The Invitation - L"Invitation - (1973)

After the death of his mother, middle-aged insurance employee inherits her small cottage surrounded by a garden. Selling the cottage which is situated on unexploited ground near the center of a big city makes him a rich man and he buys a big house in the countryside. He takes some time off and decides to throw a big garden party at the house and invite all his colleagues from the office. Aided by alcohol, the guests gradually lose all their inhibitions and reveal personality traits and frustrations that they normally keep hidden.

Director: Claude Goretta. 

Stars: Jean-Luc Bideau, François Simon, Jean Champion, Corinne Coderey, Michel Robin, Cécile Vassort, Rosine Rochette, Jacques Rispal, Neige Dolsky, Pierre Collet, Lucie Avenay, Roger Jendly, Gilbert Costa, William Jacques, Daniel Stuffel. 

1973 Cannes Film Festival – Winner International Prize, Dramatic Film.

1973 Cannes Film Festival – Winner Jury Prize.

1973 Cannes Film Festival – Nominated for the Palme d’Or.

1974 Academy Awards – Nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

Subltitled in English.

Link to watch the movie (Third Party): https://ok.ru/video/2610407541414

The Games of Countess Dolingen - Les jeux de la Comtesse Dolingen de Gratz - (1981)

This complex and puzzling French drama walks the fine wavering line between the fictional and the very real as it tells the tale of a strangely erotic event in the life of a little girl and the musings of a schizophrenic woman. Also involved is an enigmatic spouse who prepares a surprise for a burglar.

Binet’s first independent feature film is exceptional in French film history. With its uncanny atmosphere, this visually exquisite study of female erotic fantasy was largely inspired by the short story “Dunkler Frühling” (Dark Spring) by the German poet Unica Zürn, whom Binet very much admired. In three stories woven together in various ways, she tells of the crime of one man (Michael Lonsdale), the unfulfilled love of a young girl and the fate of a neglected wife (Carol Kane).

Director: Catherine Binet. 

Writers: Catherine Binet, Bram Stoker (short story “Dracula’s Guest”), Unica Zürn (novel).

Stars: Michael Lonsdale, Carol Kane, Katia Wastchenko, Marina Vlady , Emmanuelle Riva, Roberto Plate, Marilu Marini, Robert Stephens, Marucha Bo, Antoine Binet, Raoul Escari, Tobie Schumer, Carine Toly, Nathalie Goldnadel, François Mouren-Provensal. 

Subtitled in English.

MOVIE LINK: https://ok.ru/video/2610668702374