The Cousins
From Sun 15 to Wed 18 DecConceived as a companion piece to his début film Le Beau Serge, Les Cousins is Chabrol’s darkly comic, mid-twentieth-century update on the classic Balzac’s story of the young student from the provinces coming to Paris to find success. Shy, idealistic Charles (Gérard Blain) shares an apartment with his more sophisticated, cynical cousin Paul (Jean-Claude Brialy), in a stark reversal of the actors’ roles in Le Beau Serge. Drawn into Paul’s seductive, corrupt world, Charles’ moral beliefs are tested to their limits. In this drama-cum-thriller, Chabrol’s sharp, clinical camerawork builds up a sense of expectation and menace that leads up to the final showdown between the cousins. As the recipient of a Golden Bear for Best Film at the Berlin festival, Les Cousins confirmed the birth of New Wave cinema.
Film Club
The screening on 15 December 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.
