In memoriam of Frederick Wiseman, the great American filmmaker and part-time Paris resident, we present three of his cinematic portraits of French culture. Having lived in Paris in the 1950’s, Wiseman returned to live in later decades, making a quartet of documentaries on La Comédie-Française, the Paris Opera Ballet, the Troisgros dining establishments and the iconic Crazy Horse strip club.

Claude Chabrol’s partnership with Isabelle Huppert spanned nearly 40 years and seven films – six of which are presented in this series. Traversing a large range of misconduct and illegal behavior, Huppert and Chabrol infuse their thorny characters with humanity, revealing victims of circumstance and time.

In the most playful film of the Chabrol-Huppert alliance, petty scam artists Betty (Huppert) and Victor (Michel Serrault) join the big time when Betty eyes a larger target. As they enter dangerous new territory, it’s not always clear who’s playing who, but that’s all just part of the fun.

For his truly fitting swan song, Wiseman focuses his camera on the Troisgrois family, who for generations have run three restaurants in central France. The result is a highly detailed look at a bustling yet civilized and creative environment, the owners never tiring in the desire for continued greatness.

When a young aspiring musician (Anna Mouglalis) learns of a strange past connection to a famous concert pianist (Jacques Dutronc), she feels compelled to meet him. His embrace of her presence sparks the jealousy of his son and, more perilously, his devoted third wife (Huppert).