FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE RETURN OF JEAN-JACQUES BEINEIX
Cinema Libre Studio to Release Betty Blue: The Director’s Cut for
the First Time in U.S. Theatres, A Retrospective at the Egyptian Theatre in Los
Angeles, and The Jean-Jacques Beineix Collection on DVD
FILMMAKER AVAILABLE IN LOS ANGELES FOR
INTERVIEW
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LOS ANGELES (June 2, 2009) – Cinema was forever changed in
the 1980s when a new wave of French auteurs exploded onto the scene
redefining modernity in film. With Diva (1982) and Betty
Blue (37°2 le matin) (1986), director Jean-Jacques Beineix created
two of the most provocative films of the era that were dark, memorable, filled
with voluptuous imagery and generous dollops of sex and/or violence. Both
films were international hits, winning cinematic immortality for their
director.
This summer, film lovers nationwide will get the chance to view Beineix’s work
in theatres and on DVD, with several titles released for the first time in the
US. Director Beineix will be in attendance in Los Angeles for the
theatrical release.
‘Betty Blue: The Director’s Cut
A cult classic, Betty Blue (37°2 le matin) was an international
hit when first released in 1986, and was nominated for 9 César awards and Best
Foreign Language Film at both the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes.
Featuring an indelible screen debut by Béatrice Dalle, Betty Blue
hypnotized audiences with its uninhibited sexuality and all-consuming vision of
amour fou that ultimately defined passion for an entire generation.
Cinema Libre Studio will release a recently-struck 35mm print of Betty Blue:
The Director’s Cut, Beineix’s definitive 1991 version featuring additional
footage never before seen by U.S. audiences. Film premieres June 12, 2009
with an exclusive weeklong engagement at New York’s Cinema Village,
followed by calendar runs in markets including Los Angeles (July 3 at
the Nuart), Minneapolis (July 24 at Landmark), Seattle (August 7
at Landmark’s Varsity), Denver (August 21 at the Starz FilmCenter), Boston
(September 11 at Landmark’s Kendall Square), and in Washington D.C
(October 2 at Landmark’s E Street Cinema).
www.BettyBlueDirectorsCut.com
The Jean-Jacques Beineix Retrospective at the American Cinematheque In
Los Angeles
Several of Beineix’s films will be screened at the American
Cinematheque (Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA
90028, tel. 323.461.2020) starting July 2.
Thursday, July 2 at 7:30 PM: The Moon in the Gutter (La
Lune dans le Caniveau, 1983, 137 mins.) Beineix’s terrifically atmospheric
and vastly underrated adaptation of David Goodis’ noir classic stars Gerard
Depardieu as a raffish longshoreman who mourns his raped, suicided sister
amongst the sleazy dives of the Marseilles waterfront. Film is preceded
by Beineix’s first film: Mr. Michel’s Dog (1977, 14 min.) Discussion
following with the filmmaker.
Sunday, July 5 – 7:30 PM: U.S. Premiere! Roselyne and the Lions
(Roselyne et les lions), (1989, 170 min.) Thierry (Gerard Sandoz) drops
out of school to apprentice as a circus lion tamer where he falls in love with
Roselyne (Isabelle Pasco). Landing in Germany, they both fall under the
tutelage of aging big cat trainer Klint (Gunter Meisner). Film is preceded by
the short documentary: Locked In Syndrome (1997, 27 min.),
Beineix’s original take on the true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby that would
eventually be remade into the award-winning feature The Diving Bell and
the Butterfly. Discussion following with the filmmaker.
Wednesday, July 8 at 7:30 PM: Double Feature: Los Angeles Premiere of
Mortal Transfer (Mortel Transfert, 2001, 122 min.) After a
break from narrative filmmaking, Beineix returned with a mesmerizing balance of
poisonously dark comedy and psychological thriller starring Jean-Hugues
Anglade, as a psychoanalyst who falls asleep while listening to his
sado-masochist kleptomaniac patient, Olga (Helene de Fourgerolles) and awakens
to find her strangled. The film is followed by Diva (Rialto
Pictures, 123 min.) Beineix’s debut film and international art house hit; a
deftly constructed soufflé of a suspense thriller with a comic, tongue-in-cheek
tone about postman and opera fanatic Jules (Frederick Andrei) and his obsession
with diva Cynthia (Wilhemenia Wiggins Fernandez).
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‘The Jean-Jacques Beineix Collection’ on DVD
Cinema Libre Studio will be releasing six of Beineix’s films on DVD, several of
which have not been released before in the U.S., in ‘The Jean-Jacques Beineix
Collection.’ Each title will be released individually with the box set
available December 1, 2009.
- Locked in Syndrome
with Otaku and Mr. Chien’s Dog, streets June 23.
- Roselyne and the
Lions, with The Grand Circus bonus documentary (Drama, 1989), streets
July 14.
- IP5: The Island of
Pachyderms (Drama, 1992), streets August 18.
- Mortal Transfer
(Comedy/Thriller, 2001), streets September 22.
- The Moon in the Gutter
(Drama, 1983), streets October 20.
- Betty Blue: The Director’s
Cut, (Drama, 1986) streets November 17.
- The Jean-Jacques Beineix
Collection box set, available December 1.
www.TheBeineixCollection.com
Beineix started as an assistant director in France, before he directed his
first short film. In 1981, he directed his first feature, Diva, a
stylish thriller that became a word-of-mouth sensation eventually winning four
Césars. He followed that with The Moon in the Gutter in
1983. Five years later, Betty Blue became an international
cult sensation and was nominated for Best Foreign Film at both the Oscars and
Golden Globes, and earned 9 César nominations. In the 90’s, Beineix
turned towards more socially conscious subjects, directing two documentaries as
well as taking up the paintbrush. He returned to feature filmmaking in
1992 with IP5: The Island of the Pachyderms, which was the last film for
renowned actor, Yves Montand and also stars Olivier Martinez (Unfaithful,
S.W.A.T.). Unlike many filmmakers, Beineix has kept the rights to his
films while continuing to produce and direct films through his Paris-based
company, Cargo Films.
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About Cinema Libre Studio:
Cinema Libre Studio has been a leader in the distribution of social
issue documentaries and arthouse independent features. The six-year old
company is best known for distributing films such as: Outfoxed, Uncovered:
The War on Iraq, Raising Flagg starring Academy-Award winner ®Alan
Arkin, and Angels In The Dust. The company has recently produced The
End of Poverty? which premiered during the Cannes Film Festival and has
subsequently been selected to over 20 international festivals with a September
2009 theatrical release planned www.cinemalibrestudio.com.