Well-known to film industry insiders but
virtually unknown to the public at large, Pierre
Rissient is one of the most intriguing of the
figures who work behind the film production
process. His close friend Todd McCarthy,
chief film critic of the respected industry
trade paper Variety, has taken up his camera
make an affectionate portrait of Rissient, a
cinephile of obsessive dimensions who has had
a considerable impact on the lives of many a
young filmmaker.
Rissient started his career as a critic and
cinema programmer, subsequently directing
two non-commercial films before shifting his
focus to uncovering new talent. Scouting for
the Cannes Film Festival, he became linked
to directors such as Clint Eastwood, Sydney
Pollack, Quentin Tarantino and the Asian
masters Hou Hsiao-hsien, Chen Kaige and
Zhang Yimou.
Wonderful anecdotes from many of these
luminaries abound in the film, as well as
tales of Rissient’s friendships and fights
with Fritz Lang, Joseph Losey and Mike
Leigh, while carefully selected archival footage
evokes the spirit of this rich period in the
history of cinema.
Piers Handling,
Toronto Film Festival Programme
*Director Todd McCarthy will participate in
a post screening discussion hosted by Simon
Perry, Chief Executive of Irish Film Board.
