Zoom Lecture with Sylvie Koneski, University of Southern California, Paris Throughout the turbulent decade, French cinema provided a welcome escape from the consequences of the world-wide Depression and the political tensions of the day. It also mirrored the changing political climate in France: The misplaced optimism in the Front Populaire and the darkening mood, as Fascism took root in Europe.
French filmmakers created masterpieces during this period, like Jean Renoir’s Great Illusion and The Rules of the Game, the last now considered one of the all-time greats of French cinema. Marcel Carné’s Port of Shadows and Daybreak and Jean Vigo’s Atalante belong to another artistic current, labelled Poetic Realism. Jean Renoir’s La Bête humaine and Julien Duvivier's Pépé le Moko prefigure American film noir. The 1930s also marked the beginning of the star system. The most famous are Michel Simon, Jean Gabin, Jules Berry, Arletty, and Michèle Morgan.
Join us for this overview of French 1930s film, which will include extracts from the major films of the period.
Participants will discuss with Prof. Koneski which films best exemplify the period and are thus recommended for Historiennes to see in advance of our future film discussion on May 24.
