OVERLAY REPORT

The film **"Illuminations" (1963)** is a **9-minute short documentary** directed by the acclaimed French filmmaker **François Reichenbach** (in collaboration with **Jonathan Bates**). It is a poetic exploration of light, transitioning from the natural beauty of daylight to the mysterious neon "illuminations" of the modern city (Paris), set to music by **Michel Legrand** and featuring poems by **Arthur Rimbaud**. The question of the oldest cast member in this specific film is notable because the production features only one credited cast member (per databases like Unifrance and LaCinetek): * **Oldest Cast Member:** **Jean Négroni** * **Age at time of filming:** **42 years old** (born December 4, 1920; filmed in 1962–1963) * **Role:** **Narrator** Négroni, a celebrated French actor and narrator (most famous for being the narrator of Chris Marker's sci-fi masterpiece *La Jetée* released just a year earlier), provided the voiceover for the film, reciting selections from **Arthur Rimbaud's** collection of prose poems, also titled *Illuminations*. Since the film is a non-narrative documentary composed of artistic shots of city lights and nature, there is no conventional ensemble cast of actors playing characters. **Alternative Context (Potential Misidentification):** If the title "Illuminations" is being used to refer to a film where a lighting ceremony is the central plot point, the most famous example from 1963 is the British comedy **"The Punch and Judy Man"**, starring **Tony Hancock**. In that film, the climax involves the switching on of the seaside town's **illuminations**. * **Oldest major cast member in *The Punch and Judy Man* (1963):** **Walter Hudd** * **Age:** **65–66** (Born 1897; he died in January 1963 shortly after filming) * **Role:** **The Clergyman** However, strictly regarding the film explicitly titled ***Illuminations* (1963)**, the sole and oldest "cast member" is the narrator, **Jean Négroni**, aged 42.