July 20th, 2007 11:51:00
Fantasia honors a great man

Jean Rollin s’est vu remettre un prix honorifique pour l’ensemble de sa carrière.

Jean Rollin a signé une tonne d’autographes.

For the last eleven years, Fantasia has received a great number of international guests. Sometimes, these personalities are bigger than life. They are living legends that, with their unique artistic practice, changed moviemaking and storytelling. It was the case of Ray Harryhausen who, in 2005, came to pay a visit. This year, another cinematographic icon passed by the festival, the French director, Jean Rollin.

It all began on a Sunday during the screening of the classic Le frisson des vampires. Jean Rollin came to present his movie before a room full to maximum capacity. The audience was entitled to a full presentation of his movie as well as many anecdotes onset, etc. Jean Rollin was also honored with a prize for his work throughout his career. Mr. Rollin was visibly very touched and thanked the audience before engaging in a interesting Q & A session.

The next day, he came back to present his world premiering film, La nuit des horloges. Feverish to discover his latest masterpiece, the audience was given a screening rich in emotion. Once the film was over, the spectators met a very friendly and cordial Jean Rollin sharing his numerous memories with good-naturedness and humor. Definitely generous with his time, the director willingly answered the festivalgoers’ questions before posing for many photographs and signing a ton of autographs.

Fantasia is very proud to have received Mr. Rollin and even more proud to have honored him. Congratulations on 40 years of a brilliant career.


photos : (c) 2007 Pierre Roussel - www.imagesphotographie.com

Eric S. Boisvert
Contamination Magazine