Episode 108: Irma Vep (1996)

I revisit Olivier Assayas’ Irma Vep (1996), a film about filmmaking, creativity, ego and the changing world of cinema.

I first saw it in the 1990s and found it interesting but couldn’t fully connect with it. Coming back to it nearly 30 years later, I appreciated much more of what Assayas was trying to do, even if some of the conversation about French cinema still felt just outside my understanding.

The biggest connection for me is Maggie Cheung, who is fantastic as the outsider entering this chaotic filmmaking world. She becomes the audience’s guide through the confusion, the arguments and the uncertainty.

A fascinating film about cinema itself.