“A MAJOR EVENT! Don’t wait for it to come to a theater near you — getting Gance’s magnum opus on a screen is a herculean task!”— Martin Scorsese, Vanity Fair

Abel Gance’s epic NAPOLEON is the Holy Grail of silent masterpieces. In the early 1980s, Francis Ford Coppola toured a 4-hour road show version that many still consider their most unforgettable movie experience ever. Now, over 30 years later, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival is finally presenting legendary film historian Kevin Brownlow’s complete 5 1/2 hour restoration in the United States, along with the American premiere of the magnificent score by Carl Davis, at the Art Deco Paramount Theatre, Oakland.

Sumptuous and intimate, Benoît Jacquot’s portrayal of court life at Versailles during four crucial days in July 1789 observes at close range the social decay that brought down the monarchy.

This year’s recipient of the Mel Novikoff Award—bestowed upon an individual or institution whose work has enhanced the filmgoing public’s appreciation of world cinema—is cinephile par excellence Pierre Rissient.
A conversation with Rissient and the presentation of a film he played a part in bringing back to public attention, Fritz Lang’s House by the River.

In celebration of The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk, on view at the de Young Museum, March 24–August 19.

A self-proclaimed “library lover,” Ruiz often adapted his films from literary sources; the series includes Ruiz’s artful adaptations of Proust, Klossowski, Kafka, Dante, and others.

In 2009, in a small theater in Geneva, Switzerland, the film directors Marcel Ophuls and Jean-Luc Godard met for an unusual, surprisingly intimate and sometimes contentious dialogue with each other in front of a live audience.

The Tiburon International Film Festival (TIFF) is an annual event, which seeks to provide a greater understanding of the world and its many cultures through the artistic medium of film, and through the top quality films from around the world.

Robert Bresson: Without a Trace
Filmed mostly in Bresson’s country home in 1965, this extremely rare on-camera interview features the director describing his singular approach to filmmaking.

Chantal Akerman by Chantal Akerman
A self-portrait by Belgian filmmaker Chantal Akerman. The first part opens with Akerman in her apartment, reading from a text directly to the camera, describing the often humorous problems she encountered making this film.

Open on March 30th
Ambitious and elegantly made, Bertrand Bonello‘s film depicts life in a Paris brothel at the turn of the 20th century

Purportedly Béla Tarr’s final film, this masterpiece takes its scenario from a traumatic incident in Friedrich Nietzche’s life when he witnessed a horse being mercilessly whipped.

Banned from making films for twenty years and under house arrest, Iranian director Jafar Panahi circumvents the edict through a technicality.

Showtime

"Dance, dance, or we are lost." Pina Bausch's final words summarize her life and provide the inspiration for acclaimed director Wim Wenders'  tribute to the legendary choreographer.

Showtime

A silent film shot entirely in black and white, the film follows dashing 1920s silent movie star George Valentin (Jean Dujardin).
Winner of 5 Oscars - this is a must-see!

Showtime

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, the deeply moving new film by brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (L’Enfant, Rosetta) delves into the emotional life of troubled 11-year-old Cyril, played with riveting intensity by newcomer Thomas Doret

Showtime

In the French romantic comedy Delicacy, Audrey Tautou (Amélie) is Nathalie, a beautiful, happy and successful Parisian business executive who finds herself suddenly widowed after a three-year marriage to her soul mate.

The Love Crime, Alain Corneau, 2010 READ MORE

To find out about French programs shown on TV5 MONDE : click here

The ex-wife of my life, Josiane Balasko, 2004
Persecution, Patrice Chéreau, 2009
Handyman, Michel Leclerc, 2005
Meme en reve, Alice Taylor, 2006
Nom Dit, Gabriel Goubet, 2006
The Little Dragon, Bruno Collet, 2009
Merveilleusement Gris, Geoffroy Barbet, 2004
Holiday, Guillaume Nicloux, 2010
Cul de Bouteille, Jean-Claude Rozec, 2010

Tivi5MONDE will offer the best of French-language programming including animation,education and dramatic series targeting tweens and young teens. The new channelis being programmed to appeal to children and youth audiences ages 4-14.