"Diva," a riveting French film by director Jean-Jacques Beineix, will bring the vibrant streets of Paris to the Visual Arts Center on Sunday evening. The film is being shown for Intermediate French II with Professor William VanderWolk but is open to the entire Bowdoin community.
VanderWolk said he chose the film "because there are lots of scenes of Paris and because it's a mixture of film genres," including "a police movie, a gangster movie, a musical and a love story."
The movie follows an African- American opera singer, a French postman and gangsters. The postman tapes a recording of the opera singer, which then connects all of the characters throughout the film as the recording becomes a valuable commodity.
According to VanderWolk, "Diva" explores whether you should, or indeed can, "make permanent what by nature is not permanent?"
"As a film, it's a piece of art," VanderWolk added. "The colors are very bright and the decor not only of Paris but the inside of the apartments is wonderful."
Not only does the film awaken certain questions about art and depict an artistic perspective of Paris, but it is also a purely exciting film to watch.
VanderWolk said, "On a whole bunch of different levels it's a fun film."
"Diva" will be showing on Sunday in the Beam Classroom in the Visual Arts Center at 7 p.m.