Be French, become neurotic this week.

A few years ago, I identified the roots of (some of) my neuroses as originating from 2 seminal scenes from Luis Buñuel’s surrealist masterpiece, “Un Chien Andalou”.

Allow me to elaborate. What were my parents thinking?? When I was 9, they took me to a Surrealist retrospective at Beaubourg. I sat through the whole 17 minutes of this incredible film.

Mesmerized, stupefied, horrified, shocked.

It ensured I developed very early on nephophobia, xyrophobia, myrmecophobia, hierophobia and melophobia (but only for tango), not necessarily in that order... (see what I mean?). You will be pleased to know everything has now been resolved, except for the fact that I still need to put my cover over my head before going to sleep, for fear that some ants will climb in my ears, eat my brain and come out of my hands. Apart from that, all is well…

Anyway –

As part of its Luis Buñuel’s season, The Filmhouse will show Buñuel’s surrealist short film, alongside with “L’Age d’Or”. (If you don’t know it, here is Dali & Buñuel’s script, translated into English).

Ooh, I have just found out you can apparently download the whole film from there if you can’t be bothered to go out (but it’s 156MB). Or if, like me, you want to develop nephophobia and xyrophobia: look here (NB:- do avoid if you’re shockable/sensitive)

So remember not to take your 9 year old to the Filmhouse on Tuesday 31 May (at 3pm – ooh, conveniently after school, if you do want to scar your child for life…) & Wednesday 1 June (6.15pm – a slightly more decent time...).

From tomorrow evening (6pm) & until Monday 30 May: ”Mur” (“Wall”) is a franco-israelian co-prod which provides a new outlook on the infamous wall built in the West Bank. In Hebrew and in Arabic, both sides express their views, often with sadness, never with violence. Official film website (in French).