Star-Studded Opening
The 16th edition of the Lumiere Film Festival started off on a glamorous note as it brought a long list of public faces and festival guests to Lyon, France. The red carpet was sparkly as famous actors Benicio del Toro, Tim Burton, Monica Bellucci, Vanessa Paradis and top directors Costa-Gavras and Giuseppe Tornatore arrived for a fantastic kick-off to the festival. Everybody who attended has added something different to the event which raised the bar for this year’s festival, emphasizing mainly on the best of the world cinema.
Skipping through the memories of the past and arriving in the present, film, and theatre devotee Monica Bellucci purposely visited Lyon. The purpose of the trip was to promote her documentary about being Maria Callas in a play which is loved by many. Bellucci was one of the last stars on the red carpet and of course in her inimitable style as always came up with a playful charming British flash of elegance. When she started to move forward on the carpet, she seemed to stop abruptly, turn around in an almost whimsical way as if wishing to retrieve something, and reach over the curtain. To the amazement of the crowd, she waved Tim Burton out which made for a delightful surprise.
Lyon is precious to both Bellucci and Burton for the festival was the place where they met in a way that led them to fall in love. This was because Burton was awarded a lifetime achievement honor known as the Lumiere Award and among his award presenters was Bellucci. The bond that they established that night grew into a relationship that has left many fans of both artists amazed.
On-Screen Reunion
From that ‘fateful summer of July 2022’ evening onwards, professionally and personally, the two have worked and continue to work together not only as couple but also as creative collaborators. In the highly anticipated follow-up to Burton’s cult classic, Bellucci is on board as a cast member in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. It allows the audience to experience the couple’s creative process in action in the context of a film—Burton’s narrative and Bellucci’s performance. Their joint appearance at the Lumière Festival added a layer of excitement for moviegoers eager to see what this unique duo brings to the beloved Beetlejuice series.
The premiere of the Lumiere Film Festival witnessed an emotional tribute to the late Michel Blanc, an actor respected in the French film industry who died in early October. Throughout the years and generations, they dominated the spirit of creators, especially the ill-fated comic Michel Blanc and his filmography about skiing. At the festival, like many others, the audience was treated with footage of this movie alongside the theme song of the film. Moreover, the audience was asked to join in a sing-along of the theme song of the movie, a task that was also practical.
Inside the mammoth Tony Garnier concert hall, Lyon, hundreds of phones lit up the venue, capturing the emotional moment as attendees joined their voices to sing along. After the karaoke event was over, the same spirit of singing persisted among the audience, although this time they put away the microphones, mandated by emotions and respect towards Michel Blanc only. This unimaginable ornamental is something every actor understands but cannot express. This was the response of the audience at the end of the performance that was meant to wish silence to an actor who entertained and brought joy to millions of audience members.
Honoring Alain Delon
Additionally, the festival’s program includes the name of another French cinema veteran who sadly died in August, Alain Delon. The work of Alain Delon, who is considered a symbol of the French New Wave, covers several decades in cinema and is best known for his charismatic screen roles and his cinematic endeavors. This tribute helps evoke sadness over the loss of this great figure, both for his devoted fans and for other creatives, allowing all to appreciate the importance of Alain Delon for film history.
Traditionally, as part of the ceremony, festival director Thierry Frémaux continued the practice of demonstrating restored films of the Lumière Brothers, as the audience was reminded of Lyon as the cradle of cinema. When these films were presented, it evoked in the audience the emotions at the very creation of the world of moving pictures which filled hearts and minds of people more than a hundred years back. Some of the funnier moments included Frémaux engaging with some of the star guests including Benicio del Toro’s special thanks to which, as he spoke in English, ‘I know the cinephile in you will appreciate these’. His remarks drew warm laughter and applause from the crowd’s appreciation of every avenue of cinema that all protect in common.
Festivals of such kind in some regards were adopted and appreciated by the famous people present, as was the screening of the films and the eagerly-awaited masterclass. Film classics along with the illuminating comments of the well-known artists and their precious experiences have always been the salient features of the Lumiere’s Festival. The attraction of the audience which is Del Toro’s presence among other artists is not merely increasing the level of the excitement but also instilling in the audience infectious joy, thus enriching the occasion and making it embraced.
Celebrating Cinema with Justine Triet
This time the organizer of the Lumiere Film Festival has planned an interesting event with the French Academy Award winner Justine Triet who is known for her work in Anatomy of a Fall. Triet embarks on the event by giving her favorite films to the audience in Lyon, engaging fans with how the films that she embraces feed in her writing creation and vision. This woman is a filmmaker who brings emotional turmoil in all her films and so it goes without saying that the audience will appreciate her choices streamlining the festival.
To pay tribute to the power of the cinema, the festival will include the classics in new versions restored by the original directors. In this lineup, there is a great interest in Jacques Audiard’s Read My Lips, a suspenseful film that derives from the interaction of its characters. Joining this lineup is Nicolas Winding Refn’s Pusher which is considered a cult classic since its release in year 1996. Such films, which have been unbound from the period in which they were made, reinforce the idea of the universality of cinema for any genre and for every decade.
Quebecois director Xavier Dolan, for whom style is often more important than substance and for whom most hopes are being considered as visionary, returns to the Lumiere with a master class, which will be accompanied by a special screening of the tenth anniversary of the Cannes film. The film’s international premiere was a success and the audience will be screened at Lyon’s 2,000-seat Auditorium, which is expected to please both new viewers and devoted fans. Dolan’s influence on modern cinema and his distinctive, emotional storytelling have made him a favorite among festivalgoers, and his presence adds further excitement to this year’s lineup.
Premieres from the Iconic Festival
Along with celebrating the celluloid achievements, Lumière Festival will also present a number of festivals premieres which have been screened at Cannes, and all these will be largely organized by Thierry Frémaux who is the director of Cannes Film Festival as well. Those screenings include Coralie Forgeat’s much-lauded, The Substance, The Most Precious of Cargoes by Michel Hazanavicius, and Finalement by Claude Lelouch. Each of such films is significant all the more due to what they render. For instance, The Substance is all about intense storytelling, The Most Precious of Cargoes is the very first animated work of Hazanavicius, and Finalement is another exquisite piece of the wonderful universally known director, Lelouch. They come with the directors and that makes the impression even more vivid since you can hear and see what Cannes premieres are about.
The guest of honor of this year’s festival Lumiere, Costa-Gavras, received an emotional standing ovation particularly when the prize was presented to him by Tim Burton. Tim Burton has called the honorary prize for cinema activists and visionaries Costa-Gavras one of the most influential filmmakers of our time. It was one of the most moving moments of the ceremony and the very ‘hands on’ and personal side of the award in relation to cameo director, Tim uncontrollably fawned over. This is not just a tribute to the young filmmaker and the films by Costa-Gavras, but a film celebration which is overdue honoring filmmakers that shape the future of new generations of cinema.
From new festival events to tributes and premieres, this year’s Lumière Film Festival exemplifies its role as a celebration of cinematic artistry and legacy.
Celebrating Alejandro Jodorowsky
Jodorowsky, film maker whose works explore the contemporary syncretic ideas of surrealism and religious spirituality. Jodorowsky has been a big influence in the review cinema. Guests will be offered for a complete all night long immersion in the Jodorowsky’s cinema enjoying an all-night journey through his distinctive cinematic universe. What’s more, Jodorowsky himself will conduct a master class, talking about creativity, his own philosophy and how exactly his works are brought into life.
Women are often the focal point of much movie-going but ads are published every year to inspire those who prefer to relearn the women who made film history. Within the frame of the Lumière Festival there is a special plan by highlighting the work of Matilde Landeta – a Mexican filmmaker almost unknown to many. However, outside of history Landeta’s films seem to be overlooked, yet It is hoped that Landeta’s legacy will be further explored as part of the changes embracing this year’s program’s focus on the permanent history of women filmmakers section. This Focus-validation strives to give fresh visual and information support towards Landeta to new and young audiences that will render even some of her classic films and understand the context in which they were made especially from women’s perspective.
The festival traditionally honors the founders of Hollywood with a special edition; this year it will celebrate the filmmaker Fred Zinnemann best known for telling the stories no one knows how to tell. With a carefully selection of a dozen of his films, most of his celebrated works will feature, including From Here to Eternity, A Man for All Seasons, and The Day of the Jackal. These screenings offer festival-goers a comprehensive look at Zinnemann’s enduring impact on Hollywood, allowing audiences to appreciate his role in shaping cinematic history through masterful storytelling and powerful visuals.
Extensive Film Lineup
The present-day Lumière Film Festival includes the excitement of the visual heritage, the avant-garde of cinema, and the warmest greetings unleash for the masters who did not leave an indifferent person. With presentations of filmmakers, educational efforts and compelling screenings, the felid embraces the richness and variety of the moving image even by encouraging audiences who appreciate the past and the upcoming of celluloid.
This year the Lumiere Film Festival is surely going viral as it has an awesome number of 158 films that will be screened in around 450 screenings in Lyon City. For a period of nine incredibly exciting days, one will be able to experience a very rich assortment of films in differing styles and cultures. It does not matter if you love old, new, or foreign films, those people who appreciate filmmaking will find what to watch at this festival.
A Classic Adventure for All Ages
The middle of the week is starting with the vibrant Tony Garnier Hall, one of Lyon’s most iconic venues—will transform into a lively gathering spot for families. The family stories are the ones that are waiting for the families to be wrapped around the beautiful narrative, which is built around the collection of fun exercises with Asterix and his friends.
Following this family-friendly event, the atmosphere at the Tony Garnier Hall will shift dramatically. As night falls, the hall will be ready to welcome horror enthusiasts for an exhilarating horror all-nighter. This spine-chilling event will be hosted by none other than Alexandre Aja, a master of the horror genre, known for his captivating films like “Mother Land” and “Oxygen.” Aja’s expertise in crafting suspenseful narratives promises to make this night unforgettable for those daring enough to attend.
The pride of the festival, will be enhanced by the ovation of this year’s Lumiere Award to the French actress Isabelle Huppert.
Critics have recognized Huppert as the best actress in the world, and throughout her rich career, she has won many hearts with her outstanding abilities. This is the very award which she will accept on 18 October and this is when her tremendous achievements in the past years are in focus to the general public. Huppert’s inclination for the extreme has always precluded her understanding any of her characters rather well making her one of the most feared individuals within the circles these days.
Celebrating Past Lumière Laureates
The Lumière Award is a symbol of excellence in filmmaking, and this year’s honor for Huppert continues a rich tradition of recognizing cinematic legends. An impressive list of filmmakers and actors whose names studded and analyzed the history of present-day cinema are a previous laureate of this award. Such figures include Wim Wenders, Tim Burton, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Wong Kar Wai, Jane Campion, Jane Fonda, Clint Eastwood and Quentin Tarantino. Every one of these creators produced an indelible presence in the film industry through compelling stories and creative ideas.
Still, the award has also acknowledged such stars as Catherine Deneuve, Ken Loach, Miloš Forman, Pedro Almodóvar, and the Dardennes among others. With the tribute to Huppert, the Lumiere Festival does not only appreciate her successful career but also reaffirms its own commitment to art and its practitioners, which over the years has changed and brought the art called cinema where it is today. Looking back at the way events have played out since the launch of the Lumiere Film Festival, a nation celebrating film and its history is in the offing. With some nice family feature and also exciting horror films accompanied by the much talked about Lumière Award presentation, the attendees should look forward to a very snappy respect for the history and the current stature of cinema.
Conclusion
Put simply, this year’s festival is not only a festival, it is the cultural phenomenon centered around a film in which everything comes together: the plot, the characters, the atmosphere. The Lumière Film Festival accurately represents the ability of cinema to move, uplift, and unite people from various countries and cultures.
