For the past ten years, director, screenwriter, and actress Valérie Donzelli has stood out in French cinema for her unique whimsical style. Her films are influenced by the spirit of experimentation of the French New Wave, combined with the physical comedy of Jacques Tati and Buster Keaton.
Her filmography is infused with eccentricities, such as spoken-sung songs and poetry, to evoke deep and sometimes painful topics, as seen in The Queen of Hearts. As an actress, she often is drawn to portrayals of wacky, intense, and endearing characters, such as in Notre Dame. This retrospective gives New York audiences an opportunity to take a deep dive into the work of this imaginative filmmaker and actress with award winning films such as Declaration of War (2011) and rarely screened films like Longwave (2013).
Special Screening on Monday, June 13: Meet Valérie Donzelli and co-star Virginie Ledoyen at an in-person Q&A following the US premiere of Donzelli’s debut TV series Nona and Her Daughters.