This film is currently unavailable

In the City of Sylvia
An unnamed man travels back to Strasbourg with aspirations to track down a girl he asked for directions six years earlier.
Director: José Luis Guerín
Overview
In the tradition of Alfred Hitchcock, Eric Rohmer and Robert Bresson, José Luis Guerín presents the deceptively simple tale of a man seeking the woman he met six years before. With only a sketch to identify her, he searches the streets and cafes of Strasbourg, hoping to encounter the object of his desire.
In the City of Sylvia is one of the most acclaimed European films of recent years and marks the international breakthrough of Spanish director, José Luis Guerín. Seductively shot and featuring excellent performances by Xavier Lafitte and Pilar López de Ayala, In the City of Sylvia is a sensual and enigmatic journey that beautifully captures the complexity of human emotions.
Related

Traffic Traffic
Crime 2000 147 mins Director: Steven Soderbergh
Steven Soderbergh’s Oscar-winning ensemble drama explores America’s war on drugs at the start of the 21st century.

The Girl on a Motorcycle The Girl on a Motorcycle
Drama 1968 88 mins Director: Jack Cardiff
Marianne Faithfull is the eponymous girl in this glorious, richly colourful slice of sixties British cinema.

Last Swim Last Swim
Drama 2024 96 mins Director: Sasha Nathwani
A day in the life of an ambitious 18-year-old Iranian-British girl transforms into a universal portrait of youth, hope and fears over an uncertain future.

The Count of Monte Cristo The Count of Monte Cristo
Drama 2024 178 mins Director: Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de La Patellière
This rollicking take on Dumas’ swashbuckler, packed with lavish spectacle and high-stakes drama, slayed all Hollywood films at the French box-office.

A Special Day A Special Day
Drama 1977 106 mins Director: Ettore Scola
Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni deliver the finest and most nuanced performances of their careers in this understated masterpiece from director Ettore Scola.

The Ear The Ear
Thriller 1969 95 mins Director: Karel Kachyna
An official finds his home under surveillance and his marriage facing turbulence in this Orwellian portrait of life in Communist-era Czechoslovakia.

84 Charlie MoPic 84 Charlie MoPic
War 1989 91 mins Director: Patrick Duncan
Cult 'found footage' war film following a Vietnam patrol unit from the perspective of an embedded combat cameraman.

War and Peace War and Peace
Documentary 2002 134 mins Director: Anand Patwardhan
The rise of nuclear nationalism in 1990s India is explored in a powerful and personal documentary from Anand Patwardhan.

Traffic Traffic
Crime 2000 147 mins Director: Steven Soderbergh
Steven Soderbergh’s Oscar-winning ensemble drama explores America’s war on drugs at the start of the 21st century.

Tell No One Tell No One
Crime 2006 131 mins Director: Guillaume Canet
A grieving man becomes convinced he is being framed for murder in Guillaume Canet’s gripping thriller, adapted from the Harlan Coben bestseller.

The Girl on a Motorcycle The Girl on a Motorcycle
Drama 1968 88 mins Director: Jack Cardiff
Marianne Faithfull is the eponymous girl in this glorious, richly colourful slice of sixties British cinema.

Sophia Loren: Reshaping Femininity Sophia Loren: Reshaping Femininity
Short documentary 2025 18 mins Director: Maha Albadrawi
Exclusive to BFI Player, a video essay exploring Sophia Loren’s 60s and 70s filmography, and how her work shook up Italian gender roles.