World Cinema History

"Time Regained" (1999): Proust on Film Part 1


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A Note on this Series:

I owe my panel a disclaimer.

While I spent nine months prepping—rereading Proust, the screenplay, and researching historical context—the panel had only 10 days and the film, Time Regained, as a guide. I set them a steep climb without the necessary time, operating under the mistaken assumption that Proust was a universal cultural touchstone. Any lack of sharpness in these discussions is a result of that structural mismatch in preparation. My thanks to the panel for their patience in an uncomfortable space. This series is our honest attempt to engage with the mountain; thanks for joining the climb.

​Part 1: The Memory of Time

In the first of our two-part look at Marcel Proust on film, we explore Raúl Ruiz’s 1999 adaptation of the final volume of In Search of Lost Time. Our panel discusses the act of remembering, the difference between theatrical and home viewing, and why our experience of time—and cinema—feels so fragmented in the modern age.

Part 2: The Pinter Machine

We conclude our Proust series with a deep dive into Harold Pinter’s legendary unproduced screenplay for In Search of Lost Time. We break down the structural mechanics of his adaptation, the history of the Visconti production, and our take on the "Summarize Proust" contest.


The Novel:

In Search of Lost Time (À la recherche du temps perdu) by Marcel Proust: A seven-volume work written between 1909 and 1922, published in 1927.


The Film (Part 1):

Time Regained (Le Temps retrouvé) (1999). Directed by Raúl Ruiz. Starring Catherine Deneuve, Emmanuelle Béart, Marcello Mazzarella, John Malkovich, Marie-France Pisier, and Vincent Perez.


Meet the Panel

​Erin Brown

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@pizzahorseproductions

Bluesky: @toadpuppy.bsky.social

​Jen Trujillo

Web: www.GilbertBakerFilmFestival.LGBT

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gilbertbakerfilmfest/

​Sila Blume

Web: https://silablume.life/

​Koom Kankesan

Web: https://www.mawenzihouse.com/product/killing-shakespeare/

Chapters:

​[00:00] Bubble Gum memories and involuntary triggers


​[01:22] Remembrance of Things Past vs. In Search of Lost Time...the Same Damn Book!


​[01:52] Raul Ruiz’s approach to adaptation


​[02:43] Character cheat sheet: Marcel, Charlus, Saint-Loup, and others and how they fit in Time Regained


​[04:19] Thematic trends: Aristocratic decline and queer relationships through new scholarship


​[05:43] Personal reflections on adapting literature, is it a good idea?


​[13:23] Adaptation as interpretation in music and film. Sila Blume's soliloquy.


​[19:40] Struggles with narrative and context without the previous volumes of Proust.


​[23:06] The impact of theater viewing vs. home viewing on our attention to the movie.


​[33:49] The role of queer women in the narrative

​[41:42] Philosophies on time, memory, and perception. A FFA.

​[54:34] Final thoughts and the Harold Pinter screenplay

NEXT WEEK!

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World Cinema HistoryBy Eric Trommater