The 36th Annual Film ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ begins Sunday, September 10, 2 pm with Frantz, directed by FranΓ§ois Ozon, Germany/France (2016), 113 min.
Filmed in richly nuanced black and white, Ozonβs reimagining of Maurice Rostandβs post-World War I script for Broken Lullaby takes viewers back 100 years while offering a story that also transcends eras and wars. Anna is a young woman mourning the loss of her fiancΓ©e Frantz, living with his kind parents, and trying to find a way to move on. When French veteran Adrien arrives in Germany to insert himself in their lives, his presence brings out postwar tensions, and Frantzβs loved ones are drawn into an emotionally complicated landscape. The story is paced beautifully, with subtle revelations that raise questions about guilt, loyalty, and the relevance of truth.
The Film Institute is supported by the Thatcher Hoffman Smith Endowment and OKCU's Center for Interpersonal Studies through Film and Literature.
A discussion will follow the presentation for those who wish to stay.
ACCOLADES FOR 'FRANTZ'
βOne could easily imagine this film being rendered in a high romantic style, but Ozon's austerity gives the story an almost classical rigor. The drama plays out in measured syncopation, with no scene or moment held too long.β Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor
βFrantz offers a sympathetic, if dark, look at the awful wake of war, at the cost of institutional violence, as well as the cost of surviving.β Tom Long, Detroit News
For more films in the 2017-2018 series, read more HERE.
