Carte blanche given to Gérard Corbiau

A virtuoso in music’s service

Known worldwide for his works consecrated to music, such as “Farinelli” and “Le Maître de musique” Gérard Corbiau is certainly one of the directors who gives the most importance to the relationship between image and music. He finds “an extraordinary and fertile land in which to research new emotions” and we feel in each of his films at what point he is knowledgeable about music. The cinema of Gérard Corbiau is at the heart of the festival’s preoccupations. The ideal guest of honour, the festival offered him carte blanche.

Born in 1941 in Brussels, Gérard Corbiau studied cinema at the Institute of Media Arts (IAD) in Belgium. For more than thirty years, he worked for RBTF television, alternating between documentaries and news features. Gérard Corbiau directed his first full length feature for cinema in 1987: “Le maître de musique”. A true success, the film obtained the Jury award from the Rio Festival in 1988 and was nominated at the Oscars for the best foreign language film. He subsequently directed in 1990 “L'année de l'éveil”, adapted from the novel by Charles Juliet. Co-written by Andrée Corbiau and Michel Fessler, the scenario unfolds in a barracks in Aix-en-Provence and recounts the first, loving emotions of a young child a youngorphans in a troop during the Indochina wars. The film was officially selected by the Locarno International Film Festival in 1991. In 1994, Gérard Corbiau directed “Farinelli”, adapted from the life of the famous XVIII century Neapolitan castra. The film is rewarded with two Césars (best set decoration and best sound), the Golden Globe award for best foreign language film and was also nominated for the best foreign language film at the Oscars. Finally, in 2000, he directed “Le Roi danse”, nominated at the Césars for best costume, best sound, and best emerging actor. He equally obtained the best cinematography award at the Polish Lodz Image Festival. At the same time Gérard Corbiau continued to make documentaries, including several portraits of musicians as “José van Dam, 25 ans après”, (2007) and “Laisser une trace dans le coeur, Augustin Dumay”, (2009). This year he is finishing the portrait of a sculptor from Liege, currently living in Cavaillon: “René Julien ou Le souffle du rêve”
Filmography: 2003 Saint-Germain ou La négociation (Téléfilm/Tv movie) 2000 Le Roi danse (Long métrage/feature film) 1999 Versailles, la visite (documentaire/documentary) 1994 Farinelli (Long métrage/feature film) 1991 L’année de l’éveil 1988 Le maître de musique 1982 Chronique d'une saison (Documentaire/documentary)

3 movies, 3 musical worlds:

Le roi danse

“My third film about music, after “Le maître de musique” and “Farinelli”. When it came out, some critics pointed out the absence of a main character. Music, gentlemen - yes, Music ! Music is the main character. It is in the centre of each shot, each character. In the centre of the scenario as well, which tells how dance at court gave birth to a new genre: French Opera. Surrounding the Music, and dancing along with it, three other fabulous characters: Louis XIV, Lully and Molière. When we perceive this key, everything becomes extremely clear”.

Fitzcarraldo

For me, one of the most beautiful films about Music, as much for its subject as for the way in which it transcends each image. A superhuman epic bathed in the airs of Bellini, Puccini and Verdi. An oversized film beyond measure... In short: an opera-film”.

Atonement / Reviens-moi

One of the most beautiful films of the last ten years. Lit by the fascinating face of Keira Knightley, this film, with restraint, incorporates unforgettable scenes such as the everlasting traveling on the beaches of Dunkirk, expressing in no better way the shambles of our war-like rages. A sequence of extreme virtuosity. A film like Music. For me, a masterpiece, which makes me think that cinema is, perhaps, not dead”.

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