Focus on French Cinema opened its sixth annual festival on April 9th, 2010 at the Performing Arts Center, Purchase College, NY with an enthusiastic crowd of more than 500 for the US Premiere of Eléonore Faucher’s Gamines (Sisters).

Sylvie Testud,  star actress and author of the book on which Gamines is based, was present on the big screen in a transatlantic video interview with John Farr (film critic and Author of Best Films by Farr.) Sylvie, who could not attend due to extenuating circumstances, charmed the public by her genuineness and candid answers to questions.

Click here to watch Sylvie Testud's video interview.

11 more movies, a Master Class, and a short films program followed over this rich weekend of French cinema, drawing in attendance thousands for another consecutive year. Guest directors Léa Fazer, Guillaume, and Stéphane Malandrin were at hand to answer the public’s questions and present their films.

Here are our best pictures of the event. Enjoy!

~ The Focus on French Cinema Team

Photographers : Emmanuel Cruz, Elain Chichiubina

A weekend of French films with international scope, Focus on French Cinema is dedicated to the awareness and promotion of French and francophone cinema and is presented by Alliance Française of Greenwich in partnership with Purchase College. 20% of the net proceeds will benefit Action Against Hunger ( ACF|USA) .