Rassegna La libertà del fantasma. Omaggio a Luis Buñuel (1959-1977).

Forty years from the release of That obscure object of desire, Luis Buñuel’s last film, the National Cinema Museum is presenting a film showcase titled THE PHANTOM’S LIBERTY. Tribute to Luis Buñuel at the Cinema Massimo, from Wednesday 6 to Thursday 21 December, featuring ten films made by this master between 1959 and 1977.

 

Forty years ago, in the summer of 1977, Luis Buñuel’s last masterpiece, That obscure object of desire came out in France. The great Spanish director was to die six years later, not before completing his autobiography Mon dernier soupir (My last sigh), written with his friend and collaborator Jean-Claude Carrière. In order to celebrate this anniversary, we are dedicating a tribute to him with ten film prints restored digitally, documenting the final part of his Mexican adventure and his subsequent return to Europe. The title of this showcase is borrowed from a 2006 essay by Paolo Bertetto, who wrote about Buñuel: «Buñuel’s films constitute cinema’s greatest adventure into the subconscious and imagery. With Buñuel, cinema becomes the most powerful horizon for objectifying, for showing psychic phantoms. From An Andalusian dog to That obscure object of desire, from The golden age to The discreet charm of the bourgeoisie, Buñuel builds a circuit within the complex horizon of desire and its subconscious forms, outlining an extraordinarily rich and singularly heterogeneous universe ».

 

The showcase will be inaugurated on Wednesday 6 December at 4.00 p.m. at the Cinema Massimo on Screen Three, by the screening of the film Fever mounts at El Pao (France/Mexico 1959, 97’). Admission 6.00/4.00/3.00 euro.

 

Screenings calendar

 

Fever mounts at El Pao (La fièvre monte à El Pao)

(France/Mexico 1959, 97’, HD, b/w, o.v. it. s/t)

During an imaginary dictatorship in a country in Latin America, a rebel kills the governor of a prison, and while waiting for his replacement to be nominated, Ramón Vásquez takes over, trying to improve the lives of the political inmates. The man falls in love with Inés, the former director’s wife, but when the new governor is appointed, the woman must undergo blackmail and improper proposals from the new master.

Wed 6, at 4.00 p.m./Fri 15, at 6.00 p.m.

 

The discreet charm of the bourgeoisie (Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie)

(France/Italy/Spain 1972, 105, HD, col., o.v. it. s/t)

Don Raphael is the ambassador of the Republic of Miranda, in Latin America, and deals in drugs trafficking together with his friends Thevenot and Sénéchal. One evening they decide to dine together with all their families, but on reaching their destination they discover that the invitation was for the following day. During the next days, every time they decide to spend lunch or dinnertime together, something unexpected takes place to thwart them...

Fri 8, at 4.00 p.m./Tue 19, at 6.00 p.m.

 

Tristana

(France/Italy/Spain 1970, 99’, HD, col., o.v. it. s/t)

Don Lope welcomes his beautiful niece Tristana, who has become an orphan, in his house, and becomes her lover. She elopes with a painter, but on becomimg seriously ill, she is afterwards obliged to return to her uncle, who now intends to wed her.

Fri 8, at 6.00 p.m./Wed 20, at 4.00 p.m.

 

That obscure object of desire (Cet obscure objet du désir)

(France/Spain 1977, 102’, HD, col., o.v. it. s/t)

Matthieu is a rich 50 year-old widower. He meets Conchita, from Seville, who has emigrated to Paris with her mother, and falls in love with her. She accepts the man’s courtship but does not give herself to him. When the two women return to Seville, he follows them, but the young woman pretends she has taken up with someone else.

Fri 8, at 20.30/Mar 19, h. 4.00 p.m.

 

The exterminating angel (El ángel exterminador)

(Mexico 1962, 89’, HD, b/w, o.v. it. s/t)

After a play at the theatre, about twenty people belonging to the Mexican upper bourgeoisie gather in Mr. Nobile’s luxurious villa for dinner. However, before their arrival, the servants abandon the villa. The guests are able to have their dinner in any case, and then they decide to spend the night in the salon…

Sat 9 and Thu 21, at 4.00 p.m.

 

Diary of a chambermaid (Le journal d’une femme de chambre)

(France/Italy 1964, 97’, HD, b/w, o.v. it. s/t)

Celestine is a young chambermaid, although she already knows a lot about life. After being in the service of a countess in Paris for many years, she moves to an upper bourgeoisie family in a province. Her new mistress is an acid and bigoted woman, while the husband spends little time with his family and harasses the maids when he is at home.

Sat 9 and Thu 21, at 6.00 p.m.

 

The phantom of liberty (Le fantôme de la liberté)

(Italy/France 1974, 104’, HD, col., o.v. it. s/t)

An episode-film. In the first one, the French army invades Spain with the pretext of bringing freedom, while the Iberian population rises. In another episode, a girl’s parents are scandalised because a stranger has given her a book with photos of Paris. Then there is the professor who teaches his class the principles on which bourgeois society is based.

Sat 9, at 8.30 p.m./Sat 16, h. 4.00 p.m.

 

Belle de jour

(France/Italy 1967, 100’, HD, col., o.v. it. s/t)

Pierre and Séverine are a happy married couple. Nevertheless, she is suffering from the consequences of a childhood trauma and refuses her husband’s advances, even though he behaves with great patience. In order to overcome her fears, Séverine sells herself in a brothel and meets a young criminal who falls for her.

Sun 10, at 6.20 p.m./Fri 15, at 4.00 p.m.

 

The Milky Way (La voie lactée)

(France 1969, 92’, HD, col., o.v. it. s/t)

Two children who live off alms undertake a journey on foot from Paris to Santiago de Compostela. There are many encounters along their travels: Priscillian and his followers, a Jesuit and a Jansenist who challenge each other to a duel, a child with stigmata who aids them in finding a lift on a smart car.

Tue 12, at 4.00 p.m./Sun 17, at 6.30 p.m.

 

Viridiana

(Mexico/Spain 1961, 90’, HD, b/w, o.v. it. s/t)

Viridiana is a young orphan who has decided to spend all her life in a convent. But, before taking her vows, she spends a few days at her rich uncle Jaime’s farm. He is attracted by the girl’s beauty and tries in vain to convince her to marry him. When Viridiana returns to the convent, Jaime commits suicide and leaves her a part of his assets. Much struck by what happened, the girl gives up her vows and moves into her part of the estate, which she transforms into an asylum for the poor.

Wed 13, at 4.00 p.m./Sat 16, at 6.00 p.m.