Lumière festival
10 cult films for young movie buffs
POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2018
With nine days’ worth of films, including over 400 screenings in Lyon and its metropolis, the Lumière festival reaches a wide audience with varying tastes. It can therefore be difficult to choose from the myriad of screenings listed in the line-up. Lumière suggests a selection of films with scandalous, unruly or cult reputations that can appeal to a young audience eager to enjoy gems of the festival.
We have momentarily slipped into the shoes of a young film buff to compose a tailor-made program. Already envious of the tantalizing list, we are nevertheless immediately confronted with the grueling ordeal of scheduling. How can we fit in all the screenings without the gift of ubiquity? We have an ace up our sleeve: free accreditation for ages under 25. Follow our lead!
Ideal timetable for a young moviegoer
Click on the title of the film to link to its description (in French) and all scheduled screenings
Y tu mamá también by Alfonso Cuarón
Sunday, October 14th at 5pm at Comœdia
We kick off the festival with a rock'n'roll detour to Mexico. A little marvel by Alfonso Cuarón, directed before the decisive turning point of his career, Y tu mamá también follows a trio of youths who experience the delicate passage from adolescence to adulthood. A sensual and universal road trip. Note that the director will be at Lumière to deliver a master class and introduce his new film, Roma (where the action takes place in... Mexico).
Delicatessen by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro
Monday, October 15th at 2:30pm at Cinéma Opéra
To start off a hectic-looking week, we settle in with Delicatessen, a genuine cult movie by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Carot. Then cling to the roller coaster on the big screen for this sweet-crazy tale, where the inhabitants of an old building with strange habits have just one concern: to feed themselves. It’s a delirium by geniuses… the same geniuses that will be among the festival guests… Just sayin’.
Escape from New York by John Carpenter
Monday, October 15th at 8pm in Vaulx-en-Velin
Delicatessen having whetted your appetite, it’s essential you get a snack in the sun at the Place des Terreaux. Once satiated, you’re off for a genial hallucination by John Carpenter… Directing Escape from New York, Carpenter wanted to get away from the horror movie genre he was venerated for, to shoot a bona fide action flick. Drawing his inspiration from westerns, he places a solitary hero who bucks authority and the law. It's Snake Plissken, played by a magnetic and wild Kurt Russell.
No Country for Old Men by Joel and Ethan Cohen
Tuesday, October 16th at 9:15 pm at Lumière Fourmi
A guest of honor of the festival, Javier Bardem marks sublimely staged scenes with his visceral skill in No Country for Old Men, the film adaptation of a masterpiece of contemporary literature. And since the Cohen brothers are behind the lens, we can’t resist the pleasure of (re)discovering this movie with its deliciously offbeat dark humor. Hairstyle: Do not try this at home.
Trouble Every Day by Claire Denis
Wednesday, October 17th at 9:45pm at the Institut Lumière
Mid-term exam: Claire Denis Wednesday. Hang on tight, the cinema of the great French director doesn’t flinch. On the program, Trouble Every Day, a literally carnivorous work with Beatrice Dalle as a man-eater. Better to attend on an empty stomach (despite your growing pains).
If the film makes you want to explore the intensely personal universe of the filmmaker, know that she is a guest of honor and will give a master class at the Comedy Odeon at 11:30 the following day (good timing- we put nothing on your schedule until that time). Four of her feature films will be shown during the festival, including High Life, her latest movie starring Robert Pattinson in the shoes of a criminal... in outer space. A science-fiction film completely off the charts, shocking audiences at the latest TIFF.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon by Ang Lee
Thursday, October 18th at 2:45pm at Cinéma Opéra
We return to earth for a stopover in legendary China with a classic wuxia pian, a martial arts motion picture from the Middle Kingdom. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is composed of superb battle scenes - supervised by Yuen Woo-Ping, choreographer of both volumes of Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill - and thrilling intrigue, driven by a crew of exceptional actors and actresses, including Chinese star par excellence, Cheng Pei-Pei.
If you’re hungry for more, we heartily recommend participating in our homage to King Hu, undisputed master of wuxia pian. And be on the lookout for appearances by Cheng Pei-Pei, his go-to actress and one of our guests of honor.
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? by Sydney Pollack
Thursday, October 18th at 8pm in Décines
Cinephile that you are, we imagine you are already aware of the identity of the recipient of our Lumière Award 2018- the incomparable Jane Fonda. It would be painful to have to pick and choose from her filmography with so many bright gems, but one thing is for sure: Horses is a must-see movie. Pollack films the desperate madness of a declining society, where misery has become a spectacle. Social outcasts deal with a series of ordeals, including the derby, a crazy race where anything goes to avoid elimination, filmed in real time by the director, in the midst of the crowd. Jane Fonda is outstanding.
Friday, October 19th at 9pm at the Institut Lumière
Here, we come to a fork in the road. Which all-nighter will it be, The Lord of the Rings or Sergio Leone? The choice is seemingly impossible, but at least, for Peter Jackson’s trilogy, you have two chances - Friday and Saturday night - to bring us back the ring. We therefore recommend that you pay tribute to the master of the western in a throwback to the festival’s first edition, illuminated by the great Sergio Leone retrospective, presented by Clint Eastwood. Plus, the Institut’s theater seats are so comfy...
The Best of Youth by Marco Tullio Giordana
Saturday October 20th at 2pm (parts 1 & 2) - UGC Astoria
Recovered from the all-nighter? You have until 2pm to get your strength back, because it’s impossible to miss the screening of The Best of Youth; we would actually be upset. An epic tale of a generation, from the floods of Florence to the fight against the Mafia in Sicily, student movements and terrorism, a deft blend of minor and major narratives... It's an exciting movie of pure emotion and has not aged an iota. In will also help you brush up on your dusty, rusty Italian.
Detour by Edgar G. Ulmer
Sunday, October 14th at 9:30am at the Institut Lumière
Reserved for die-hards, those who are unapologetically undaunted by sleepless nights or retina fatigue (albeit, nourished by excellent films, we care about your peepers) and endless metro roundtrips where - against your will - your daily horoscope is on view, we recommend a rare find by Edgar G. Ulmer… The director, a pro in the “make-it-work” system, put together his awesome Detour in less than ten days (yeah, really). A road movie nightmare that will jolt you awake on Sunday morning. One piece of advice, don’t trust the angelic mugs below.
Still want more? Essential, these classics should be on your list of movies to see as soon as possible. They are all included on the festival lineup and can even fill some of the holes in your schedule.
Some Like it Hot by Billy Wilder
Beating Heart by Henri Decoin
Steamboat Bill, Jr. by Buster Keaton
Persona by Ingmar Bergman (starring Liv Ullmann, festival guest of honor)
Elevator to the Scaffold by Louis Malle
Bicycle Thieves by Vittorio De Sica
You can thank us at the end of the festival, at the Sunday morning mâchon (if you still manage to stand up and skip the screening of Detour), at the village, at the Platform riverboat or during the closing ceremony. And if you plan to see these ten unmissable films (and still fit everything in your schedule!), don’t hesitate to write to us to give us your impressions. Happy screenings!
All info on free accreditation for ages under 25.
