White Material News

This weekend, the Northwest Film Center kicks off an impressively thorough retrospective of the work of French director Claire Denis.

I begin with a confession: The best film of 2000 wasn't, as I told readers of The Oregonian at the time, Curtis Hanson's "Wonder Boys"; it was Claire Denis' "Beau Travail." Oh, I esteem "Wonder Boys" greatly and still recollect it with a wry smile.

Starter for 10: how many movies has the great songsmith James Taylor starred in? If we're talking cinematic features, that would be one.

Focussing on the paradoxes of human interaction and the complexity of the individual's relationship with society and the world at large, Denis's work has been hailed for its subtlety, delicacy and power, as well as its stunning technical proficiency.