Kim Novak's Vertigo

Kim Novak has long been an icon, praised by Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman, immortalized by Alexander McQueen’s designs, and even by the name of a Polish rock band. Yet in The Spiral, Alexandre O. Philippe passionately argues that we should first and foremost see her as an Actor with a capital "A". In conversations with Novak, Philippe naturally devotes considerable time to Vertigo, borrowing not just its title but also the metaphor of the spiral to chart the complex turns of Novak’s life and career. Like Truffaut analyzing Hitchcock, he draws attention to lesser-known titles from her filmography, inviting viewers to revisit films like Stranger When We Meet, Lylah Claire, or Kiss Me, Stupid. But Philippe’s documentary truly comes alive when it leaves the realm of cinema behind and focuses on Novak herself, now long removed from Hollywood, celebrating her vivid, nonconformist spirit. In these moments, as the director steps out from behind the camera, the film transforms into a tender portrait of a cross-generational friendship blooming before our eyes between two kindred souls.

Masterclass after the screening on November 10th.