French film series to feature renowned director, award-winning films

French director Claire Denis, internationally recognized for creating films that investigate the human condition, will discuss her work during "From Script to Screen: Conversations on Contemporary French Cinema," a film series presented by the Division of Literatures, Cultures and Languages. The series will present Denis' most recent feature film, L'Intrus (The Intruder), on April 18 and the film considered to be her masterpiece, Beau Travail (Good Work), on April 19.

On May 9 and 11, the series will present screenings of films by the Tunisian-born director Abdel Kechiche, including L'Esquive (Games of Love and Chance) and La Faute à Voltaire (Poetical Refugee). Jean-Michel Frodon, editor-in-chief of the international film journal Cahiers du cinema, and actress Elodie Bouchez, who appears in La Faute à Voltaire, will lead discussions on Kechiche's films.

All films are in French with English subtitles and screenings, to be held in Cubberley Auditorium in the School of Education building, will begin at 6 p.m. Discussions will be in English. Events are free and open to the public. More information is available at http://dlcl.stanford.edu/research/frenchfilm.html.

Events include:

April 18: Film screening of L'Intrus (The Intruder), 2004, which is based on a book by philosopher Jean-Luc Nancy. The feature film screening will follow a short film, Vers Nancy, about the author. A discussion with Denis will follow the films.

April 19: Film screening of Beau Travail (Good Work), 1999, inspired by Herman Melville's Billy Budd, will be followed by a discussion with Denis.

May 9: Film screening of L'Esquive (Games of Love and Chance), 2003, which depicts a high school play rehearsal in a suburban ghetto outside of Paris. (The film was awarded four Cesar Awards, France's top film award.) The film screening will be followed by a discussion with Jean-Michel Frodon of Cahiers du cinema.

May 11: Film screening of Abdel Kechiche's La Faute à Voltaire (Poetical Refugee), 2000, followed by a discussion with actress Elodie Bouchez, who appears in the film. The award-winning film tells the story of a Tunisian immigrant in Paris.

"From Script to Screen" is sponsored by the research unit in the Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages; TV5, the International French-Language Network; the Film Studies Program; and the Program in Documentary Film and Video.