Playtime (4K Restoration)

Although Jacques Tati (1907–1982) made only six feature films, he is considered one of the most important and innovative post-war filmmakers. As director, writer, producer, and leading actor, he created a timeless body of work filled with affectionate details, perfect timing, and subtle, silent humour.

From Thursday 30 July, you can enjoy six weeks dedicated to the timeless work of this unique filmmaker. All six of his feature films will be shown on the big screen in beautifully restored versions.

Playtime follows two parallel storylines that eventually converge in a hypermodern, gleaming yet disorienting version of Paris. American tourists arrive at Orly Airport for a brief visit to the city, while Monsieur Hulot attempts to find his way around the same environment and search for work. In this world of glass, steel, and reflective surfaces, Hulot is constantly disoriented. Human connections are difficult to make, conversations go astray, and the city itself feels less like a familiar place and more like a labyrinth of modernity.

The tourists and Hulot move independently through the same spaces until their paths eventually cross at the newly opened, chic Royal Garden restaurant, where the modern façade gradually begins to collapse into organised chaos. The film has also been restored in 4K, allowing the architectural precision, visual layering, and Tati’s meticulous choreography of people and space to come vividly and impressively back to life.