Isabelle Adjani and Vincent Perez
SEASON OF STARS: ISABELLE ADJANI
This screening is part of ’Season of Stars’ which aims to showcase and propel into the spotlight those unique actors/actresses that have graced our screens over the past century.
Based on a novel by Alexandre Dumas and the memoirs of Marguerite de Valois, the film La Reine Margot takes place in the late 16th century France during a religious war between the ruling Catholics and the Protestant Huguenots. The young Margot (Isabelle Adjani), heiress to the French throne, finds herself trapped in an arranged marriage to the leader of the Huguenots (Daniel Auteuil). She hopes to escape from this situation with a new lover (Vincent Perez) but finds herself imprisoned by her powerful and ruthless family.
‘As Margot, Isabelle Adjani was the perfect choice in that she possessed both the talent, maturity and fearlessness to pull off the difficult emotional beats of the part and the preternatural beauty that allowed her to convincingly portray her despite being almost twice the age in real life as the actual Margot at the time of the events.’ - Roger Ebert
ISABELLE ADJANI
Isabelle Adjani is one of the most prolific French actresses of all time. In a career that has spanned 45 years, Adjani is the only actress to have won five César Awards. As a young woman Adjani was chosen to play the lead role in Francois Truffaut's film The Story of Adela H. which brought her the recognition of critics and a nomination for an Oscar in 1976. She was lauded by the press who called her the greatest film personality since Jeanne Moreau, describing her acting talents as “prodigious”. She went on to become one of the most popular actresses in France. Werner Herzog’s 1979 remake of Nosferatu was similarly adored, with Roger Ebert’s describing the casting of Adjani one of his “masterstrokes” in the film. In 1981, Adjani won Best Actress for her unique performance in the cult horror film Possession by Andrzej Zulawski at Cannes Film Festival, which propelled her to international stardom in the realm of arthouse cinema.
During her film career, she would work with some of the most revered filmmakers including: Francois Truffaut, Roman Polanski, Andrzej Zulawski, Patrice Chereau, Andre Techine, Werner Herzog, James Ivory, Carlos Saura.
Next film with Isabelle Adjani - Possession (1981) by Andrzej Zulawski - 17 February 7:30 pm.
DIRECTOR: PATRICE CHEREAU
STARRING: Isabelle Adjani, Daniel Auteuil, Virna Lisi, Vincent Pérez, Dominique Blanc, Asia Argento
Music: Goran Bregović
Cinematography: Philippe Rousselot
France/Italy/Germany
1994
162 MINS
RATING – 18
Doors 6.30 PM
Film 7.00 PM
Incredible talented French actress Isabelle Adjani
“Feverish... Attacks story of rival Catholic and Huguenot royalty with raging revisionist passion.”
“La Reine Margot is a spirited adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’s novel.”
“The performances are top-notch, while the dark, rich photography is painterly but never lifeless”
