Friday, 23 January 2026 at 6pm
L’Atalante
Jean Vigo | France, 1934 | 89 min | French with English subtitles | Rated PG
Newly-weds Juliette and ship’s captain Jean sail the waterways of northern France, accompanied by Jean’s eccentric crew. “A cine-poem ode to the rhythms of life and love set on a barge travelling along the Seine, ‘L’Atalante’ stands as one of cinema’s indisputable masterpieces.” (BBC)
“True filmic poetry which turns a simple love story into a raw and off-beat fairytale.” (Film4)
“Jean Vigo’s first and only full-length feature is one of the cinema’s greatest masterpieces. The film fuses groundbreaking visual trickery with an almost tangible sense of ecstatic romance, startling eroticism and unexpected moments of harsh social truth. The result is something utterly indescribable, partway between comedy and tragedy, romance and realism, film and dream.” (Time Out)
Trailer: L’Atalante
Tickets: Book your tickets online or contact 0131 285 6030
Leaflet: French Cinema Season 2025-2026
Location:
Institut français d’Écosse (French Institute of Scotland)
Institute Library (1st Floor)
West Parliament Square
Edinburgh EH1 1RF
(The Institut français d’Écosse is fully accessible with step-free access.)
The French Cinema Season is held in partnership with the Institut français d’Écosse (French Institute of Scotland). Founded in 1946, the Institut français d’Ecosse is a cultural centre promoting the French language and culture in Scotland.