French Film Festival at Purchase College

Festival presents continuous screenings, fine French food and snacks, discussions, and an Opening Night Gala

Noted directors and actors will participate in roundtables

The best contemporary French language films from France, Belgium, Quebec and Africa will be featured at “Focus on French Cinema 2012,” the eighth annual French film festival, March 23-25, that will be held at the Performing Arts Center, Purchase College, SUNY. Presented by The Alliance Francaise of Greenwich in partnership with Purchase College’s prestigious School of Film and Media Studies, The Avon Theatre, and the Greenwich Arts Council, the festival will include an exclusive screening of Une Vie Meilleure (A Better Life), which opened to rave reviews in France in January this year; continuous screenings of ten other critically-acclaimed feature films and shorts; a Saturday morning roundtable with visiting actors and directors; workshops on the Purchase College campus; and “La Rue Des Restaurants,” a food court of delicious French food (including crepes, soups and sandwiches) and wine prepared by several well-known area restaurants.

 According to Renee Amory Ketcham who is press liaison for Focus on French Cinema 2012, the festival will present a ‘bouquet’ of works drawing on dramatic, humorous, tragic, and magical themes. “This is an extraordinary opportunity for people in this region to experience the best of the best right in their own backyard,” she said. To add to the allure, a variety of ticket options are available, ranging from a $100 VIP pass entitling one to attend all of the films and activities plus Opening Night, to a $14 ticket for a single performance. The various ticket options and the complete schedule are listed at www.focusonfrenchcinema.com. Free babysitting is also available.

On Friday evening, March 23, the Opening Night Gala will feature a gala buffet with fine French cuisine courtesy of Les Maitres Cuisiniers de France and the Academie Culinaire de France, and champagne donated by Perrier Joet. The featured film that evening, Une Vie Meilleure, was directed by Cedric Khan and stars Guillaume Canet and Leila Bekhti, both critically-acclaimed actors. The story centers around the opening of a restaurant outside of Paris and the people who are in business to make it a success: two lovers, a chef and a waitress, all of whom struggle to overcome financial and other obstacles. The gala evening also features a silent auction.

On Saturday morning, March 24, at 11:45 am, a round table will be presented featuring various actors and directors, preceded by the screening of Pater, one of the festival’s featured films. Throughout the rest of the day, films will be shown continuously in the Performing Arts Center’s Concert Hall. Also during the day, students from Purchase College’s Film & Media Studies program will engage actors and directors in various events from post-film Q & A sessions, a master class, and a panel discussion – all of which is open to ticket-holders at no extra charge.  Michelle Stewart Chair of the School of Film and Media Studies of Purchase College’s School of Liberal Arts and Sciences reports that students at the school have been invited to produce a documentary film of the entire festival. “It will be total immersion for them,” she said.

Featured films: Pater, which was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, is a faux documentary in which director Alain Cavalier and actor Vincent Lindon play opposite each other as political leaders of France. A roundtable discussion follows on Saturday morning, March 24.

La Permission de Minuit (Moon Child) is directed by Delphine Gleize and stars Vincent Lindon. It is a touching story of the relationship between a child with a genetic disorder and a professor of dermatology.

Les Emotifs Anonymes (Romantics Anonymous), a delightful comedy based on one’s love of chocolate. The film stars Benoit Poelvoorde and Isabelle Carre and is about “love, life, and happy endings.” (Milk chocolate, anyone?)

Avant l’Aube (The Night Clerk)  An elegant hotel in the Pyrenees is the backdrop for this brilliant thriller, directed by Raphel Jacoulot, starring Jean Pierre Bacri and Vincent Rottiers. If you love Hitchcock, you’ll love this.

Les Hommes Libres (Free Men)  Set in Paris during World War II, this affecting drama describes how a young immigrant Algerian worker is inspired to join the Resistance by an unexpected friendship with a Jewish man. Based on a true story. Directed by Ismael Ferroukhi; starring Michael Lonsdale, Mahmoud Shalaby, and Rahim.

Un Heureux Evenement (A Happy Event) An LOL comedy about pregnancy and motherhood that demonstrates in the most hilarious way why parents are not always ready to become parents.

Des vents Contraires (Headwinds)  Director Jalil Lespert takes us to St. Malo in Brittany where a wife disappears, leaving a husband to care for his two children. Angele and Tony (Angel and Tony) stars Clotilde Hesme, a “woman with a past,” and Gregory Gadebois in an unlikely romantic situation, in this first film directed by Alix Delaporte.

Le Fils a Jo (Jo’s Son) – This family film, to be shown on Sunday morning (March 25), deals with themes of parenthood, friendship, and village life. The story is about Rugby star Jo Canavaro who raises his 13-year old math whiz-kid to play rugby like his father and grandfather, but tensions soon arise. Directed by Philippe Guillard.

Impardonnables (Unforgivable)  leaves viewers with a better knowledge of family, love, and the value of personal reflection. It stars Andre Dussolier and Carole Bouquet; directed by Andre Techine; filmed on an island near Venice. The film will close the film festival. Tickets for Focus on French Cinema 2012 may be purchased at the box office, online at www.focusonfrenchcinema.com or by calling Rebecca Kurish at 203-629-3644 (Alliance Francaise of Greenwich)