The 12th edition of The Alliance Française French Film Festival in New Zealand will open its doors on March 1st, with over one month of French film screenings to be held across the country—an annual event that is eagerly-awaited by Antipodean audiences, who are known for their enthusiasm for all things French.
Now in its twelfth year, the festival will open with a screening of C'est la vie! and will close with Mrs. Hyde. A large number of thematic sections will be presented this year:
"Dare to Love" brings together the heady aromas of the French New Wave (A Woman Is a Woman) and romantic struggles of the post-modern era (BPM (Beats Per Minute), Amant double).
"Iconic Artists" showcases portraits and biopics that have marked French cinema over the past year, including Barbara, Gauguin, Redoubtable, Rodin, and Dalida.
"Comedy Essentials" focuses on humor, whether it's sharp and acerbic (Jealous), chivalrous (Return of the Hero), or adapted from a classic (Dr. Knock)
Other sections complete the festival's comprehensive panorama of current French cinema in all its permutations: "Coming of Age," featuring Ava, Fifty Springtimes, Montparnasse Bienvenüe, and Reinventing Marvin; "La Grande Guerre," featuring Ceasefire, See You Up There, and The Guardians; "Spotlight on France and Beyond" (Faces, Places, Number One, The Brigade, This Is Our Land, Tour de France, Back to Burgundy, Bloody Milk, Makala, The Competition); and a mini-program for school children (Belle and Sebastian, Friends for Life, Orchestra Class, and Big Bad Fox & Other Tales).
The festival will travel around New Zealand to major cities (Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, and Dunedin), as well as smaller towns such as Akaroa, Hamilton, and Arrowtown, with screenings accompanied in each case by a series of local events. These include French wine tastings, classes in "French-style" painting, and Ladies Night events in Auckland and Wellington.
All further information can be found on the festival's official website.
