The Valley: The Early Films of Barbet Schroeder

THE VALLEY unfolds against the wilds of Papua New Guinea. Viviane (Bulle Ogier), a bored diplomat's wife, is intrigued when she meets an adventurer (Michael Gothard) and his counterculture friends. Convinced to join their group, Viviane experiments with hallucinogenic substances and free love while in her pursuit of not only a mystical uncharted valley (which is obscured by clouds), but also herself. THE VALLEY features fascinating documentary footage of the tribespeople of the Mapuga, a moody soundtrack composed by Pink Floyd, and the stunning cinematography of Nester Almendros.

“For anyone with even a passing interest in adventurous ‘70s cinema, it's absolutely recommended without reservations.” Mondo Digital 

THE EARLY FILMS OF BARBET SCHROEDER 

The Swiss-Iranian filmmaker Barbet Schroeder has had a fascinating career in cinema. He began in the French New Wave movement of the 1960s producing work for Eric Rohmer and Jacques Rivette, before directing his own features (both narrative films and documentaries), then embarking on a career in Hollywood (making such films as BARFLY, REVERSAL OF FORTUNE and SINGLE WHITE FEMALE) and then returning to Europe to make a series of documentaries. This season of films at Triskel Arts Centre consists of his first three narrative films, each one fascinating as snapshots of their times and as non-judgemental explorations of their subject matters.