Ciné Club Series: Peau d’Âne by Jacques Demy

Tuesday, December 9, 2025 From 6:30 PM To 8:30 PM Add to Calendar 2025-12-09 18:30:00 2025-12-09 20:30:00 Ciné Club Series: Peau d’Âne by Jacques Demy Part of our Page to Screen series, join us for one of the French Library’s most beloved films of all time: Jacques Demy’s enchanting musical masterpiece Peau d’Âne. French Library, 53 Marlborough Street, Boston, MA, United States America/New_York

At French Library

Join us for one of French cinema’s most beloved classics: Jacques Demy’s enchanting musical masterpiece Peau d’Âne (Donkey Skin, 1970). A dazzling blend of fairy-tale magic, whimsical humor, and vibrant color, the film is a crown jewel of French cinema.

At the heart of the film is the score by Michel Legrand, whose melodies range from tender to playful and have become closely associated with the film’s enduring appeal. His music forms an integral part of the storytelling and emotional tone.

In this adaptation of Charles Perrault’s fairy tale, Catherine Deneuve plays a princess who flees her father by disguising herself in a donkey skin. Featuring imaginative costumes, stylized set designs, and Jacques Demy’s characteristic visual approach, Peau d’Âne stands as a notable example of his blend of fantasy and musical storytelling.

After the screening, we are delighted to welcome special guest Michael Warnoffsky, professor at Berklee College of Music, whose expertise in film scoring will shed light on Michel Legrand’s contribution to the film.

The conversation will be led by Barbara Bouquegneau, President and Executive Director of the French Library.

Watch the trailer

The evening will include a reception where guests can connect and share their thoughts over a glass of wine.

Movie in French with English subtitles. The Q&A that will follow the screening will be in French and English.

In the U.S., Donkey Skin has generally been shown as Not Rated (NR) rather than with an official MPAA rating. Internationally, it is often classified as suitable for all ages, but we recommend parental guidance for younger children due to mature thematic elements.

Sorry no refunds.

Members

$14

Non-members

$18

About Jacques Demy

Jacques Demy (1931–1990) was one of the most distinctive voices of the French New Wave, known for blending fairy-tale wonder, emotional realism, and musical brilliance into a cinematic universe entirely his own. A central figure of the movement, Demy’s cinema forms a poetic bridge between popular entertainment and artistic experimentation. His films draw inspiration from Hollywood musicals, opera, literature, and folklore, yet remain unmistakably French in tone and sensibility.

Demy first gained acclaim with Lola (1961), but it was his collaborations with composer Michel Legrand that brought him international renown. Together, they created two masterpieces of musical cinema: Les Parapluies de Cherbourg(1964), sung entirely from beginning to end, and Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (1967), a joyful, jazz-infused whirlwind of color and choreography.

About Michael Wartofsky

Michael Wartofsky is a professor in the Songwriting Department at Berklee College of Music, where he established the musical theater writing minor and cofounded the Curtain Up student songwriting contest. He received Berklee’s Distinguished Faculty Award in 2018. His musical All the Possibilities features Broadway stars performing his original songs. Wartofsky has composed several musicals including Car Talk: The Musical!!!, Cupcake, and The Man in My Head, and is the music composer for the upcoming musical LATE, responding to the epidemic of school shootings.

About Barbara Bouquegneau

Barbara Bouquegneau is the President and Executive Director of the French Library. She holds a Master of Science in Film Production from Boston University and has curated the Library’s cinema program for many years, offering local audiences a rich selection of French films. Her passion for cinema and cultural dialogue continues to foster thoughtful conversations around both contemporary and classic works of French filmmaking.

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