An American in Paris

About this event

Northern Arizona University and the Sedona International Film Festival are partnering to present The Classics, a monthly classic film series. NAU/SIFF Classics will be curated and hosted by School of Communication Professor Emeritus Paul Helford. The series will continue on Thursday, Sept. 17 with “An American in Paris”. Gene Kelly dancing to the music of the Gershwins. Vincente Minnelli’s dazzling direction. The screen debut of Leslie Caron. Paris transformed into a dream of music, color, dance, and romance. “An American in Paris” (1951), winner of six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, remains one of Hollywood’s most spectacular musicals. Inspired by George Gershwin’s 1928 orchestral work, “An American in Paris” is set in postwar Paris, where ex-GI and struggling painter Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) lives modestly on the Left Bank with his sardonic pianist friend (Oscar Levant). When an American heiress takes an interest in Jerry, his life becomes complicated when he falls in love with Lise (Leslie Caron), a young French woman secretly involved with another man. Their emotional turmoil culminates in the film’s legendary dream ballet, choreographed by Kelly and set amid Oscar-winning Parisian designs inspired by the paintings of Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Gogh, and others. Paul Helford will introduce the film, provide historical and artistic context, and lead a discussion following the movie. A lifelong film lover Helford has taught and written about films for over 50 years. As a television station manager and award-winning producer, he produced and hosted a weekly classic TV film show. He’s taught high school and college film classes. At NAU he started the film program major in 2006 and has co-directed and co-hosted the NAU College of Arts and Letters film series since 2004. “An American in Paris” will be shown at the Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 17 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $12, or $9 for Film Festival members. For tickets and more…

Description from sedonafilmfestival.com