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Dir. Martin Bourboulon - 2022 - 108m - France - In French with English subtitles - No Matinees

STARRING ROMAIN DURIS AND EMMA MACKEY

After completing the Statue of Liberty, celebrated engineer Gustave Eiffel is on top of the world. Now, the French government is pressuring him to design something spectacular for the 1889 Paris World Fair. Eiffel's design plans suddenly change when he crosses paths with a mysterious woman from his past. Their long lost, forbidden passion inspires him to change the Paris skyline forever.

"It's a beautiful story about this affair." - Tim Cogshell, FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles)

"Director Martin Bourboulon deploys a brisk and energetic pace, which keeps the film entertaining" - Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

"The film is loaded with betrayal, miscommunications, family drama, bad press, and full-on corruption in the highest levels of government, but in the end it's the story of the ultimate act of love on a grand, metallic scale." - Steven Prokopy, Third Coast Review

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Dir. Xavier Giannoli - 2022 - 150m - France - In French with English subtitles

WINNER OF SEVEN CESAR AWARDS INCLUDING BEST FILM!

Xavier Giannoli’s sumptuous adaptation of Honoré de Balzac’s epic novel, Lost Illusions is a ravishing vision of the birth of modern media.

Lucien de Rubempré (Benjamin Voisin) is an ambitious and unknown aspiring poet in 19th century France. He leaves his provincial town, arriving in Paris on the arm of his admirer, Louise de Bargeton (Cécile de France). Outmatched in elite circles, Lucien’s naive etiquette prompts Louise to retreat back to her husband, leaving the young poet to forge a new path.

Lucien makes a new friend in another young writer, Etienne Lousteau (Vincent Lacoste), who introduces him to the business of journalism where a salon of wordsmiths and wunderkinds make or break the reputations of actors and artists with insouciant impunity. Lucien agrees to write rave reviews for bribes, achieving material success at the expense of his conscience and soon discovers that the written word can be an instrument of both beauty and deceit. 

“Period-drama perfection. Acted with such terrific panache that not enjoying it is impossible.” - Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

“A beautiful piece of filmmaking, masterfully handled by Giannoli” - Sheila O'Malley, Roger Ebert . com

“Lost Illusions is sumptuous yet piercing, an expertly plotted social-relations saga of the kind that once typified prestige Hollywood cinema.” -Kyle Smith, Wall Street Journal

“With its stellar performances, dramatic orchestral score, and rich costume and set design, Lost Illusions is a worthwhile, sweeping narrative of love, lust and literary ambition.” - Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter

“The best newspaper movie since Citizen Kane.” - Armond White, NRO

“Giannoli has not only produced a meaty and provocative adaptation of a Balzac gem, but also one of the funniest and most romantic films of the year.” - Adam Solomons, Little White Lies

“A provocative, raunchy, exhilarating look at artistic compromise, corruption and ambition, giving us the first gangster movie with critics and journalists as its antiheroes.” - Rafael Motamayor, Collider

"Giannoli accomplishes one of French literature's trickier feats, finding uncanny resonances with our time ... [T]here’s nothing new about fake news, and it may shock today’s audiences to learn just how powerful — and how corrupt — the media was two centuries ago" - Peter DeBruge, Variety

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