On the eve of the nationwide release of her latest film, “High Life,” the American Cinematheque is proud to present several films in celebration of Claire Denis, a writer and director who has created a distinct cinematic language over the past 30 years.

Director and screenwriter Claire Denis will be at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica for a celebration of her movies. Her newest film, “High Life,” comes out on April 5. (photo courtesy of A24)

The event, called “Salt, Sweat and Sunshine: The Cinema of Claire Denis,” is co-presented by the French Film and TV Office of the French Consulate.

At 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 12, the Aero Theatre will show “Chocolat” and “White Material.” The program will begin with a discussion with Denis.

At 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, “Beau Travail,” which many consider to be Denis’ masterpiece, will be shown, followed by a discussion with Denis.

At 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, “Nénette and Boni” and “35 Shots of Rum” will be shown.

At 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 14, “Trouble Every Day” and “Let the Sunshine In” will be screened.

Denis entered the public consciousness at the Cannes Film Festival in 1988, when her feature debut “Chocolat,” a semi-autobiographical story of a young girl in colonial Central Africa, competed for the coveted Palme d’Or. A maverick from the get-go, she followed up that success in 1990 with “No Fear, No Die,” a bizarre film about illegal cock-fighting, and four years later went on to direct “I Can’t Sleep,” which was loosely based on a French serial killer. With 1996’s “Nénette and Boni,” her camera shifted toward the family unit, and in 1999, she directed what many consider to be her greatest achievement: the queer cinema landmark “Beau Travail.”

Carrying that same rebel spirit into the 21st century, Denis set her sights on subverting the horror genre with “Trouble Every Day,” a take on vampirism and one of the most shocking films of 2001. Since then, Denis’ films have continued to impress moviegoers and generate discussion among critics and filmmakers alike. Highlights include the nearly wordless “The Intruder,” the father-daughter drama “35 Shots of Rum” and the African-set “White Material.” In 2017, she released the searing romantic drama “Let the Sunshine In,” starring Juliette Binoche (who is set to co-star with Robert Pattinson in the sci-fi film “High Life,” Denis’ most ambitious project yet).

The Aero Theatre is located at 1328 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica. For information, visit aerotheatre.com/.