The Dreamers

Young American Matthew (Michael Pitt) arrives in Paris in early 1968. A devoted cinephile, he soon meets Isabella (Eva Green) and Théo (Louis Garrel), inseparable siblings and regulars at the Cinémathèque Française. An intense and complicated bond, both physical and psychological, gradually develops between the three as Paris ignites with revolutionary fervor. The penultimate film of Bertolucci’s career—ugly, beautiful, pretentious, exuberant, problematically artificial, seemingly complicated—is perhaps the most challenging work in this section. Yet it reflects its idea most fully. For Bertolucci, the call to “rediscover cinema, rediscover the image” meant allowing utopia to become reality. In interviews, Bertolucci explained that The Dreamers was not intended as a traditional historical film about 1968, but as a vivid evocation of the era’s mix of cinema, freedom, sexuality, and politics, aimed at transmitting that spirit to viewers who were not there. Dreaming about life before living it – that is the revolution Bertolucci defended against all others, as befits a true lover of life.

Stanisław Bardadin

Bernardo Bertolucci (1941–2018) – Italian poet, director, and screenwriter, and one of the most influential figures in European cinema in the second half of the 20th century. In his films, he explored themes such as politics, sexuality, and identity, provoking audiences and challenging social taboos. His work combined intellectual reflection with a sophisticated visual style – extended takes, symbolic color palettes, and epic mise-en-scène. Films such as The Conformist and Last Tango in Paris brought him international acclaim, while The Last Emperor won nine Academy Awards, confirming his stature in world cinema.

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