Vendredi soir
Anyone who takes a look at Claire Denis’s body of work will notice that desire and eroticism are key driving forces in many of her films, both for her ambiguous characters and for the audience. This is no different in the nocturnal VENDREDI SOIR.
The film is an adaptation of the eponymous book by Emmanuèle Bernheim. The evening before a young Parisian woman (Valérie Lemercier) moves in with her partner, she gets stuck in traffic. Inspired by a radio appeal encouraging motorists to carpool, she decides to give a lift to a stranger (Vincent Lindon). This leads to a thrilling and erotic detour.
How can one be intimate without becoming voyeuristic? Claire Denis approaches their almost wordless exchange and growing desire with a tactile sensitivity, resulting in a lyrical ode to the pleasure of unexpected encounters. VENDREDI SOIR is, as a result, one of the most sizzling one-night stands in the history of Western cinema.
Showtimes
The screening of 11 March 2027 will be preceded by a lecture on Claire Denis and her influences at 19:00 by Wouter Hessels.
