Sound and light fresco, electro-peplum evening, chariot race, screenings, exhibitions… A child of Mulhouse, who became one of the greatest directors in the world with “Ben-Hur”, William Wyler will be honored throughout in the summer, in his hometown, with a multitude of unique events. M+ met the director’s daughters, present in Mulhouse since Wednesday morning.
He is one of the most famous Mulhousiens in the world: director William Wyler, known in particular for Ben-Hur, Roman Holiday or How to steal a million dollarsis in the spotlight throughout 2022. Born in Mulhouse in 1902 (and died in 1981 in Los Angeles), William Wyler left for the United States in 1922, at the age of 18, before to become one of the greatest directors in the history of cinema, rewarded in particular by three Oscars for best director and a Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
“As part of the William Wyler year, the City and its partners are offering many events throughout 2022, many of which are focused on the summer, explains Anne-Catherine Goetz, deputy mayor. to Culture. Among these events, the Place de la Réunion will host, from July 22 to August 21, a sound and light fresco, every day, at nightfall. This fresco, projected on the Saint-Etienne temple, will pay homage to the life and work of William Wyler. She will highlight her attachment to Mulhouse. »
Signed by the Alsatian artist Julie-Anne Weber, this sound and light fresco will parallel the main characteristics of Mulhouse with the life and work of the filmmaker. Before the launch of this free mapping, the Mulhouse summer will be placed, from the end of June, under the sign of William Wyler.
“Mulhouse has always had a special place in his heart”
Present in Mulhouse, from June 29 to July 4, the director’s three daughters, Catherine, Judy and Melanie (their brother David was unable to make the trip) were able to discuss with the elected officials and the mayor Michèle Lutz but also with young Mulhousiens, on the occasion of the inauguration of the new premises of the Youth Service, Wednesday 29 June. In particular, they were able to discover, in preview, the four videos produced by a group of young people, around the values of William Wyler and the cinema professions, which will be published, in July, on social networks.
“My father must undoubtedly be watching us from up there and he must be happy and proud to see his hometown pay tribute to him in this way, underlines Melanie Wyler. Mulhouse has always had a special place in his heart and he returned to it each time he passed through Europe. For Catherine Wyler, “my father would be moved, as we are, to see what is happening here, to also see that young people are interested in his work. We have decided to make a donation to the City of Mulhouse to finance, at the rate of $2,500 per year, for four years, the cinematographic projects of young Mulhouse residents. »
Producer of the film devoted to the career and life of her father, Directed by William WylerCatherine Wyler will be present, to discuss with the public during its screening in Mulhouse cinemas: Thursday June 30 at the Bel-Air and Saturday July 2 at the Palace.
The daughters of William Wyler will also attend the inauguration of the plaque on the director’s birthplace, rue de Zurich, and the William Wyler promenade, in the Nouveau Bassin, but also the unveiling of the 100 m² fresco dedicated to him. , avenue Kennedy, created by the artist Nilko LoveLetters.
Until August 31, Mulhouse cinemas (Kinepolis, Le Palace and Bel-Air) are offering cycles dedicated to William Wyler’s films, while open-air screenings are also on the program, on August 7 and 14 in the garden. of the Fabric Printing Museum. The short film “Une vie de rêve”, written and directed by 25 students from Mulhouse who discovered the life and work of the director, will also be screened in cinemas in Mulhouse this summer.
“Stop your Ben-Hur chariot”
In tribute to the peplums produced by William Wyler, an electro-peplum evening is planned for this Saturday, July 2, at Motoco. Muscles, togas and meridians will thus be the decor of this masked evening which promises to be as crazy as it is historic! Another event, as part of Thursdays in the park, the Automobile Museum will host a “Stop your Ben-Hur tank” evening on July 28. On the Autodrome transformed into an ancient circus, a race of artisanal chariots, made by the public, will precede the screening of “Ben-Hur”. A call for projects has been launched for the construction of the floats.
As for exhibitions, the Historical Museum welcomes “William Wyler, from Mulhouse to Hollywood”, from June 29 to November 7. The exhibition looks back on the life and films of the filmmaker with numerous documents. Guided tours are organized on July 2 and 24 and August 21, while workshops on the moving image (07/13), stop motion and sound effects (07/20) as well as the world of Wyler in paper (07/27) are offered. The Municipal Archives are also presenting, from June 29, an exhibition on “William Wyler and the first cinemas in Mulhouse”, as is the forecourt of the station, where an open-air exhibition on William Wyler is presented, from the mid-June.
Finally, an independent walk “In the footsteps of William Wyler” is also offered by the Heritage House, to immerse yourself in Mulhouse at the beginning of the 20th century and discover the places he frequented at the time.
Complete program on www.mulhouse.fr
