Standing barely four foot ten, the late Marceline Loridan-Ivens was nonetheless a giant. Those who have seen Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin's 1961 seminal film Chronicle of a Summer remember the graceful young woman asking passersby, "Are you happy?"—a question that resonates when you know she was deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau at 15. She survived but her father didn't, and her horrific experiences had a profound impact on her life. A strong-minded writer, filmmaker and chronicler, she spoke up about political and social issues ranging from the Algerian and Vietnam Wars to abortion rights. Her romantic and creative partnership with legendary Dutch director Joris Ivens gave birth to some of the most memorable documentaries of the 20th century. Now, near the end of her life, Marceline opens the doors of her apartment and memories in an intimate encounter enriched by archival footage and friends' testimonies. This much-deserved tribute retraces how a free woman really "moved the mountains." Charlotte Selb
Co-presented with Cinéfranco