Irish Film Institute -THE CINEMA OF JEAN EUSTACHE

THE CINEMA OF JEAN EUSTACHE

A towering figure in world cinema, Jean Eustache’s legacy is built upon the formidable reputation of The Mother and the Whore, his debut film from 1973, a 219-minute, dialogue-heavy chronicle of a messy ménage à trois that venerable French film journal Cahiers du Cinéma named the best film of the 1970s. A difficult film to see theatrically, it has been lovingly remastered for this retrospective season, along with the remainder of his eclectic filmography, which contains just one more feature film, My Little Loves from 1974, along with several documentaries and shorts. Born in Pessac, near Bordeaux, in 1938, Eustache’s filmmaking style often involved an autobiographical approach. For example, several of his documentaries are set in his hometown and Numéro Zéro is a feature-length interview with his grandmother who raised him. Despite a relatively short career, he left a lasting impact upon French cinema. Unfortunately, Eustache faced personal struggles, and he tragically took his own life on November 3rd, 1981, at the age of 42.

Season notes by David O’Mahony.

Programme

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