The Screen Illusion (L’Illusion comique) by Mathieu Amalric (2011, 77 min.). Amalric accepted La Comédie-Française’s challenge to adapt a classic French play in 12 days without changing a single line of dialogue. Amalric’s clever update of Pierre Corneille’s 17th-century tragicomedy follows a hotel concierge (a magician in Corneille’s text) on the trail of a missing young man. By finding ingenious solutions for the play’s characters, Amalric succeeds in maintaining the spirit of the 1636 five-act play. “French acting at its very best . . . a perfect fusion between screen and stage modes” (Screen Daily). Jeff Kline, Professor of French at Boston University, introduces the July 15 screening.