FOCUS ON FRENCH CINEMA ANNOUNCES LINE-UP
FOR 2010 FESTIVAL APRIL 9-11, 2010
Greenwich, CT- March 1, 2010
Focus on French Cinema 2010 announces the line-up for the 6th annual festival of 12 French and francophone films. Presented by the Alliance Francaise of Greenwich in partnership with Purchase College, NY, the festival will run from April 9-11 at the Performing Arts Center at Purchase College. This year, Focus on French Cinema will present 12 newly released films from France, Belgium, Quebec and Africa including 5 US Premieres, chilling thrillers, family comedies, vivid dramas and for the first time – a selection of short films from Belgium.
Exceptional actress, writer, and director, Sylvie Testud, will be the guest of honor on Opening Night, Friday, April 9, presenting her US Premiere film, Gamines (Sisters), an adaptation of her 2006 semi-autobiographical novel by the same name. Directed by Eléonore Faucher, Gamines is “Reminiscent of blissful youth films by Jean Eustache and Victor Erice, Sisters is a very French (in a good way) piece of art house fare” (Variety Magazine). Nominated for three and winner of two César awards (the French equivalent of an Oscar) for her roles in Fear and Trembling (2003) and Les Blessures assassines (2000), Sylvie Testud starred in the riveting interpretation of the life of famous French actress Francoise Sagan in Sagan and in two-time Academy Award winning, La Vie en Rose. She was honored with the Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite in 2009. Film advocate John Farr, Editor of BestMoviesbyFarr.com will introduce Sylvie Testud and moderate a Q & A following the film.
The Opening Night Gala will feature a Grand Tasting Buffet, « A Promenade Gourmande », with our partners, Les Maitres Cuisiniers de France, and will also include a Silent Auction and performance by renowned Cameroonian R & B and Jazz singer, Kaissa.
Other guests for the weekend include Belgian directors Stephane and Guillaume Malandrin, who will be on hand for the US Premiere of Où est la main de l’homme sans tête, starring Cecile de France. Léa Fazer, director of Ensemble c‘est trop will introduce the US Premiere of the film in memory of late actor Jocelyn Quivrin who was a guest at the 2008 Focus on French Cinema festival for his performance in 99 francs.
Films on Saturday, April 10 include the US Premiere of Le Vilain by Albert Dupontel starring Catherine Frot and the NY Premiere of L’empreinte de l’ange (The mark of an angel) featuring Catherine Frot in a very different role.
Peur(s) du noir will be our first time-ever late-night thriller following our Saturday night film, Versailles, the late Guillaume Depardieu’s penultimate performance (El Magazine).
La Premiere Etoile, also a US Premiere, will open the Sunday session. Directed by Lucien Jean- Baptiste and starring Lucien Jean-Baptiste and Anne Consigny, this film presents a hilarious perspective on the family ski vacation!!!
Also on Sunday: Le Herisson (The hedgehog) based on the novel, The Elegance of the Hedgehog, written by Muriel Barberry. Directed by Mona Achache and starring the brilliant Josiane Balasko, this bittersweet fairy tale brings out the « hedgehog » in everyone. Read by every book club in the area, this film is not to be missed.
Rapt, directed by Lucas Belvaux and starring Yvan Attal and Anne Consigny closes the festival blending emotional suspense with gripping and thrilling action.
Other events throughout the weekend include our annual Thursday night pre-festival screening which will feature the Cannes sensation and award winning film, J’ai tué ma mère (I killed my Mother) written and directed by Montreal upstart Xavier Dolan. On Saturday morning at 10:30, the Meet the Directors and Actors Breakfast, always a « standing room only » event will allow the public to participate in a candid discussion with our weekend guests. The breakfast will be followed by a Master Class with Stephane and Guillaume Malandrin on the Purchase College campus on Saturday afternoon. The Breakfast and Master Class are free and open to the public.
On Saturday and Sunday, a selection of short films from Belgium and a film from Africa, Sexe, Gombo et Beurre Salé, (Sex, Okra and Salted butter) will be screened in DVD in the Humanities Theater.
Focus on French Cinema continues to be a unique cultural event. We are honored to bring the best in French Directors, Actors and New Voices to moviegoers in the community. Please visit our website for up-to-the-minute details on this great weekend of French language film. www.focusonfrenchcinema.org, or call the Alliance Française office at 203-629-3644 for further information.
For the first time, Focus on French Cinema will donate 20% of the proceeds to Action Against Hunger. www.actionagainsthunger.org |
