The Astronauts (Les astronautes)
Walerian Borowczyk, Chris Marker
1959, 0 h 12 minBorowczyk’s first professional film outside Poland, The Astronauts takes the
manipulated photograph technique of The School to dizzying new heights. The
first of several Borowczyk films produced by the Polish-French producer Anatole
Dauman, The Astronauts is credited as being co-directed by the late, legendary
cine-essayist Chris Marker. According to Marker, his main contribution to Borowczyk’s
film was the loan of his owl, Anabase. Fellow animator and sometimes Borowczyk
collaborator Michel Boschet plays the lead role in a film which invokes
the wonder of Georges Méliès and the slapstick of Buster Keaton.
Written by: Walerian Borowczyk, Chris Marker
Director of photography: Daniel Harispe
Editing by: Jasmine Chasney
Music by: Andrzej Markowski
Cast: Michel Boschet, Ligia Borowczyk, Anatole Dauman, Philippe Lifchitz
Produced by: Anatole Dauman