Capital Celluloid 2023 — Day 52: Tue Feb 21

Henry & June (Kaufman, 1990): Prince Charles Cinema, 6pm

This is a 35mm screening presented by Lost Reels.

Lost Reels introduction:
A rare screening of Henry & June, Philip Kaufman’s audacious and provocative adaptation of Anaïs Nin’s diaries, recounting her tempestuous relationships with American novelist Henry Miller and his wife June in a bohemian 1931 Paris. Driven more by mood than story and imbued with an evocative sense of time and place, it’s one of the most sensuous and beautifully photographed films ever made. Maria de Medeiros is riveting as the sexually liberated Anaïs and Fred Ward gives a career best performance as the gruff rakish Miller. Uma Thurman is mysterious and seductive as June and Richard E. Grant is perA rare screening of Henry & June, Philip Kaufman’s audacious and provocative adaptation of Anaïs Nin’s diaries, recounting her tempestuous relationships with American novelist Henry Miller and his wife June in a bohemian 1931 Paris. Driven more by mood than story and imbued with an evocative sense of time and place, it’s one of the most sensuous and beautifully photographed films ever made. Maria de Medeiros is riveting as the sexually liberated Anaïs and Fred Ward gives a career best performance as the gruff rakish Miller. Uma Thurman is mysterious and seductive as June and Richard E. Grant is perfect as the earnest Hugo. Upon initial release the film’s sexual content earned it notoriety in the US, causing it to be the film ever to be given the NC-17 adults-only rating - the kiss of death at the domestic box office. Still largely unavailable on either side of the Atlantic, Lost Reels is proud to present a special performance of this exquisite and intoxicating film from an original 35mm print on the date of Anaïs Nin’s birthday.

Here (and above) is the trailer.