Exchange Talk: A Parisian Playground: Re-visiting Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Amélie

Ahead of our Musical Theatre production of Amélie in March, join Dr Pasquale Iannone to explore the artistic influences on the original 2001 film, and its impact on audiences. 

Released in France in April 2001, Amélie was both a box office sensation and a critical success. Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s vibrant, warm-hearted comedy stars Audrey Tautou as a shy young Parisian waitress who concocts various schemes to spread happiness to those around her.

Steeped in nostalgia for the post-war Paris of Jeunet’s childhood, the film draws on classic French painting, literature, music and above all, cinema.

In this richly illustrated talk, Dr Pasquale Iannone will discuss Amélie’s many artistic influences and explore the reasons why both domestic and international audiences embraced the film’s charm.

Dr Pasquale Iannone is Lecturer in Film Studies at the University of Edinburgh, where he has taught many courses on film, TV, music, literature and journalism since 2005. He is also a highly experienced critic (Sight & Sound, BFI), curator (Filmhouse, GFT, BFI) and broadcaster (BBC Radio Scotland, Radio 4, Radio 3). He currently produces and hosts Edinburgh Film Podcast.