As the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2012 kicks off on 19 October with a programme focused on the Folktales of Europe, let’s (re)discover Jacques Demy’s ode to the classic fairy tale by 17th century French author Charles Perrault.
Peau d’âne is part of ’The Universe of Jacques Demy’, a retrospective dedicated to the French director and his greatest films.
Catherine Deneuve (Les Parapluies de Cherbourg, Indochine) stars as a Princess whose father, the King (Jean Marais), seeks her hand in marriage after promising his dying wife to only wed a woman more beautiful than she. Listening to her godmother, the Fairy of Lilacs (Delphine Seyrig), the frightened Princess flees to a neighbouring farm and hides as a scullery maid, while wearing the skin of her father’s prized donkey as a disguise. A visiting Prince passes by, and an unlikely romance is born.
Ahead of its time and strikingly modern in its design, this epic tale overflows with elaborate dazzling costumes and an enchanting score by Academy Award-winning composer Michel Legrand (Les Parapluies de Cherbourg, Cléo de 5 à 7...)
A film by Jacques Demy
1970, 90 mins
Cast : Catherine Deneuve, Jean Marrais, Micheline Presle...
In French with English subtitles
Screening: Tuesday 16 October 6.00 pm / Wednesday 17 October 11.00 am
Admission Free