December Screenings: Three Colors Trilogy in San Rafael

For cinephiles, a very special series of screenings
Krysztof Kieślowski’s Three Colors Trilogy (Trois Couleurs)
Sunday and Monday only, December 4-19 at the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael

Three separate stories, full of the humanity that made Polish director Krysztof Kieślowski one of the most intriguing film creators of the 20th century. Each film in the trilogy derives its title (and its mood) from one of the colors of the French flag. Each features a wonderful actress: Juliette Binoche in “Blue”, Julie Delpy in “White”, and Irène Jacob in “Red”. These films were recently restored by Janus Films and will be presented in 4K at the Rafael Theater on three successive weekends, on Sunday at 1 pm and again on Monday at 7 pm.

Please RSVP below if you plan to attend any of the Sunday matinee screenings (December 4, 11, and 18). Peter Zingg from the Alliance will be attending the Sunday shows, and we can set up a short post-film discussion.

For more information, and to purchase advanced tickets, see the Smith Rafael Film Center’s 4K Restoration Series page.

Three Colors: Blue

Original title / Titre originale: Trois couleurs : Bleu (1993)
Running time / Durée: 1h38m
Genres: Drama
Directed by / Réalisé par: Krzysztof Kieślowski
Casting: Juliette Binoche, Benoît Régent, Florence Pernel, Charlotte Véry, Hélène Vincent
Stream it online / Regarder sur: HBO Max, Apple iTunes, Amazon Video

Après la mort de son mari, compositeur réputé, et de leur fille dans un accident de voiture, Julie commence une nouvelle vie, coupant tout lien avec son passé. Ex-assistant du couple, Olivier, amoureux d’elle, tente de l’inciter à terminer le Concerto pour l’Europe.

Julie is haunted by her grief after living through a tragic auto wreck that claimed the life of her composer husband and young daughter. Her initial reaction is to withdraw from her relationships, lock herself in her apartment and suppress her pain. But avoiding human interactions on the bustling streets of Paris proves impossible, and she eventually meets up with Olivier, an old friend who harbors a secret love for her, and who could draw her back to reality.

Three Colors: White

Original title / Titre originale: Trois couleurs : Blanc (1994)
Running time / Durée: 1h32m
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Mystery
Directed by / Réalisé par: Krzysztof Kieślowski
Casting: Zbigniew Zamachowski, Julie Delpy, Janusz Gajos, Jerzy Stuhr, Aleksander Bardini
Stream it online / Regarder sur: HBO Max, Criterion Channel, Apple iTunes, Amazon Video

Karol a tout perdu après son divorce avec Dominique, il ne peut même pas retourner en Pologne et refuse de devenir meurtrier pour de l’argent. Après avoir enfin réussi à retourner dans son pays, il se lance dans diverses entreprises et tombe dans le piège de sa vengeance sur Dominique.

Polish immigrant Karol Karol finds himself out of a marriage, a job and a country when his French wife, Dominique, divorces him after six months due to his impotence. Forced to leave France after losing the business they jointly owned, Karol enlists fellow Polish expatriate Mikołaj to smuggle him back to their homeland.

Three Colors: Red

Original title / Titre originale: Trois couleurs : Rouge (1994)
Running time / Durée: 1h40m
Genres: Drama, Mystery, Romance
Directed by / Réalisé par: Krzysztof Kieślowski
Casting: Irène Jacob, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Jean-Pierre Lorit, Frédérique Feder, Samuel Le Bihan
Stream it online / Regarder sur: HBO Max, Criterion Channel, Apple iTunes, Amazon Video

Valentine, étudiante à Genève et mannequin à ses heures, passe son temps à attendre les appels téléphoniques de son petit ami, Michel, qui vit en Angleterre. Auguste, son voisin, épris de la douce Karin, travaille d’arrache-pied pour devenir avocat. Sans le savoir, tout ce petit monde a été placé sur écoute par un juge à la retraite, acariâtre et cynique, qui occupe ainsi sa misanthropie et ses vieux jours. Parce qu’au volant de sa voiture, elle a renversé la chienne du juge, Valentine fait la connaissance du vieux grigou et découvre ses basses manies. Dégoûtée autant que fascinée, elle se met à lui rendre de fréquentes visites…

Valentine, a student model in Geneva, struggles with a possessive boyfriend and a troubled family. When she runs over a dog, she discovers that its owner, a retired judge, is illegally wiretapping and eavesdropping on his neighbors’ phone calls. Although Valentine is outraged, she develops a strange bond with the judge – and as the two become closer, she finds herself caught in the middle of events that could change her life.