Jacques Tati’s Mon Oncle: The North American Premiere
June 20–26, 2005

MoMA, in association with Les Films de Mon Oncle, Paris, and Janus Films and the Criterion Collection, New York, presents the North American premiere of the recently rediscovered and restored English-language version of Jacques Tati’s Mon Oncle (My Uncle) (1958), as part of MoMA’s To Save and Project preservation festival. In this ingeniously comical, Oscar-winning film, Tati’s amiably oblivious Monsieur Hulot grapples with the ultramodern “conveniences” of his brother-in-law’s automated home. Tati simultaneously shot two versions of his first color film, one in English and the other in French, and considered them distinct works with differing mise-en-scène, dialogue, and décor. On June 20, authors/theater directors Jérôme Deschamps and Macha Makeïeff, the founders of Les Films de Mon Oncle, will introduce Mon Oncle and present a split-screen comparison of the two versions, as well as never-before-seen outtakes. A special weeklong run at MoMA follows.

Organized by Steven Higgins, Curator; Joshua Siegel, Assistant Curator; Anne Morra, Assistant Curator; Leigh Goldstein, Executive Assistant, Department of Film and Media.

Mon Oncle (My Uncle). 1958. France. Directed by Jacques Tati. Screenplay by Jacques Lagrange, Jean L’Hote, Tati. With Tati, Jean-Pierre Zola. Approx. 130 min. Followed by a split-screen comparison of the English and French language versions, and outtakes.
Monday, June 20, 8:30. T1; Wednesday, June 22, 5:30. T2; Thursday, June 23, 8:00. T2; Friday, June 24, 8:30. T2; Saturday, June 25, 8:45. T1; Sunday, June 26, 2:00. T1

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