Whit Stillman at the Cinémathèque

In December 2023, the Cinémathèque de la Ville de Luxembourg had the pleasure of welcoming American writer-director Whit Stillman, a defining voice of independent cinema. Bursting onto the scene with his debut feature Metropolitan (1990) — which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay — Stillman has since become renowned for his refined, witty, and ironic portraits of modern manners, balancing elegance with melancholy.

The event opened with a conversation with the filmmaker, moderated by Giovanni Marchini Camia (publisher at Fireflies Press and film critic for Sight & Sound and Film Comment), followed by a book signing of Whit Stillman: Not So Long Ago (Fireflies Press).

Two of Stillman’s emblematic works were then screened: The Last Days of Disco (1998), a tender and sharp portrayal of youth and identity set against the fading glow of the disco era, and Damsels in Distress (2011), a subtle comedy starring Greta Gerwig, presented in the presence of the director.

As a nod to his love of classic Hollywood cinema, the evening concluded with a 35mm screening of Top Hat (1935) by Mark Sandrich, introduced by Whit Stillman himself.

This exceptional encounter offered Luxembourg audiences a rare moment of dialogue and cinematic discovery — perfectly embodying the Cinémathèque’s mission to build bridges between generations, cultures, and passions for the art of film.