Robert Classic French Film Festival

Friday, March 8, 2019 to Sunday, March 24, 2019
The 11th Annual Robert Classic French Film Festival — presented by TV5MONDE and produced by Cinema St. Louis — celebrates St. Louis’ Gallic heritage and France’s cinematic legacy. The featured films span the decades from the 1930s through the 1990s, offering a revealing overview of French cinema.
The fest annually includes significant restorations, and this year features seven such works: Pierre Schoendoerffer “The 317th Platoon,” Marcel Pagnol’s “The Baker’s Wife,” Olivier Assayas’ “Cold Water,” Jacques Becker’s “The Hole,” Jacques Rivette’s “The Nun,” Agnés Varda’s “One Sings, the Other Doesn’t,” and Diane Kurys’ “Peppermint Soda.”
The schedule is rounded out by Robert Bresson’s final film, “L’argent,” and two 1969 films celebrating their 50th anniversaries: Luis Buñuel’s “The Milky Way” and Eric Rohmer’s “My Night at Maud’s.”
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. Tickets for all shows are on sale now through Brown Paper Tickets.
VENUE MAP
Free parking is available in the yellow-zone sections of lots along Forsyth Boulevard and in the Danforth University Center garage; no permits are required on weekends. See Washington U. map below.
The 317th Platoon
In Pierre Schoendoerffer’s film adaptation of his own well-regarded novel — shot by the great Raoul Coutard — a platoon of French soldiers and Laotian allies fight... Read More
The Milky Way
The first of what Luis Buñuel later proclaimed a trilogy (along with “The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie” and “The Phantom of Liberty”) about “the search for... Read More
The Baker’s Wife
The warmth and wit of celebrated playwright-turned-auteur Marcel Pagnol (“The Marseille Trilogy” of “Marius,” “Fanny,” and “César”) shines through in this... Read More
One Sings, the Other Doesn’t
This unsung feminist anthem from Agnès Varda (“Faces Places,” “Vagabond,” “Cléo from 5 to 7”) is both a buoyant chronicle of a transformative friendship and an... Read More
Peppermint Soda
In the vein of such classic coming-of-age classics as François Truffaut’s “The 400 Blows,” Diane Kurys’ “Peppermint Soda” captures a particular moment in the... Read More
Cold Water
An acclaimed early work by Olivier Assayas that has long remained unavailable, the deeply felt coming-of-age drama “Cold Water” at long last makes its way to U.S.... Read More
My Night at Maud’s
In the brilliantly accomplished centerpiece of Eric Rohmer’s “Moral Tales” series, Jean-Louis Trintignant plays Jean-Louis, one of the great conflicted figures of ’... Read More