Thomas the Impostor

An unapologetic dreamer, 16-year-old Thomas (Fabrice Rouleau) takes advantage of his similarity to a famous general’s nephew to serve in the army during WWI and experience the glory first-hand. As an ambulance driver, he transports the wounded from the front to the castle of a Princess (Emmanuelle Riva), who has transformed it into a temporary hospital and ends up falling in love with her daughter.

Although “Thomas the Impostor” screened two years after Jean Cocteau’s death, Franju was the multi-talented artist’s first choice to adapt this early work and had even collaborated on the screenplay. This was no accident, as the elective affinities of the two men established Franju as the ideal candidate to “translate” the author’s poetic vision to the big screen.

Balancing lyricism and realism, the director illustrates the war-ravaged landscape as an arena of absolute absurdity, full of hollow delusions and unfulfilled fantasies, where innocence is doomed to crash and burn into the harsh reality. Th.P.

Εναλλακτικοί τίτλοι / Alternative titles: Thomas the Impostor / Thomas l’imposteur

Σκηνοθεσία / Director: Georges Franju

Σενάριο / Screenwriters: Georges Franju, Michel Worms, Jean Cocteau

Φωτογραφία / DoP: Marcel Fradetal

Μουσική / Music: Georges Auric

Μοντάζ / Editor: Gilbert Natot

Ηθοποιοί / Principal Cast: Fabrice Rouleau, Emmanuelle Riva, Sophie Darès, Jean Servais, Michel Vitold, Rosy Varte

Γαλλία / France
1965
Ασπρόμαυρο / B&W
94'
Γαλλικά / French

* Screens on 27th September and 29th September