2015 French Film Festival

As a French girl, I realized here more than once that if the French cinema was really appreciated, it was also very rare when people know more than one or two movies! And moreover it was all the time the same film or the same actor which were knew: Amelie – with Audrey Tautou– or Gerard Depardieu. But French cinema isn’t not only them. Of course they are famous, but french cinema is about 200 films every year, 166 films festivals, France is also the first film producer in Europe and the second exporter of films around the world – after the USA. And of course a lot of great actors and directors that you probably know: Marion Cotillard, Jean Dujardin, Luc Besson, Eva Green, and of course Catherine Deneuve! 

A post about French cinema without Catherine Deneuve… No way!

The relationship between France and the cinema is pretty old, thanks to Lumière Brothers. And still today, the french gouvernement leads a real politic to help the french cinema to grow up every year. All our TV channels have for example the obligation to invest in cinema. This politic started in 1959 and still works today to help french directors to create and shoot their movies.

Do you know that the director of this film is actually French?

But hopefully for you, Alliance Francaise is here to help you to discover this cinema and give you the chance to talk about another movie than Amelie next time you are dating a French! For the 26th time, their are organizing the French Films Festival and bring to you at least 49 different films, in different cinemas all around the city during three weeks in March. And this festival has grown up! It takes place now in 8 different cities around Australia – Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, Byron Bay and Hobart. They’re also organizing a short films competition and they need your votes for that!

I would like to recommend you some films playing during the festival:

Saint-Laurent, which is about the life of the stylist. You may recognize the main actor, Gaspard Ulliel who played in Chanel’s add directed by Scorsese… This movie and also this actor are nominated for the Cesars as the best films and actor category.

La Famille Belier: about a farmers family which is also deaf, except the daughter. This one wants to become a singer and to leave her family to go to Paris. A movie to see with all your family!

Breathe: Do you remember Melanie Laurent? She played Shoshanna in Tarantino’s Inglorious Bastards. Well, for the second time, she is on the other side of the camera and directed this movie. She focused this time about school harassment that the kids could be victims. No doubt, she is as good director as she is actress!

What: Alliance Francaise French Film Festival

When: From 3rd to 22nd of March

Where: different places in Sydney

More informations here