ARTE Distribution

This first and only real portrait of the man that Malcolm X called the most important black personality of our time. An iconic movie for which Klein was accepted into Ali's entourage and was able to film during the most critical weeks of his career. Unique images that are now legendary.

In 1964, Cassius Clay becomes heavy-weight champion of the world and declares his name is Muhammad Ali. A date in sports history and a turning point in black awareness.

It was a searing look into boxing, into the Southern power structure, inside the Black Muslims. Muhammad Ali explodes on the scene constantly catching America off guard, the first black champion to declare himself free. Eventually, it cost him his title, 3 years enforced retirement, and many millions of dollars.

Muhammad Ali, an aging 32 year-old, who no longer Floats-like-a-Butterfly-and-Stings-like-a-Bee, no longer a revolutionary figure but nostalgia, wants his title back, or, at least, one last big pay check and he shall fight the terrifying Foreman.
And at all odds, this is the end of the most extraordinary sports career of all time.
October 31, 5:30am, Kinshasa, Zaïre. Ali stands triumphant over Foreman, bewildered and K.O How did Ali, underdog, ex-martyr, become once again an all-time hero, champion and legend ?

Chris Marker’s mythical masterpiece released for the first time in 30 years.Thirteen Greek words deciphered by artists and intellectuals from different countries in a film in thirteen episodes. 

The Owl's Legacy was conceived as a film in 13 episodes about the influence of Greek culture in our society. On the model of the ancient banquet, men (and some women) drink wine by exchanging ideas, filmed by Marker in four places: Paris, Tbilisi, Athens and Berkeley. The director also filmed a series of individual interviews, and used a variety of materials to illustrate his subject (literary and philosophical texts, images, music, film and video clips, filmed news ...).  
ALL EPISODES ARE AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH VERSION
Read this article from the New York Times on the series!

The entire collection of Méliès' films - from the well known to the rediscovered Méliès' films enchant people of all ages. As well as being a pioneer, he remains the uncontested master of fantasy and dream worlds, and was the first and most incredible wizard of cinema.

For the first time, viewers can now appreciate the importance of his work - that of a magician and artist whose imagination knew no bounds. The exceptionally talented Méliès produced and directed all his films. He also wrote the "sweet talk", designed the sets, costumes and accessories, and was also the main actor.

Following 25 years of research, and a worldwide search for copies, this collection constitues a genuine reference. The latest technology has been used on these newly restored films, many of which are available for the first time.
The spirit of the era is rendered by 13 musicians.

In 1916, after a 2-year long career, Chaplin is already the most paid actor in the world. He signs for 12 new comedies with Mutual Film Corp. He has his own studio, and total control over the production of his films : unprecedented.

These 12 comedies shot between 1916 and 1917 are a fireworks of humor, invention and fun, maybe what Chaplin has done best in all his career. Success after success, the character of The tramp becomes more complex, and films like The Vagabond, One A.m. Or the Immigrant are jewels of skill and sophistication.
 
These ultimate restorations  are the result of 3 long years of research in the world, and technological achievements. One century after their first release, these films do not have a wrinkle, and the pleasure of watching them is intact. Chaplin said "Shooting the Mutual comedies was the best moment of my life"

After leaving Sennett's Keystone Studios, where he had spent his year of apprenticeship in cinema, Charles Chaplin became a worldwide star at 10 times his former salary by joining The Essanay Film Manufacturing Company in January 1915. For the first time, his name was on the credits ! 

The series was called "Essanay-Chaplin brand", and Essanay was the first to sell merchandising rights for a movie character. In one year, Chaplin was to star in and direct 16 hilarious films, including his iconic The Tramp - each release breaking a new record in sales. Like the two previous series (Keystone and Mutual), these will be newly restored. They will sparkle! The restoration of the Essanay comedies will conclude the restoration of the Chaplin films, now 100 years old, and will amaze future generations in their second century.
 

A journey through Italian cinema with Martin Scorsese...

... in which he also reveals how, as the son of immigrants, he explored the culture of his forebears through the cinema of the country his parents had grown up in.

In Saint-Luc, the highest village of Europe, Jean does not manage to admit the death of his mother. Jean is persuaded that his mother-in-law is cruel, the children get to hate her.

His father, Pierre Amsler, dreams with getting remarried: he wishes to marry Jeanne Dubois, widow herself and mother of small Arlette. Jean is persuaded that his mother-in-law is cruel, the children get to hate her.

Starring Victor Vina, Jean Forest, Pierrette Houyez, Rachel Devirys
Original Music by Antonio Coppola interpreted by the Octuor de France
Restored version
Released en DVD by ARTE Video
Bonus :
- Documentary about the Music
- Presentation of the movie by Serge Bromberg

An iconic film, on legendary 80’s sport show. William Klein was given total and exclusive access to Roland Garros French Open... Miles of filmstock, unique footage, a thousand and one details, a many quirky anecdotes. The tennis carnival from inside, as never seen before.

On the circuit of grand slam events, the Roland Garros tournament is better known as The French Open, or simply The French. For two weeks, life in Paris and the whole of France is dominated by this amazing sports event where great champions are on court wherever you look and as many as 50 matches are fought out each day. William Klein and three camera crews were given total access to The French. From men and women's locker-rooms to massage tables, reception rooms to television studios, players' signing-in desk to turnstiles, stands, umpire's chairs, entrance gates and the VIP village, the cameras were given, for the first and last time, absolutely free rein. Miles of filmstock, unique footage, a thousand and one details, a many quirky anecdotes. For over two hours, the film shows the tennis carnaval as you have never seen it before. A circus with its cast of crazies, cranks, snobs, groupies, gurus, magicians, hustlers, heroes, clowns, sponsors, supermen and superwomen. And dollars, fistfuls of dollars, glory, fear and passion.

Released on DVD by ARTE Video

Shot in black and white with a hand-held camera, this is the most precious, balanced and disturbing account we have of the spirit of May 68.

A documentary about May 1968. At the request of students studying at the Sorbonne, William Klein filmed events in the Latin Quarter of Paris. This footage was intended to be used as part of an umbrella film about May 1968 which, due to multiple dissensions, could never be completed at the time. The film is given over to the people, students, militants, union activists, those who in daily life barely have any contact with each other who can suddenly express themselves. We listen to workers, housewives, waiters, store owners, immigrants, school-children, pensioners, dissatisfied yuppies, repentent bosses, angry young men and women of every type and political tendency, whose passionate discussions ebb and flow across the city. Good intentions, rumors, revelations, wild dreams and speeches, incisive and far-fetched analyses, dramatic turns of events, plots, confessions, crises of conscience, good and bad trips and psychodramas. Talking and talking into delirium.

Mister Freedom, an American righter of wrongs, a sort of spceage Rambo, arrives to solve France's problems and free the country from the Yellow Peril and the Red Menace.

After a series of cockeyed adventures, fighting Red China Man (a gigantic balloon), Moujik Man (Philippe Noiret) and Marie-Madeleine (Delphine Seyrig), he succeeds only in wreaking havoc and destruction, just as he did in Vietnam. The style of the film is a no holds barred satire on the great events that shape our times. The sets and costumes are inspired by hardcore comic-books. The plot contains crazy violence, twists and turns, primeval politics, suspense, sex and slapstick. Audiences feel like they are at the circus until they realize they are watching the news.

"Mister Freedom is the Ubu of our times, a thundering, allegorical farce that succeeds in recreating for the cinema a trip from which the film draws its inspiration. William Klein's relentlessly inventive, burlesque extravaganza is an invigorating and refreshing breath of fresh air." (Michel Capdenac - Les Lettres Françaises)

Polly Maggoo is the pseudo-portrait of a super model. Thirty years ahead of its time, it satirizes TV's top model feeding frenzy, the world of fashion and brainwashing in general... The eye of William Klein in the fashion world made it an iconic movie.
 

There's no movie like it before or since. It abounds with visual inventions and right-on perceptions. Thirty years ahead of its time, it satirizes TV's top model feeding frenzy, the world of fashion and brainwashing in general. The film's caustic dialogue and wicked humor strike home unerringly. With terrible, and terribly funny, far-sightedness Klein had foreseen the diarrhea of media bullshit.The film's designer justifies dressing women in aluminium with a tirade of pretentious creator-speak. "You are a galvanizer and I am galvanized" yelps fashion-victim Violette Leduc, as pundits launch into vapid psycho-historical explanations.
William Klein excels in the parody of all things-media: television commentators, phony interviews, useless scoops, the True Confessions of a Ruritarian Prince, the concoction of a fairy tale romance - even the vox-pops that foreshadow the spontaneous debates of May '68. He takes delight in the slaughter of his targets while keeping the poetry of the images and design ever present.

Jean Vigo Prize 1967

The Minister of the Future selects a model couple and sets them up in an experimental apartment in the heart of New City, which is still under construction.

Electronic happiness, a massive hoax. What will life be like in France in the year 2000? How easy will it be to manipulate and program people? To find out, the Minister of the Future selects a model couple, Jean-Michel and Claudine (André Dussollier and Anémone) and sets them up in an experimental apartment in the heart of New City, which is still under construction. Taken in hand on arrival by two psycho-sociologists (Zouc and Jacques Boudet), the two guinea pigs' lives are dictated by a demented program. Every moment of their existence is dissected, their words, dreams, way of eating, being bored and making love. At the beginning, the experiment is a game. The couple's adventures are shown on TV with the whole country watching live. But gradually, in their closed world, things begin to go sour. What are all these tests for? What exactly are all these technicians after? The plot twists and turns down to the final send-up, a joyous explosion of slapstick. The experiment is a horrible flop like so many glorious initiatives of our schizo society.

"It is incisive, never cursory, always subtle. The film makes you laugh from beginning to end, sometimes so hard you cry." (Alain Rémond - Télérama)