Oct 1, 2020 — Few directors capture bodies in motion with the sensuous intensity that Claire Denis brings to her work. In some of the most memorable scenes in her filmography, she invites viewers to linger in moments where her characters lose themselves in...

Sep 15, 2020 — When Claire Denis’s Beau travail (1999) first appeared on American screens, the critic Stephen Holden used a striking phrase to capture its embracing of bold opposites: “voluptuous austerity.” His characterization, widely quoted since, illuminates the film on many levels, and...

The writer and director returns to the Criterion Closet, where he talks about the infectious energy of Night and the City, shares why Beau travail and Cold Water were transformative works for independent filmmakers in the 1990s, and praises the...

The actor talks about her favorite scenes in Beau travail and Punch-Drunk Love, admires Nicole Kidman’s performance in To Die For, and shares her desire to dance with Bob Fosse.

The Academy Award–winning producer praises Claire Denis’s portrayal of masculinity in Beau travail, talks about the lessons he learned from Luis Buñuel’s producer Serge Silberman, and selects favorites by friends and collaborators, including The Last Wave, The Double Life of...

The Oscar-winning writer and director talks about Army of Shadows and Jean-Pierre Melville’s cinema of betrayal, shares his love for Denis Lavant's dancing in Beau travail, and selects favorites by Yasujiro Ozu, Ernst Lubitsch, and Nicholas Ray.

The writer and director of Safe, Carol, and May December describes the influence that Brief Encounter and Beau travail have had on his work, praises classic Douglas Sirk movies as “the most perfect films ever made,” and gives a shout-out...

Apr 17, 2024 — Three of this month’s programs blast back to the turbulent midcentury moment when old Hollywood gave way to something new.

Jan 29, 2024 — Get ready for Valentine’s Day with a collection of otherworldly love stories, and celebrate Black History Month with a selection of films exploring African American history.

Dec 28, 2022 — We’re getting real in January with a spotlight on cinema verité, a movement that revolutionized documentary filmmaking.