The Marquise of O
Dir: Eric Rohmer
France, 1976, 103minmins, DCP
Cast: Edith Clever, Bruno Ganz, Edda Seippel
Crossing the moral dividing line, the devil of desire wins for once. Rescued from Russian scoundrels by the gallant Colonel F, the virtuous Marquise finds herself mysteriously pregnant – resulted from a rape by her hero that brings disgrace to her aristocratic family and becomes a social scandal. Rohmer conjures up an ironic, touching version of Heinrich von Kleist’s novella of the 19th century, painting a neo-classic picture of disillusion and morality – social codes crystallized from repressed lust, sublimated gentility, and the birth of love.
Cannes Film Festival: Grand Prize of the Jury
16.2.2019 (SAT): Film talk with Grace Ng
In the Memory of Wong Ain-ling
“A Russian officer has gallantly rescued the Marquise of O from a gang of wolfish soldiers in the battlefield, and yet, he finds it hard to resist the temptation of the flesh. Watching her sleep – desire overrules reason. There she is, the Marquise, in deep slumber, her hand dangling from the bed’s edge, her soul in flight, her body deliciously seductive. Perhaps she is dreaming an erotic dream… When all is said and done, the officer has to abide by the code of the high society and align deviance with the norm before he could get the lady. As if observing a subconscious guiding principle of the behavior between men and women, Rohmer was only just traveling back from the present to the 18th Century.” – An Affair with Film
Hong Kong Arts Centre Louis Koo Cinema (Venue)
Tai Kwun
Post-screening talk
Remarks
1. Screenings at Broadway Cinematheque are available at Broadway Cinematheque and website of Broadway Circuit only. For related ticketing information, please refer to www.cinema.com.hk.
2. Screenings at Emperor Cinemas iSQUARE, Emperor Cinemas Times Square and PREMIERE Elements : tickets are available at URBTIX till 5pm one day before respective screening, after which tickets will be available only at the box office of the respective venue on the day of screening, subject to availability.
3. Screenings at HK Arts Centre and M+ Cinema : tickets are available at URBTIX outlets until one hour before the screening, after which tickets are available at URBTIX website and mobile app. On-the-day tickets will also be available at the Self-service Ticketing Kiosk of the respective venue, subject to availability.
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5. While it is the HKIFFS’s policy to secure the best possible print of the original version for all its screenings, the HKIFFS appreciates its patrons’ understanding on occasions when less than perfect screening copies are screened.
