Filmspotter

I have a real soft spot for ‘Umbrellas of Cherbourg’ - this was my introduction to the world of Jacques Demy - and by extension, Agnes Varda. I first saw it about 10 years ago, when I was in the first stages of my relationship with my now husband - amazingly we both loved the film... and it wasn’t some sort of harbinger of doom (we weren’t teenagers when we watched it, mind!) I, with my husband, run a touring ‘pop up’ community cinema in the U.K., and this was always on my list of films I wanted to screen. We finally did a screening of it a couple of years ago, to a community group - mainly aged in their 60s, upwards: lots of people who remembered at least the music from the film, if not the film itself - and it really set off heated debates. People who had ‘rose tinted’ memories of it being the archetypical romantic French film, hated the ending. People who had no personal connection to the film, generally enjoyed it. It was incredible to see some of these people expecting an easy, gentle old movie grapple with the ‘non-traditional’ (more realistic) ending. We got some serious complaints from the screening, but I love it when films spark debate and discussion, and I certainly experienced that with this film. I personally adore the music, use of colour, and the fact it is oh-so French in the details (and so particular to this area of France), but at the same time, so universal in its theme.... so as you’d probably guess, it’s a yes from me!