Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers takes place in Paris during the political upheaval of May 1968. Three cinema addicts (calling themselves "the Insatiables") are drawn together through their shared love of film (with notable references to Godard's Band of Outsiders). The main protagonist is American Matthew, played by Michael Pitt and French sister and brother Theo and Isabelle played by Louis Garrel (who's next film would be Ma Mere with great Isabelle Huppert) & Eva Green respectively. Matthew falls in love with Isabelle and the triangle that forms between the three of them reveals some incestuous issues between the two siblings.

The political milieu is always threatening to invade the three's escapist enclosure. Although Theo is Marxist in name at least, Matthew is more of a practical liberal and rightly feels that the militant Marxists wielding Molotov cocktails are just another version of Fascism. Theo can't see the contradiction though and this conflict culminates in the finale of this great film. A must see if you like Bertolucci or just want some escapism about a fascinating time in history.

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