Watching a Luis Buñuel film is an unsettling experience. Unpredictable emotional beats, sacrilegious imagery, uncanny juxtapositions abound in his work – his films attack our compliance. The man himself was no less complicated: a communist who left the party, a bourgeois who ferociously criticised his class, a self proclaimed (but not quite) puritan who was haunted by erotic obsessions. He made films in Mexico, France, and Spain, and all three countries claim him as one of their own. His films were banned and he was attacked with equal fervour by the Catholic Church, Fascist Spain, and the Mexican Communist Party.
Who is Luis Buñuel?
From January to February 2024, The Garden Cinema embarks on a journey of inquiry, which will include academic introductions, special events, and discussions with our members who will also be invited to help us unravel Buñuel’s legacy.
We will kick off our journey on January 12th with a Buñuel-inspired members’ party followed by a screening of Un Chien Andalou + L’Age d’Or with live electronic music accompaniment by A’Bear followed by the highly eccentric Simon of the Desert.
Week 1 of our journey will feature screenings of Los Olvidados and Land Without Bread and The Exterminating Angel films he made in Mexico.
In Week 2 we will continue with three films he made in Mexico and Spain – Nazarín, Tristana, and Viridiana. The Viridiana screening on January 25 will be followed by a roundtable conversation with academics who will discuss Bunuel’s complex work and attempt to give a first answer to our central question: ‘Who is Luis Buñuel?’ To conclude the discussion, we will open it up to our members and the audience who will be invited to share their perspectives and insights on the issue.
Week 3 will be preoccupied with Buñuel’s work made in France, featuring his late masterpieces The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Belle de jour and That Obscure Object of Desire.
In Week 4, we will briefly deviate from our normal course with our Women of Surrealism event featuring films by Maya Deren, Germaine Dulac, and Barbara Hammer. The screening will be followed by a discussion addressing their legacy and examining the politics surrounding the historical underrepresentation of their work.
During Weeks 5 and 6 we will examine Buñuel’s legacy, screening films inspired or influenced by his work. The program will be informed by our members’ suggestions, which will be requested in our Members’ Update emails in January. Stay tuned to contribute, and keep an eye on the season page as more screenings will be added.
Join us for Who is Luis Buñuel? – more of an exploration than a season of films.
* Throughout the whole season, the majority of the films will feature brief intros by experts on each of Buñuel’s films, highlighting his different facets. Please check the individual film pages for full details.
