Catherine Breillat (THE SLEEPING BEAUTY) discusses the film with FSLC Program Director Richard Pena on March 3. (Photo by GODLIS.)

Asked why she has made a concerted move into the world of fairy tales with her last two films, Breillat responded, “Fairy tales can be very cruel. They can teach cruelty to children and through fairy tales they can learn to be heroes – which they long to be. Asked if she would make a third “fairy tale” film (following THE SLEEPING BEAUTY and BLUE BEARD), Breillat said she would like to do a film based on the “Beauty and the Beast” story.

Associate Director of Programming, Scott Foundas with MOZART'S SISTER director René Feret on March 4. (Photo by GODLIS.)

THE PRINCESS OF MONTPENSIER director Bertrand Tavernier and star, Gaspard Ulliel introduce their film on March 4. (Photo by GODLIS.)

DEEP IN THE WOODS director Benoit Jacquot prior to the screening of his film on March 5. (Photo by GODLIS.)

Asked if he had French actress (and his frequent muse) Isild Le Besco in mind for the lead role in the film as he conceived it, Jacquot said,”I already have in mind the actors or actresses before I begin. But this one even more. I might have liked to try to consider another actress, but it was quite impossible.”

Foundas and Claude Lelouch following the screening of FROM ONE FILM TO ANOTHER and their discussion of his filmmaking career, “A Conversation with Claude Lelouch” on March 5. (Photo by GODLIS.)

Eric Lartigau (Director of THE BIG PICTURE) at the screening of his film, March 6. (Photo by GODLIS.)

Tavernier discusses “The Cinema Inside Me” with Pena on March 6. (Photo by GODLIS.)

Among the countless gems that Tavernier delivered to the enthusiastic audience during this survey of film through his eyes were these:

While casting for his film A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, Michael Powell consulted with Alfred Hitchcock after he had been frustrated to find the right American actress to play the lead in the film. Following a discussion of what Powell was looking for in the actress, Hitchcock said he might know of the perfect woman for the part – one that he had met during the auditions for REBECCA. The thing was, however, that she didn't actually audition for the film. Rather, she was “reading” the other actresses. Therefore, the only footage he had of her was the back of her head. That actress turned out to be Kim Hunter.

Tavernier also discussed the work on Andre De Toth, playing a clip from the film THE DAY OF THE OUTLAW. A devoted fan of De Toth's work, he made a convincing argument for one to take a second look at the director's work both with westerns and film noir.

Tavernier also spoke of the influence that American westerns had on him, stating, “I wanted to become a director because I wanted to meet Gary Cooper.” He followed by stating that his biggest regret was that he never actually had the opportunity to meet Cooper.

THINK GLOBAL, ACT RURAL director Coline Serreau with FSLC Associate Director of Programming Marian Masone on March 6. (Photo by GODLIS.)

Foundas and Ludivine Sagnier talk about her role in the film LOVE CRIME and working with the late director Alain Corneau on March 6. (Photo by GODLIS.)

Masone talks with THE LONG FALLING director Martin Provost on March 7. (Photo by GODLIS.)

Masone discusses the film HANDS UP with director Romain Goupil on March 13. (Photo by Wildman.)

Goupil, in his first ever visit to New York gave an entertaining Q&A which culminated with an in-depth four-part description of how he approaches working with children and how he applied those techniques and that philosophy (built around the idea of allowing the child actors to be themselves organically, rather than staging their performances) while making the film. If he had more time he may have been able to solve the riddle of working with animals, for the audience, as well.