new wave films
AROUND A SMALL MOUNTAIN
A film by Jacques Rivette
Synopsis
French New Wave alumnus Jacques Rivette returns with a fresh and warm comedy, loosely based on the life of dandy author Raymond Roussel.
On the eve of the troupe's summer tour, the owner and founder of a small circus diessuddenly. In order to save their season, the troupe decides to ask his oldest daughter,
Kate (Jane Birkin), to step in. Even though she walked out on the circus fifteen years before, to
everyone's surprise, she agrees to put her new life on hold and join them. By chance,
she crosses paths with an Italian, Vittorio (Sergio Castellitto). Intrigued by Kate and fascinated by the
circus lifestyle, he decides to follow them. Gradually, he becomes part of the life of the
troupe, eventually taking the plunge and joining the show. But above all, he tries to
uncover Kate's secret—why did she leave the circus and why did she agree to return?
At the end of the tour, they go their separate ways. But which way?
In competition, Venice Film Festival 2009
UK Premiere, London Film Festival 2009
Where It's On
Trailer
Director — Jacques Rivette
Jacques Rivette was born in Rouen in 1928. A central figure of the French New Wave, Rivette remains, with Godard, one of its most experimental tenants with unconventional narrative, length, the absence of a script and an emphasis on improvisation. Rivette started making films in the 1950s, while also a film critic. He has since directed a large number of fiction, documentary and essay films, never ceasing to experiment and challenge the meaning and limits of cinema. Around a Small Mountain, presented at the Venice Film Festival, is his latest film to date.
Filmography
Selected Filmography2009 36 VUES DU PIC SAINT LOUP
2006 DON'T TOUCH THE AXE
2002 THE STORY OF MARIE AND JULIEN
2001 VA SAVOIR
1997 SECRET DEFENSE
1994 HAUT, BAS FRAGILE
1992 JEANNE LA PUCELLE 2: THE PRISONS
1992 JEANNE LA PUCELLE 1 : THE BATTLES
1991 LA BELLE NOISEUSE, DIVERTIMENTO
1990 LA BELLE NOISEUSE
1987 LA BANDE DES QUATRE
1984 HURLEVENT
1983 L’AMOUR PAR TERRE
1981 MERRY-GO-ROUND
1977 LE PONT DU NORD
1976 NOROIT
1975 DUELLE
1973 CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING
1970 OUT 1 : NOLI ME TANGERE
1970 OUT 1 : SPECTRE
1967 L’AMOUR FOU
1966 JEAN RENOIR, LE PATRON
1965 LA RELIGIEUSE : SUZANNE SIMONIN, LA RELIGIEUSE DE DIDEROT
1960 PARIS NOUS APPARTIENT
Cast & Credits
Director Jacques Rivette
Screenplay Jacques Rivette, PascalBonitzer, ChristineLaurent, Shirel Amitay
Dialogue Pascal Bonitzer
Director of photography Irina Lubtchansky
Sound Olivier Schwob
Editor Nicole Lubtchansky
Sound Editor Georges-Henri Mauchant
Costumes Laurence Struz
Set Manu de Chauvigny, Giuseppe Pirrotta
Make-up Ignazi Ruiz
Hair Pilartxo Diez
Production Managers Pierre Wallon, Elisabetta Olmi
Produced by MauriceTinchant and Martine Marignac (Pierre Grise Productions)
Co-produced by France 2 Cinéma ; Cinemaundici (Luigi Musini,Roberto Cicutto and ErmannoOlmi); Rai Cinema ; Alien Produzioni (Sergio Castellitto and Margaret Mazzantini)
With the participation of Canal+, France 2, RAI Cinema,Centre
National de la Cinématographie, Italian Ministry
of Culture
France / Italy 2009 / 84 min / 35mm / ColourCAST
Kate Jane Birkin
Vittorio Sergio Castellitto
Alexandre André Marcon
Marlo Jacques Bonnaffé
Clémence Julie-Marie Parmentier
Margot Hélène de Vallombreuse
Images
Click any still to enlarge
The Critics
‘Elegant, melancholic, and deceptive in its serene simplicity, this is a concise summary of career-long themes by one of cinema’s all-time greats, and a bracing and lovely work in its own right.’
New York Film Festival Catalogue
‘Watching the maestro move his camera, smoothly mixing theatre and film, is never less than pleasurable.’
Dan Fainaru, Screen International
‘...flawlessly acted by Birkin...’
Boyd Van Hoeij, Variety
‘Wittily composed and edited, and shot through with genuine adoration for the landscape and culture of his homeland, 32 Vues du Pic Saint Loup shows Rivette developing charming, unique variations on all his pet themes’.
David Jenkins, Time Out
‘...succinct, elegantly acted... a contemplation of performance and the art of timing, in life as on the stage. This is Rivette's lightest film, without a doubt, but it's possibly also one of his best. And it's not often that you get to see Jane Birkin walking a tightrope.’
Jonathan Romney, London Film Festival Catalogue
'Wonderful.'
The New Yorker
Links
Watch Serge Daney interview Jacques Rivette on his early days as a critic and filmmaker.
Bookings & Press
For film bookings please contact Colin Burch at Verve Pictures — [email protected]. Press resources are on the Press page.