New 35mm Print!
Eric Rohmer’s luminous comedy about a young Frenchwoman seeking love and human connection is considered to be one of his greatest works

Declared the best movie of the year in 1986 by Andrew Sarris—a list that also included Hannah and Her Sisters, The Sacrifice, and Vagabond — Le Rayon Vert is frequently cited as a career triumph in a filmography that includes numerous great films. Eric Rohmer’s tale, the fifth in his “Comedies & Proverbs” cycle (“Ah for the days/That set our hearts ablaze” – Rimbaud), follows the independent but insecure Delphine (Marie Rivière), a newly single young Parisian who cannot find a holiday companion for the month of August, and meets and rejects, glides and stumbles in her longing for connection. Overhearing a discussion of Jules Verne’s The Green Ray, Delphine becomes fascinated with seeing the elusive meteorological event – The Green Ray - and the promise that comes with it. Rohmer stock player Rivière, who also co-wrote her largely self-created role, delivers one of the most captivating lead performances in any of the filmmaker’s works. (France, 1986, 98 min., In French with English subtitles, 35mm)

“Five stars! (highest rating) – Now here’s a summer movie to get excited about.” – Keith Uhlich, Time Out New York

“Rohmer’s ultimate masterwork. No film I can recall in years has provided such a profound insight into the human condition.  A singularly ennobling episode in the history of cinema.” – Andrew Sarris, Village Voice

“Eric Rohmer’s compassionate, humane masterpiece… its delicacy, charm and tenderness are irresistible.”– Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

“It’s as flawlessly constructed, shot and performed as ever… the word, quite bluntly, is masterpiece.” – Geoff Andrew, Time Out London

“…may be the finest example of his supple and prickly artistry. Rohmer blends fiction and documentary with a graceful splendor of Impressionist inspiration, and the actress Marie Rivière brings energy, spontaneity, and involuted passion to the role of Delphine.” -Richard Brody, The New Yorker

“Marie Rivière creates an emotionally rich portrait of a young woman disappointed in love who transfers her energies into an anxious quest for the ideal summer vacation.” -Bill Weber, Slant

“An absorbing, empathic portrait of a complex woman” – Melissa Anderson, The Village Voice