The 10th Annual Robert Classic French Film Festival — co-presented by Cinema St. Louis and the Webster University Film Series — celebrates St. Louis’ Gallic heritage and France’s cinematic legacy. The featured films span the decades from the 1920s through the 1990s, offering a revealing overview of French cinema. 

This year’s fest kicks off with a screening of Bertrand Tavernier’s acclaimed documentary “My Journey Through French Cinema,” the director’s personal reflections on key films and filmmakers. Several of the works he highlights — such as Jacques Becker’s “Casque d’or” and Jean-Pierre Melville’s “Le Samouraï” — are screened at this year’s fest.

The fest annually includes significant restorations, and this year features New Wave master Jacques Rivette’s visually sumptuous “La belle noiseuse.” The fest also provides one of the few opportunities available in St. Louis to see films projected the old-school, time-honored way, with Jean Renoir’s “Boudu Saved from Drowning” and Julien Duvivier’s “Pépé le moko” screening from 35mm prints. Even more traditional, we also offer silent films with live music: St. Louis’ own Rats & People Motion Picture Orchestra will accompany two short features by Germaine Dulac, playing original scores created especially for the screening. 

The schedule is rounded out by such celebrated and essential films as Robert Bresson’s “Pickpocket,” Jean-Luc Godard’s “Alphaville,” and Leos Carax’s “Lovers on the Bridge.”

Every program features introductions and discussions by film or French scholars and critics. The discussions will place the works in the contexts of both film and French history and provide close analyses. 

All films are in French with English subtitles.

Download a PDF of the program.