Cop au Vin
From Sun 12 to Fri 17 JanCop au Vin (Poulet au vinaigre in French) is Claude Chabrol’s 1984 thriller/black comedy. In a small provincial French town, three pillars of the community (Doctor Morasseau, Mr. Lavoisier and the butcher Filiol) decide to launch a real-estate business together. There is one obstacle to their scheme: disabled Mrs. Cuno (Stéphane Audran) and her son Louis, the mailman, refuse to sell their ramshackle house. When one of the business partners dies in suspicious circumstances, Inspector Jean Lavardin, played by Jean Poiret in a wonderfully zany performance, is sent to investigate. Lavardin is one of a kind: he is very particular about his (paprika- sprinkled) eggs and does not suffer fools gladly. Thanks to his unorthodox methods, he starts uncovering a web of deception, corruption, as well as dark family secrets. With its mix of suspense and black comedy, Cop au Vin delivers Chabrol’s signature blend of biting social commentary, moral ambiguity and intrigue.
Film Club
The screening on 12 Jan will be introduced by film critic and programmer Roberto Oggiano and followed by a discussion with the audience, as part of our film club, Finally Sunday. No booking is necessary (it’s free to attend), you just need to buy a ticket to the film.