Audiences at the Aero Theatre attending LA's third installment of THE FRENCH HAD A NAME FOR IT (June 15-19) were enthralled by the in-person appearance of legendary director-historian Bertrand Tavernier, whose latest film MY VOYAGE THROUGH FRENCH CINEMA is now in limited release across the USA. A near-sellout crowd on Opening Night was rapt throughout the three-hour epic examination of classic French film, as Tavernier seamlessly tied together his own youthful fascination with film with searching, affectionate examinations of fabled filmmakers (Jacques Becker, Edmond T. Greville, Jean-Pierre Melville, Jean-Luc Godard), actors (Jean Gabin, Eddie Constantine) and composers (Maurice Jaubert, Joseph Kosma). View the trailer.

A matinée screening of Tavernier's Occupation-era classic LAISSEZ-PASSER (2002) produced a riveting Q&A on Saturday the 17th, which set up the screenings of LES PORTES DE LA NUIT (1946), Marcel Carné's brooding look at post-war Paris, and the first film by Jean-Devaivre, the key protagonist of LAISSEZ-PASSER, whose LA DAME D'ONZE HEURES is a riotously deadpan sendup of noir motifs, anchored by the great Paul Meurisse. Tavernier's introductions were lengthy but spellbinding, including heartfelt reminiscences about two worthy but lesser-known directors, Henri Decoin (whose work is familiar to FRENCH HAD A NAME FOR IT fans in San Francisco) and Gilles Grangier (whose work will be showcased in the fourth edition of the festival at the Roxie beginning on Friday, November 3).

Taking over from Tavernier on Closing Night (Monday, June 19th), Midcentury's Don Malcolm tied together a tangled web of creative interconnections in his previews of two often-neglected French noir classics, CASQUE D'OR (1952) and LES ORGUEILLEUX (1953). It was a reminder both of Tavernier's relentless quest to tie together the creative impetus in classic French film and the mission of THE FRENCH HAD A NAME FOR IT—to bring to light the astonishing number of lost and overlooked classic French film noirs that still await rediscovery. Thank you, American Cinematheque. And merci beaucoup to the indefatigable Bertrand Tavernier.

AGITPROP! TAKES THE MEASURE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE

Wednesday, April 26 was a special evening at the Roxie, where social justice programming from the past reached out to a devoted 2017 audience. Spurred by pinch-hit host Elliot Lavine (subbing for Don Malcolm, still on the mend from heart surgery, who made a special video appearance), folks were treated to a panoply of socially conscious film and television—beginning with the famously controversial "abortion episode" of THE DEFENDERS, and continuing with two meditations on ethnic prejudice--the lost B-noir OPEN SECRET and the celebrated but too-seldom-seen noir classic CROSSFIRE.

Thanks to our speakers—Gretchen Sisson and Vlad Khayin—for their fine efforts in tying together these pioneering works of the past with a broad historical context that reminded us that we must continue to defend abortion rights and thwart ethnic prejudice.

Folks had a generous dollop of fun as well, whether posing with Don Malcolm's amazing 6-sheet poster of CROSSFIRE, or signing the FREE THE DEFENDERS! petition urging Shout Factory to release seasons 2-4 of this landmark 60s TV series, all the while brandishing buttons that can win prizes for those who bring them back to the Roxie on May 5 for the RARE NOIR series. Thanks to all who attended, and watch this space for future social justice endeavors. In these tumultuous times, it's best to remember Ben Franklin's grimly relevant quip: "We must all hang together, or we may all hang separately."

A CRACKLING EVENING OF AGITPROP! Roxie Triple Feature Brings Back Two Groundbreaking Movies and a Television Episode That Still Hold Power
—Dennis Harvey, 48Hills.org