Duras film: an introduction.

I want to show you some films made by Marguerite Duras, the author who inspired Bientôt l’été. Next to many novels and plays, she also wrote, directed and even performed in several films.

A few films were made based on her writing by other directors. These tend to be more famous than her own (Hiroshima Mon Amour, Moderato Cantabile, The Lover, The Sea Wall). But I want to focus on the films she directed herself.

Duras’ films have inspired and influenced the design of Bientôt l’été to some extent. But more importantly, seeing a short extract from some of her films will quickly introduce you to the atmosphere, style and themes of her work. Hopefully this will help you to appreciate ours, and explore hers further.

We will start with some of Duras’ last films, because they are the purest and the simplest, and the most influential on Bientôt l’été. And we will work our way back in time, and see her films become more conventional but no less mysterious and fascinating, as they explore the main themes and characters of her literary work.