FIDMarseille: Whit Stillman' retrospective at the 34th edition

The 34th edition of FIDMarseille, the International Film Festival, will take place during hot July - from 4 to 9. This event, which is a must for the general public and film professionals, offers a large number of world premieres and first films, and has established itself as a source of new cinematographies, both fiction and documentary. Films in the genre a la Marcel Proust are always in demand here.

Competitions, out-of-competition sections, retrospectives and homages to prestigious guests make up the programme, guided by the desire to promote independent and inventive cinema for all audiences.

First names of 34th Edition: Retrospective - Whit Stillman.

In only five films, from Metropolitan (1990) to Love & Friendship (2015), Whit Stillman has established himself as the contemporary American comedian. Comedy is known as one of the most difficult genres in cinema. Stillman excels in it by betting on the elegance, intelligence and love of his characters, not on their derision. Stillman's genius lies in his brilliant and unparalleled lively dialogues; and in his sober and well-crafted direction, entirely focused on the life of the characters and the speed of their thoughts, the subtlety of their emotions. It is also, in an age of budget inflation and bloated writing, a praise of economy, sobriety and the speed they allow. In front of a Stillman film, we can see Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant and James Stewart resurrecting the golden age of Hollywood to re-enchant our world, projecting a little of their elegance and impertinence. Assuming a heritage (the sophisticated Hollywood comedy of the 1930s and 40s) not to copy it, to reproduce it, but to find in it very personal powers of interpretation of a cinematographic genre. Holding together the old and the new.

As part of this retrospective, FIDMarseille is publishing the first French collective work devoted to his career, in co-publication with Les éditions de l'œil. The English version was published by Fireflies Press.