''I think my films are very, very French. I feel they are rooted in something that has to do with culture, with a sense of history, a sense of the past, a sense of tradition. I believe in stories, not plots.'' –Bertrand Tavernier

With Bertrand Tavernier's impressive 1974 debut feature, THE CLOCKMAKER OF ST. PAUL, the director's already assured filmmaking made apparent themes and tones that would have increasing clarity throughout his career. The meditative World War I portrait LIFE AND NOTHING BUT and the 1950s jazz musician character study ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT both display Tavernier's elegant fascination with the historical, while such films as the documentary-like L.267 and the ethical sci-fi drama DEATH WATCH proved the nimble director also could be rooted in the modern. Tavernier's latest film, THE PRINCESS OF MONTPENSIER, set in 16th-century France during the Catholic-Protestant wars, received critical praise in 2010 from prestigious international festivals including Cannes and Telluride.

Series compiled by Gwen Deglise. Program notes by Beth Hanna.