Splendors of Restoration 2013

A selection of the finest restorations of the year, some of which will be released in theaters in the coming months: A Gentle Woman by Bresson, Providence by Resnais, Reunion by Schatzberg, Parade by Jacques Tati, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence by Oshima...

Rome, Open City  by Roberto Rossellini (Roma, città aperta, 1945, 1:40)
The head of the Roman resistance is wanted by the SS. A priest and several Italian patriots help him hide. Rossellini opens the way to Neorealism with this hymn to the Resistance. Sublime.
UGC Astoria Wed. 8:30pm | Ste-Foy Thu. 8:30pm | Cinéma Opéra Fri. 2:45pm | CNP Sun. 5pm

Riptide  by Yves Allégret (Une si jolie petite plage, 1949, 1:30)
A young man returns to the inn where, as an orphan, the owner mistreated him. A film in the tradition of prewar poetic realism with Gérard Philipe, Jean Servais, Julien Carette.
Pathé Bellecour Tue. 7:30pm | Pathé Bellecour Sat. 10:30am | Pathé Bellecour Sun. 11am

A Gentle Woman  by Robert Bresson (Une femme douce, 1969, 1:28)
Seeing the corpse of his wife who has just committed suicide, a man remembers their past together, while trying to understand the reasons she took her life. One of the finest films by Bresson, with the haunting Dominique Sanda. Pathé Cordeliers Tue. 2:45pm | Institut Lumière Wed. 11:30am | Pathé Cordeliers Sat. 11am

Bread and Chocolate  by Franco Brusati (Pane e cioccolata, 1974, 2:06)
The story of an Italian immigrant in Switzerland. A profound and moving work on the challenges of integrating immigrant workers, a classic Italian comedy starring Nino Manfredi.
Comœdia Wed. 4:45pm | Pathé Bellecour Sat. 7:30pm | Cinéma Opéra Sun. 2:30pm

Parade  by Jacques Tati (1973, 1:29)
A big party, a meeting between the public, artists, clowns, children, and Tati. The film of a poet who loves jugglers and acrobats and enchants wondrous children.
CNP Tue. 3pm | Pathé Bellecour Wed. 10:45am

Providence  by Alain Resnais (1977, 1:43)
On a sleepless night, a famous writer imagines what his next novel will be, inspired by his close relatives and friends. A film about the ideals of youth struggling with the passing of time.
Pathé Bellecour Wed. 2:15pm | CNP Thu. 5:45pm | Pathé Cordeliers Fri. 5:30pm

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence  by Nagisa Oshima (1983, 2:03)
The Japanese take a camp of British soldiers as prisoners. The person in charge imposes an unyielding discipline, a prisoner refuses to comply. A summit of Oshima’s work, which shocked Japan. With a fascinating David Bowie.
Cinéma Opéra Tue. 2:45pm | Comœdia Wed. 10:30am | UGC Astoria Fri. 8:30pm

Reunion  by Jerry Schatzberg (1988, 1:50)
At the time Nazism is spreading in Germany, Hans Strauss befriends a teenager from the high aristocracy at school. Featuring Harold Pinter’s screenplay, adapted from the famous novel by Fred Uhlman. A moving film by the director of Scarecrow.
UGC Astoria Thu. 8:30pm | Pathé Cordeliers Fri. 10:45am | Comœdia Sat. 4:30pm