Hal Hartley

In the landscape of American independent cinema, Hal Hartley (b. 1959) remains a well-kept secret, a cult director. Why? Because, unlike other filmmakers of his generation, he has maintained an unwavering fidelity to the true meaning of the word “independent” – in addition to running his own production company (Possible Films), he refuses to give up a rigorous method that ranges from the most technical element to the most philosophical or eccentric dialogue. He began in the late 1980s and early 1990s with the distinctive mark of the romantic comedy (The Unbelievable Truth, Trust), and continued with a cinema grounded in ambiguity and a delight in language.

It was, moreover, in the 1990s that a generation of cinephiles saw Hartley as a great reference point for the American independent circuit. Born in Long Island, New York, where he grew up familiar with the working-class environment, it was there that he found the elements for his future work, which, after three short films, took off with a significant success, The Unbelievable Truth (1989), which became one of his most appreciated films, in an already "golden" period that lasted more or less until Simple Men (1992), passing through Trust (1990) and Surviving Desire (1992). These are films that overflow with his personal inspiration in a certain European cinema, particularly that of Godard, and that signal an existential disposition different from the more common American tone. This was followed by a collaboration with one of the greatest actresses of the contemporary European scene, Isabelle Huppert, on Amateur (1994), a title in the tradition of French film noir. And, with experiments in digital video in between, in a body of work that has become increasingly spaced out, the trilogy comprising Henry Fool (1997), Fay Grim (2006), and Ned Rifle (2014) also stands out. Hal Hartley produces, directs, writes, and almost always scores his films, imbuing them with a philosophical conscience between rock soul and a touch of dark humor.

He will be present at this LEFFEST retrospective, which will also feature the European premiere of his latest film, Where to Land, in Competition.