San Sebastian Film Festival ::

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France - Italy

Second sketch in a film made of other episodes directed, in their turn, by Jean-François Hauduroy, Claude Berri, Charles L. Bitsch and Bernard Toublanc-Michel.

L'HORLOGER DE SAINT-PAUL / The Clockmaker of St. Paul

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

Tavernier's first regular feature which placed him straightaway amongst relevant French Directors. The plot takes place in Lyon, his home town. Film noir, arising from a crime, it denounces political action carried out by extreme right wing groups. This is Tavernier's first work with Philippe Noiret and is dedicated to Jacques Prevert.

Que la fête commence... / Let Joy Reign Supreme

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

One of Tavernier's favourite subjects is French History. This film means not only the beginning of a feast of great tragic import for the country itself but the start of what could be called his current of historical cinema. An outstanding cast; strict, accurate staging; and, above all, an outlook on history as something that is alive make this one of his most important films.

LE JUGE ET L'ASSASSIN / The Judge and the Assasin

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

This is perhaps one of Tavernier's hardest films. It places us face to face with the ambiguity of Justice. Who is worse: a cracked criminal set free by doctors or the sober judge who hides his own human misery and manipulates justice at will? A very topical subject, although set in the France of 1983, with the Dreyfus trial as background. The film is dedicated to Abraham Polons...

This is perhaps one of Tavernier's hardest films. It places us face to face with the ambiguity of Justice. Who is worse: a cracked criminal set free by doctors or the sober judge who hides his own human misery and manipulates justice at will? A very topical subject, although set in the France of 1983, with the Dreyfus trial as background. The film is dedicated to Abraham Polonsky.

Des enfants gâtés / Spoiled Children

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

Tavernier speaks in first person through the character of a film director, starred by Michel Piccoli. It's not the story itself that is autobiographical but rather Tavernier's stand vis a vis reality and the need for social commitment in order to carry on. A little big film, very meaningful in his career.

LA MORT EN DIRECT / Death Watch

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France - West Germany

T.V.'s abusive power, already pointed out in his previous film, is the core of the story here. La mort en direct is a successful T.V. program which shows people in their last throes and is watched through Keitel's eyes. His encounter with Romy Schneider will make him aware of the violent intrusion. The film denounces the media as well as showing the actress's sadness which some...

T.V.'s abusive power, already pointed out in his previous film, is the core of the story here. La mort en direct is a successful T.V. program which shows people in their last throes and is watched through Keitel's eyes. His encounter with Romy Schneider will make him aware of the violent intrusion. The film denounces the media as well as showing the actress's sadness which somehow forebodes-- almost live-- her own coming death. The film is dedicated to Jacques Tourneur.

UNE SEMAINE DE VACANCES / A week's vacation

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

A minor film shot amongst friends in Lyon, his home town, with a character already of our acquaintance, l'Horloger de Saint-Paul . It tells a story of personal crises: What to do about life, about work, about love? Questions with no easy answers, which a week's holiday may sometimes help to clear up. Tavernier conceived this film in the manner of a music score and dedicated it ...

A minor film shot amongst friends in Lyon, his home town, with a character already of our acquaintance, l'Horloger de Saint-Paul . It tells a story of personal crises: What to do about life, about work, about love? Questions with no easy answers, which a week's holiday may sometimes help to clear up. Tavernier conceived this film in the manner of a music score and dedicated it to his filmscript writer, Jean Aurenche.

COUP DE TORCHON / Clean Slate

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

One of Tavernier's own favourites. An American thriller transferred to French colonial Africa in 1.938. Adultery, revenge and, in the background but at the same time quite on the surface, an obscure policeman lost in a mean town and who desires to become God's vengence and do justice his own way. Excellent acting by Philippe Noiret.

PHILIPPE SOUPAULT ET LE SURREALISME

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

Tavernier's first work for television. It's a portrait-interview with writer, critic and surrealistic poet Philippe Soupault, done with Jean Aurenche's collaboration. A journey into the Surrealistic Movement in France.

MISSISSIPPI BLUES

BERTRAND TAVERNIER, ROBERT PARRISH

France - USA

Written and directed in collaboration with Robert Parrish, Mississippi Blues made one of Tavernier's dreams come true. A documentary on black music, jazz and mainly the blues that emerges straight from the people in the deep South of the USA.

PAYS D'OCTOBRE, CHOSES VUES DANS LE MISSISSIPPI

BERTRAND TAVERNIER, ROBERT PARRISH

France - USA

A T.V. series containing the whole of Mississippi Blues. If music was the absolute protagonist in the original film, now the complexity and length of the T.V. series allow Tavernier to see rural life and the black South of the USA at close quarters.

LA 800eme GENERATION

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

A short film intended for internal use in a factory, a Citroën branch specialized in robotics.

UN DIMANCHE À LA CAMPAGNE / A Sunday in the Country

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

After a couple of years making documentaries, Tavernier returns to fiction with a bright, sensual film, one of his own favourites together with Coup de torchon. A painter who lives a secluded life in the country is unexpectedly visited by his daughter Irene on a warm summer's evening. Their chats, walks together, and even disagreements bring a breath of fresh air . The old pain...

After a couple of years making documentaries, Tavernier returns to fiction with a bright, sensual film, one of his own favourites together with Coup de torchon. A painter who lives a secluded life in the country is unexpectedly visited by his daughter Irene on a warm summer's evening. Their chats, walks together, and even disagreements bring a breath of fresh air . The old painter is sorry to see her go after this last Sunday in the country. Perhaps Tavernier's personal homage to Jean Renoir.

ROUND MIDNIGHT/AUTOUR DE MINUIT / Round Midnight

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

USA - France

Tavernier's passion for jazz and black music hits on its ideal story in Round Midnight. Paris 1959, the Algerian war as background, the appearance of Nouvelle Vague and black music are the setting for the story of a friendship between two very different men: an alcoholic black musician, starred by Dexter Gordon, and a young Frenchman who worships him. Tavernier here reaches the...

Tavernier's passion for jazz and black music hits on its ideal story in Round Midnight. Paris 1959, the Algerian war as background, the appearance of Nouvelle Vague and black music are the setting for the story of a friendship between two very different men: an alcoholic black musician, starred by Dexter Gordon, and a young Frenchman who worships him. Tavernier here reaches the perfect melding of music being both heard and felt, in staging that closely resembles a jazz session. Dedicated to Lester Young and Bud Powell.

LA PASSION BEATRICE

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France - Italy

An unusual film in Tavernier's career, not so much for its historical background of wars between France and England during the Middle Ages as for the almost Shakespearean- like violence of the characters who emerge straight from the countryside. Socially taboo subjects: incest, rape and patricide are foremost in this film with a young girl as the main character. It's Tavernier'...

An unusual film in Tavernier's career, not so much for its historical background of wars between France and England during the Middle Ages as for the almost Shakespearean- like violence of the characters who emerge straight from the countryside. Socially taboo subjects: incest, rape and patricide are foremost in this film with a young girl as the main character. It's Tavernier's first film with his son Nils and is dedicated to Riccardo Freda.

LA VIE ET RIEN D'AUTRE / Life and Nothing But

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

One of Tavernier's major films, this is the first part of his dipthych about war. It's 1920 and Irene de Courtil is looking for her husband, who has been missing since World War I. During her search, she happens to meet Major Dellaplane, in charge of identifying dead soldiers. Two worlds come face to face, two different outlooks on

DADDY NOSTALGIE

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

Daddy Nostalgie is one of his own most deeply felt films. Though constructed as a minor film, it's loaded with feelings that overflow the screen. There's the sick father, a daughter who decides to keep him company in his last days, and the silent, hostile mother. Even though it was dedicated to Michael Powell, it was Tavernier's own father that was in mind and it's turned out t...

Daddy Nostalgie is one of his own most deeply felt films. Though constructed as a minor film, it's loaded with feelings that overflow the screen. There's the sick father, a daughter who decides to keep him company in his last days, and the silent, hostile mother. Even though it was dedicated to Michael Powell, it was Tavernier's own father that was in mind and it's turned out to be a homage to Dirk Bogarde.

LA GUERRE SANS NOM / Undeclared War

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

30 years after the end of the Algerian War, Tavernier dares to turn the knife in the wound of this shameful episode in the History of France. Whatever happened in that undeclared war in which nearly three million French soldiers took part? He sets base in Grenoble, where he interviews 40 survivors, enlisted men, who recall, explain and relive an atrocity that marked the country...

30 years after the end of the Algerian War, Tavernier dares to turn the knife in the wound of this shameful episode in the History of France. Whatever happened in that undeclared war in which nearly three million French soldiers took part? He sets base in Grenoble, where he interviews 40 survivors, enlisted men, who recall, explain and relive an atrocity that marked the country. Without historical documents or flashbacks, focusing from the present, La guerre sans nom is a fierce X-ray of a time and a country.

L. 627

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

Written in collaboration with a real policeman, L.627 tells an everyday story of the anti-drug squad where Lulu, the protagonist, works in the Criminal Investigation Department. This faithful portrait of a police inspector's life didn't at all please the authorities at the Ministry for the Interior. Tavernier's documentary hand filters through this fiction feature, which is a m...

Written in collaboration with a real policeman, L.627 tells an everyday story of the anti-drug squad where Lulu, the protagonist, works in the Criminal Investigation Department. This faithful portrait of a police inspector's life didn't at all please the authorities at the Ministry for the Interior. Tavernier's documentary hand filters through this fiction feature, which is a must to understand present day reality.

LA FILLE DE D'ARTAGNAN / D'Artagnan's Daugther

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

Originally, this film was going to be directed by Riccardo Freda, a director Tavernier is most keen on. However, due to discrepancies with protagonist actress Sophie Marceau, it was carried through by Tavernier himself. A cloak and dagger film in the purest adventure film style, La fille de D·Artagnan is a toy of intrigue, duels, romantic love, worn out heroes and forward youn...

Originally, this film was going to be directed by Riccardo Freda, a director Tavernier is most keen on. However, due to discrepancies with protagonist actress Sophie Marceau, it was carried through by Tavernier himself. A cloak and dagger film in the purest adventure film style, La fille de D·Artagnan is a toy of intrigue, duels, romantic love, worn out heroes and forward young ladies. A pleasure.

L'APPAT / Fresh Bait

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

So far, this is Tavernier's first approach to the world of adolescents nowadays. Three youngsters, two boys and a girl, need money to travel to the USA. Stealing seems to be the best way to get it. T.V. teaches them how to do it. It looks easy. They become

CAPITAINE CONAN / Captain Conan

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

Capitaine Conan completes Tavernier's dipthych on World War I. Here he focuses on a warrior, rather than a soldier. Capitaine Conan is in command of a group of East Army men during the decisive September 1.918 Balkans Battle at Monte Solok. Men's uncontrolled violence, the brutality of those who fight without scruples, honour, the value of friendship... These are the main topic...

Capitaine Conan completes Tavernier's dipthych on World War I. Here he focuses on a warrior, rather than a soldier. Capitaine Conan is in command of a group of East Army men during the decisive September 1.918 Balkans Battle at Monte Solok. Men's uncontrolled violence, the brutality of those who fight without scruples, honour, the value of friendship... These are the main topics in a film that goes far beyond its historical contents.

DE L'AUTRE COTE DU PERIPH / The Other Side of the Tracks

BERTRAND TAVERNIER, NILS TAVERNIER

France

On February 11th 1.997, Tavernier joined a protest carried out by other 66 cinema professionals against Debré's Immigration Law. An appeal for civil disobedience was signed. Consequently, he was invited by the City Delegate Minister for Integration so that he could check for himself the error he had committed by signing. Tavernier accepted the challenge and spent three months ...

On February 11th 1.997, Tavernier joined a protest carried out by other 66 cinema professionals against Debré's Immigration Law. An appeal for civil disobedience was signed. Consequently, he was invited by the City Delegate Minister for Integration so that he could check for himself the error he had committed by signing. Tavernier accepted the challenge and spent three months with his son in a Paris suburbian town . In this documentary Tavernier restates his views on how lack of integration and racism

LUMIERES SUR UN MASSACRE (10 FILMS CONTRE 100 MILLIONS DE MINES ANTIPERSONNEL) / Lights on a Massacre (10 Films Against 100 Million Land Mines)

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

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ÇA COMMENCE AUJOURD'HUI / It All Starts Today

BERTRAND TAVERNIER

France

As previously with Michel Alexandre for L.627, this time Tavernier worked with a real nursery school teacher to create Daniel Lefebvre's character, starred by Philippe Torreton. It's the struggling, radical story of a man determined to fight against bureaucracy, two-faced morality and against misery in a town doomed to unemployment. It's the story of someone who believes in lif...

As previously with Michel Alexandre for L.627, this time Tavernier worked with a real nursery school teacher to create Daniel Lefebvre's character, starred by Philippe Torreton. It's the struggling, radical story of a man determined to fight against bureaucracy, two-faced morality and against misery in a town doomed to unemployment. It's the story of someone who believes in life and in the future, depicted by young children, the real protagonists. The film could undoubtedly be described as militant.