The 12th Franska Filmfestivalen presented more than 30 French films in Stockholm (May 7-20) and Göteborg (May 14-27).
This year's selection was double the size of the festival's 2009 event, with the films divided into two main categories:
- Preview screenings in association with the Swedish distributors: Leaving by Catherine Corsini, Mademoiselle Chambon by Stéphane Brizé, and The Concert by Radu Mihaileanu.
- Films not yet distributed in Sweden: Espion(s) by Nicolas Saada, One for the Road by Philppe Godeau, The Wolberg Family by Axelle Ropert, and Goodbye Gary Cooper by Nassim Amaouche. Special screenings were organized for The Father of My Children by Mia Hansen-Love, coproduced in Sweden (dfm Fiktion), where several scenes were also shot.
Director Catherine Corsini, who came to Sweden with Unifrance's support, opened the Franska Filmfestivalen and met with Swedish audiences after the presentation of her film Leaving. The discussion was very lively, focusing in particular on one of the festival's main themes: "female directors/male actors."
Another key guest was French scientist and essayist Albert Jacquard. On the occasion of his special visit to Stockholm, he attended a screening of the documentary Here to Stay, in its 52-minute version, which had been presented during the Copenhagen Climate Summit in December 2009. This special Franska Filmfestivalen screening had primarily been organized for school groups (French students or those learning French, university students), who acclaimed the film, a clear, striking explanation about the causes and effects of the disappearing bond between us and our natural environment. Jacquard calls the latter "our garden." A stimulating and impassioned discussion with this humanist and scientist followed the screening.
