Martinican filmmaker Euzhan Palcy.
Photo courtesy Martinique Tourism Authority (MTA)
The Martinique Tourism Authority (MTA) says it is celebrating a special cinematic showcase honoring the trailblazing work of Martinican filmmaker Euzhan Palcy this Friday, April 4 at Metrograph Theater in New York City.
MTA said on Friday that the event, titled “Director Fits x Metrograph: Euzhan Palcy X2,” features back-to-back screenings of two of Palcy’s most beloved films: Her 1992 Caribbean musical “Siméon” and her landmark 1989 anti-apartheid drama “A Dry White Season,”
“Both screenings will be accompanied by in-person appearances by Palcy, offering New York audiences a rare opportunity to engage directly with one of Martinique’s most pioneering cinematic voices,” MTA said.
It said Palcy, a native of Martinique, broke historic ground with “A Dry White Season,” becoming the first Black woman to direct a film for a major Hollywood studio.
MTA said the film, starring Marlon Brando, Donald Sutherland and Susan Sarandon, is “a powerful indictment of apartheid and a masterclass in socially conscious filmmaking.”
Her follow-up film, “Siméon,” is “a magical realist celebration of Martinican music and culture, now beautifully restored in 4K,” MTA said.
It said the evening’s Q&A will be moderated by Hagop Kourounian, whose Instagram account @DirectorFits is dedicated to exploring the personal style of filmmakers.
MTA said Kourounian recently profiled Palcy in the A24-published volume, “How Directors Dress”, describing her as a director whose work, “like her personal directing uniform, commands your attention.”
This program is presented in collaboration with Director Fits and the Princeton French Film Festival, and with the support of the International Organization of La Francophonie and Villa Albertine, MTA said.
“Euzhan Palcy represents the very best of Martinique’s creative legacy – bold, visionary and globally impactful,” said Muriel Wiltord, MTA’s director of the Americas. “We are so happy to support and celebrate her extraordinary contributions to cinema and culture.”
“Siméon” will be shown at 6:35 p.m., followed by a Q&A with Euzhan Palcy.
“A Dry White Season”, introduced by Palcy, begins at 9:15 p.m.
Metrograph Theater is located at 7 Ludlow Street, New York, NY 10002.
For more information, go to metrograph.com.