Le Havre

Moving to the port town of Le Havre, Aki’s stylised and offbeat film gives a new heartfelt urgency on the refugee crisis. Marcel, the playwright in La Vie de Bohème, now retreats as a shoeshiner, living hand to mouth with his ailing wife. With instinctive kindness and the support of his tight-knit neighbourhood, he stands up against a tough inspector doggedly pursuing a young African refugee for deportation. A nod to the French noir classics, and in resonance with Aki’s fondness for vintage lighting and décor, this political fairytale yields a nostalgic portrait of a community, where humanity and solidarity are rewarded with miracles. Screening with The Foundry (2006, 4min).

Cannes Film Festival: FIPRESCI Prize and Palm Dog Jury Prize

1/6 (Sat): Seminar with Joyce Yang and Long Tin