THE WITNESSES
monday october 15 7:00pm 
It’s the summer of 1984 and the city of Paris is flush with exciting possibilities, especially for five people whose lives will connect in various ways over the course of a year.
Manu has just arrived in the city and crashes in the rundown hotel room rented by his sister Julie (played by Julie Depardieu), much to her dismay. She is intent on becoming an opera singer and doggedly pursues her passion, while Manu enthusiastically explores the nighttime activities of the city’s parks. It’s there he’s spotted by Adrien, a wealthy doctor in his fifties, who is immediately smitten and tries (unsuccessfully) to pick him up. The two nevertheless form a platonic relationship and Manu is introduced to Sarah (the luminous Emmanuelle Béart) and Mehdi (Sami Bouajila, gorgeous star of THE ADVENTURES OF FELIX), a young couple who have just welcomed their first child.
Things are fine and easy in that first summer, with tours of the city and weekend trips to the shore, but then the seasons change. Mehdi’s job as a vice cop becomes more demanding, and he is roused by a sexual attraction to Manu. Sarah can’t get her novel written, and struggles with the realization that she’s a mother who, in fact, hates children. When Adrien learns of an affair between Mehdi and Manu, he enters a jealous rage, but everything changes for this disparate group of friends when a strange and deadly new illness appears.
THE WITNESSES, directed by the French master André Téchiné (WILD REEDS), is a heartfelt and intelligent drama of shifting loyalties, unpredictable affections, and the battle waged against an incurable disease. Told with a reserved visual beauty and flawless performances, it recounts a history we cannot forget while ultimately putting forth a profound life- ffirming message.
André Téchiné, director; 2007; France; 114 min. (in French with subtitles)
ASL Interpreting before the film
International Centerpiece Gala
Following the Northwest premiere of THE WITNESSES, please join us for a gala reception at Top Pot Doughnuts, 2125 Fifth Avenue (at Blanchard). Enjoy decadent doughnuts, some savory bites, and a beverage or two. Your ticket to the film includes the gala reception.