Lyon honours the Coens together for a filmography full of detours

Two filmmakers, one prize: Joel and Ethan Coen will receive the 18th Lumière Award in Lyon. The festival says the honour recognises not one but two giants of cinema. It celebrates an entire body of work and its connection with film history.

The ceremony takes place on Friday 16 October at 19:45 at the Centre de Congrès. A screening of Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) follows. The festival page says ticket sales for the ceremony are suspended; whether that means it is sold out is unknown.

Earlier that day, at 15:00, the brothers will give a masterclass at the Théâtre des Célestins. Ticket sales are also suspended for that event. The festival says Frances McDormand will accompany the Coens during the festival.

A day later, the tribute moves to Halle Tony Garnier. A Coen all-nighter begins at 20:45 on 17 October, with Fargo, No Country for Old Men, Raising Arizona and Burn After Reading. The brothers will introduce the films in person; admission is €25, or €20 for accredited guests.

The selection shows the range of the duo’s work. According to the festival, Fargo received a directing prize at Cannes and two Oscars; No Country for Old Men won four Oscars. Barton Fink, awarded the 1991 Palme d’Or, is another landmark in their filmography.

Festival Lumière runs from 10 to 18 October. The closing ceremony is on 18 October at 15:00 at Halle Tony Garnier, in the Coens’ presence, with The Big Lebowski (1998). The award and the all-nighter turn the tribute into more than a single stage speech.