Il était une fois… Les Parapluies de Cherbourg

Anyone who thinks Jacques Demy created an effortlessly colorful, musical, and romantic film should see this making-of, which re-creates the creation of “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.” Yes, the film is beautifully vibrant, but it resulted from Demy’s exactingly detailed design. Yes, the film is musical, and no one before Demy thought to let characters sing throughout a film, much like an opera. Yes, the film is romantic, but Demy also injected real life – soldiers going to war, pregnancy outside of wedlock, and painful heartache – into the mythical atmosphere. This film, made many years after Demy’s passing, offers a glimpse into how much thought, daring, and originality went into his masterpiece. Michel Legrand talks about the musical process; Agnès Varda reflects on Demy, her late husband; and Catherine Deneuve describes her cinematic breakthrough. This film has become, with time, even more legendary.