Underrated Directors

Continuing to spotlight names that might be unfamiliar even to ardent film buffs, Tavernier unveils glorious restored footage from one of France’s first-ever color films, 1936’s La Terre qui meurt. The latter’s director, Jean Vallée, is given his due, as are Pierre Chenal, Henri Calef (previously Chenal’s assistant)—and trailblazing women directors including Jacqueline Audry (Olivia), Nelly Kaplan (A Very Curious Girl), and Agnès Varda (Cléo from 5 to 7), whose emergence in the 1950s Tavernier hails as “a thunderclap.” Tavernier is joined by Cannes Film Festival director Thierry Frémaux for an annotated discussion of director Gilles Grangier’s many teamings with iconic actor Jean Gabin that is rich in production anecdotes and histories.