International Film Festival of Auvers

International Film Festival of Auvers: Cinema and Impressionism

The International Film Festival of Auvers-sur-Oise takes place in one of France's most historically artistic towns. Auvers-sur-Oise, a small commune in the Val-d'Oise on the banks of the Oise River, is inseparable from the history of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painting: it was here that Vincent van Gogh spent the last seventy days of his life (from May to July 1890) and created over 70 canvases, including the very famous 'Wheatfield with Crows'. It is also in Auvers that his friend and doctor, Dr. Gachet, is buried, and where the landscape painter Charles-François Daubigny stayed.

This exceptional setting inspires a film festival that explores the relationships between the seventh art and the visual arts, particularly painting. Documentaries about great painters, artistic biopics, auteur films with distinct pictorial aesthetics, and cinematic perspectives on Impressionism make up the program of this unique festival.

Screenings in Exceptional Venues

The strength of the International Film Festival of Auvers lies in its screenings in unusual and historic locations. The Auberge Ravoux, where Van Gogh spent his final days, the Daubigny Museum, the park of the Château d'Auvers, and the gardens of Dr. Gachet serve as backdrops for outdoor screenings, creating a unique atmosphere where cinema dialogues with painting and heritage.

Documentaries on Painters

Documentaries on the great Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painters form the core of the program. Van Gogh, Monet, Pissarro, Sisley, Daubigny, and their contemporaries are the subjects of films that allow the public to delve into their lives and works. These documentaries, often award-winning at specialized festivals, reveal lesser-known aspects of the Impressionist masters to the general public.

Cinema and Painting, a Fruitful Dialogue

Beyond documentaries, the festival focuses on fiction films that deal with painting and painters. From major biographical dramas to contemporary auteur films, many filmmakers have drawn inspiration from the world of visual art. This dialogue between painting and cinema is the originality of the Auvers festival.