Cinema Chats: “Farewell Mr. Haffmann”

Farewell Mr. Haffmann (2021) sees the Jewish Haffmann family decide to leave France covertly as the Nazis occupy Paris. Mr. Haffmann (played by renowned French actor Daniel Auteuil), a jeweler, stays behind to make arrangements for their small shop before joining them. He sets the film in motion by making his new assistant, Joseph Mercier, an offer to buy the shop and house on paper, but at no real cost, hoping to take it back when he returns. But Haffmann is never able to leave Paris. He hides out in the store’s basement, totally dependent on Mercier. This psychological thriller focuses on how extraordinary circumstances can drastically shift power dynamics.

Join the Museum with film critic Laura Clifford and Cinema Chats moderator Lucy Shahar for a discussion about this suspenseful drama.

It’s recommended to watch the film in advance of this lecture. Farewell Mr. Haffmann can be streamed on Amazon Prime, Apple, YouTube and Google Play.

Please see the Zoom link in your order confirmation email. This program is entirely virtual.Image Credit: From left, Daniel Auteuil and Gilles Lellouche in “Farewell Mr. Haffmann” (2021).