CONTE D'ETE   1996
(A Summer's Tale)
Directed by  Éric Rohmer
113 minutes
In French with English subtitles

I think we need a new breeze in this city, and what better than the contemplative, lyrical magic of  Éric Rohmer? Delicate as rain, the purity of his movies is completely disarming; they make all other movies seem like cheap tricks. His films are always based on a simple story, and Conte d'été is a case in point. Here, a young man goes for a summer vacation to the coast of Bretagne, hoping that his girlfriend Lena will join him. While he is there, he meets another girl, and soon he has doubts about what he really wants from life. He is supposed to be relaxing, but finds himself in a dilemma that everyone is bound to recognize. A beautiful reflection on life, free of the conventions of pre-packaged movie making.

This is considered by many to be one of Rohmer's best. But that raises the question: does Rohmer have a masterpiece? The answer is no, and the reason is because his movies are so radically different than anything else being done in cinema, that the normal rules don't apply at all to his work. They are belong to another realm altogether, and a much higher one than normal cinema. Rohmer is not for everyone, but anyone who is looking for something different should definitely check his films out.

As one viewer says: "we are so accustomed to plot coming from Hollywood that when something this thoughtful and pure comes along, it just blows us away. I love the way Rohmer slowly guides the audience into the film, without a need for narration, only the sights and sounds of Brittany. When the first words begin, it is so natural, but says so much about the characters. "I don't want to plan my life around money..."

A wonderful film, and this will be a gorgeous high-definition screening.