Galway Film Society

Gainsbourg

Dir: Joann Sfar - France 2009 - 121 mins

Its hard for those outside France to imagine quite how big a star Serge Gainsbourg (1928-1991) was in 20th-century French culture. From the mid-1960s he was ubiquitous in the French media: the high-profile liaisons with the likes of Birkin and Bardot, the drinking, the smoking and the rest but, first and foremost, he was a genius of French chanson whose brilliant lyrics elevated him to the status of poet. As a musical biopic, Gainsbourg gives generous expression to the singer-songwriter’s brilliance in a narrative which retraces the major steps in Gainsbourg’s musical trajectory from obscure pianist to cabaret artiste to major pop-culture phenomenon. Sfar reminds fans and newcomers alike why in spite of everything Serge Gainsbourg remains such a national treasure. His combination of realist narrative and poetic animation make it both a touching biopic and an inspired musical.

The following short film will be screened before the feature:

Eleanor

Dir: Karl Belli & Michel Petit Ireland 2010 5 mins

Seemingly from nowhere, Eleanor turns up one day in the streets of Paris, capturing the heart of a young man she meets there. When she disappears for parts unknown, the air is heavy with her presence.