and versatile acting career she has worked with directors such as Bertrand Tavernier, Jean-Luc Godard and Steven Spielberg (CATCH ME IF YOU CAN). Nathalie started her artistic career at age 14 when she moved to Monaco to pursue classical dance lessons. She spent a year with a touring dance company in the U.S. before returning to France at age 18 to enter the Conservatoire of Paris to study acting. Her latest movie is THE ASSISTANT by Christophe Ali and Nicolas Bonilauri, in which she takes on the role of a psychotic woman.
ABOUT DOMINIQUE BESNEHARD:
Dominique Besnehard has had a career like no other: assistant director for Jacques Doillon, supporting actor, casting director and agent. He has discovered and represented an amazing array of French talents over the past 30 years, including actresses such as Juliette Binoche, Sophie Marceau and Isabelle Adjani; actors like Yvan Attal and Charles Aznavour and directors such as François Ozon and Claire Denis, to name only a few! He is also known in France as the host of a cinema show on TV. In 2008, he co-founded the leading Festival du Film Francophone d’Angoulême, showcasing movies from all over the French-speaking world. Through the years, he has constantly brought together people, movies and organizations for the greater good of cinema.
- Co-presented by the Alliance Francaise of Greenwich
- Pre-film reception at 6:00pm sponsored by Serendipity Magazine
- Special Appearance by Nathalie Baye and Dominique Besnehard
- For tickets visit www.avontheatre.org
- Ticket prices are as follows: Carte Blanche Members: FREE, Members: $7, Students & Seniors: $9, Nonmembers: $12.
THE RETURN OF MARTIN GUERRE (1982), the classic film from Director Daniel Vigne, is based on a case of imposture in 16th century France. Martin Guerre (Gerard Depardieu) returns to his village in southwestern France after being away in the war for almost a decade. Imagining herself a widow, his wife (Nathalie Baye) is astonished when her husband returns. The villagers who knew him as a young man suspect he is not Martin, but he seems to know all about his friends, his family and his wife, even the most unusual things. Is this man really Martin Guerre?
Not Rated | In French with English subtitles | 123 minutes