Adelaide 30.03 – 23.04 2 NATIONAL SPONSORS CONTENTS 3 Presenting Sponsor 04 Bienvenue GIRL POWER 05 A Note from the Ambassador 34 150 Milligrams 05 A Chance to Dream 35 Eternity 36 In Bed with Victoria OPENING FILM 37 Planetarium 06 The Odyssey 38 The Innocents CLOSING FILM 39 The Midwife Exhibition Partner 07 A Bun in the Oven 42 Things to Come SEE IT IN STYLE SEE IT IN STYLE LAUGH IT OFF GROWING UP 09 Just to Be Sure 44 Adama 10 Lost in Paris 11 Max & Leon Festival Partner AGE OF INNOCENCE 12 Penny Pincher! 46 Being 17 13 Souvenir 47 Elementary 48 Keeper CENTRE STAGE 49 Standing Tall Red Carpet Sponsors 15 Monsieur Chocolat 16 Ogres 17 Polina WISH YOU WERE HERE 18 The Dancer 51 A Kid 52 A Woman’s Life 53 Daguerrotype IN THE COURT OF VERSAILLES 54 Heal the Living 20 Farewell, My Queen 55 Kalinka 21 Mozart’s Sister 56 Moka A LITTLE BIT OF CANNES A GREAT ADVENTURE 23 A Journey Through French Cinema 58 Mercenary 24 From the Land of the Moon Front Row Sponsors 59 The First, the Last 25 It’s Only the End of the World 60 The Stopover 26 Slack Bay 61 Tomorrow 27 The Unknown Girl 62 Wùlu ON THE ROAD 65 Acknowledgements Media Partners 29 A Bag of Marbles 66 Special Events 30 One Man and His Cow 70 Screening Schedule 31 Saint Amour 78 Ticketing & Conditions 32 The Country Doctor 4 BIENVENUE A NOTE FROM THE AMBASSADOR 5 The Alliance Française French Film Festival, With an ever growing number of attendees, the Alliance Française presented by the network of the Alliances French Film Festival is a major French annual event, which continues, Françaises of Australia, in partnership with each passing year, to attract more lovers of cinema. Since 1990, the the French Embassy, is a unique experience. Festival has showcased a selection of the latest sophisticated, vibrant With close to 170,000 spectators, it has and daring films from France, inviting Australian audiences to embark proven to be a great success and is the on a fantastic voyage of discovery. kind of project that paints a vivid image of France; a France in motion, decidedly The Alliance Française is an international cultural NGO, which was modern, creative and open to working formed in 1883 in Paris by a group of influential figures in the fields with talent from around the world. This of science and literature, including Louis Pasteur, Jules Verne and year the Festival shines a special light on Ferdinand de Lesseps. Today, as a global network of more than 800 young filmmakers, presenting seven debut Alliances Françaises in 135 countries on all 5 continents, it promotes feature films. French culture to the global community and fosters innovative projects and French language teaching. Through its cultural activities, Come and discover the best of French it has a strong focus on creativity in various domains such as Science, cinema for this 28th edition of the Alliance Gastronomy, Fashion and, of course, the Arts. Française French Film Festival. Mr. Christophe Lecourtier It is our pride and joy to welcome all our members and friends to the Ambassador of France to Australia 2017 edition of the Festival and to celebrate the ever growing bonds between Australia and France. I wish you all a very happy Festival! A CHANCE TO DREAM Patrice Gilles This presentation of the Festival is a first for Chief Representative of Fondation Alliance Française in Australia me as Artistic Director and it gives me great & Director of Alliance Française de Canberra pleasure to dedicate my time and passion The Festival is organised by the Alliances Françaises of Adelaide, Brisbane, to French cinema, France’s ode to dreams Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. and creativity. The 45 films selected are a wonderful mix of artistry and celebrate established stars and new talents from all over the world. You will contemplate for the Opening Night, FOUNDED IN 819 CENTRES AROUND THE WORLD 464,000 laugh for the Closing Night; and in between, 1883 STUDENTS you will travel the world and through time, you will dance and sing, you will fall in love, and you will dream. French cinema, more 145 vibrant and alive than ever, is for every 30 CULTURAL single one of you. CENTRES AROUND 9,760 EVENTS AUSTRALIA STUDENTS Mr. Philippe Platel Festival Artistic Director 6 OPENING NIGHT CLOSING NIGHT 7 THE ODYSSEY A BUN IN THE OVEN L’ODYSSÉE LE PETIT LOCATAIRE Directed by Directed by JÉRÔME SALLE NADÈGE LOISEAU Starring Starring Lambert Wilson, Pierre Niney, Karin Viard, Philippe Rebbot, Audrey Tautou, Vincent Heneine Hélène Vincent, Manon Kneuse Jérôme Salle’s dazzling biopic will sweep What better way to finish a festival than you up in its sails as it follows the chaotic with the delivery of a brand new bundle life of celebrity oceanographer Jacques of joy? Unfortunately, this is not quite Cousteau; one rich in accomplishments, how Nicole (comedy star Karin Viard, yet teeming with turmoil. The Bélier Family, AF FFF15) would view It is 1943 and the eccentrically ambitious the situation in writer-director Nadège naval officer Cousteau (Lambert Wilson) Loiseau’s uproarious and emotive debut dreams of adventure. His magnificent feature about a reluctant 49-year-old new invention of the Aqua-Lung mother-to-be. promises to bring him just that. Newly In a household already bursting at the armed with the ability to breathe seams, the almost menopausal Nicole is underwater for long periods of time, completely swamped with duties, barely Cousteau dedicates his life’s work to managing to keep everything from falling his obsession with the sea, becoming apart. Comprising the four generations the first to create underwater films that under her roof is her eccentric elderly dazzle audiences worldwide. mother Mamilette and her daughter His success comes at a cost, however, as Arielle along with Arielle’s pesky his wife Simone (Audrey Tautou) and sons Canadian partner Toussaint and their Philippe (Pierre Niney) and Jean-Michel 6-year-old daughter Zoé. Finishing off (Benjamin Lavernhe) struggle to keep up the family tree is Nicole’s husband Jean- with the stormy seas of Cousteau’s fierce Pierre, an unemployed ex-gymnast. and unfailing determination, the ultimate Just when life couldn’t get any more price of which is yet to come. hectic, Nicole finds out that she AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE Through a dazzling array of global is pregnant. AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE exploration locations, we undertake this Viard and this wonderfully harmonious Adventure | France | 2015 | 122 mins | PG lyrical journey almost as if a member supporting cast deliver scene after scene Comedy | France | 2015 | 99 mins | G of Cousteau’s crew, experiencing the of pure boisterous comedic gold, as 'An adventure film with magnificent epic highs and excruciating lows of Nicole fumbles through the barrage of ‘Loiseau excels at breathing life into images, an intimate family drama this pioneer’s astounding career which demands that come with pregnancy, and her female characters with a definite and an ecological ode.' changed humanity’s relationship with the learns for the very first time how to sort talent for spinning an engaging tale.’ Femme Actuelle sea forever. out her own life. French Cinema Review English & French with English subtitles French with English subtitles 9 LAUGH IT OFF LAUGH JUST TO BE SURE | ÔTEZ-MOI D’UN DOUTE WORLD PREMIERE Romance, Comedy | France, Belgium | 2016 | 99 mins | CTC Directed by The Festival has been honoured to present the World CARINE TARDIEU Premieres of some superb French jewels in past years and Starring 2017 is no exception with the world debut screening of François Damiens writer-director Carine Tardieu’s wonderfully funny Just to Cécile De France Alice de Lencquesaing Be Sure. Guy Marchand When 45-year-old widower Erwan (the fabulous François Damiens, The Bélier Family, AF FFF15) discovers by accident that the man who raised him isn’t his real dad, he begins a search for his biological father. He soon locates the mischievous, 70-something Joseph (André Wilms, Le Havre, 2011), whom his mother knew briefly. Erwan falls not only for his charm, but that of the impetuous Anna (Cécile De France, La Belle Saison, AF FFF16), who has ties to them both. The conflicting familial loyalties soon become compounded by the pregnancy of his own daughter Juliette (Alice de Lencquesaing), who defiantly refuses to name the father. Offering a terrific showcase for her brilliant ensemble, Tardieu (The Dandelions, AF FFF13) proves her skill at depicting the joys and complications of family connections and romances, both new and old, with this hugely entertaining and moving new film. French with English subtitles 10 11 LAUGH IT OFF LAUGH LOST IN PARIS | PARIS PIEDS NUS MAX & LEON | LA FOLLE HISTOIRE DE MAX ET LÉON LAUGH IT OFF LAUGH AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE Comedy | France, Belgium | 2015 | 84 mins | G AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE Comedy | France, Belgium | 2015 | 98 mins | M Directed by Prepare to accompany one kooky Canadian as she embarks Directed by Two dimwit soldiers entirely unwilling to fight for their FIONA GORDON & on a whimsical trip through France’s great city in this JONATHAN BARRÉ country venture all the way from the dank European DOMINIQUE ABEL charming and entirely unique comedy which stars the two Starring trenches of World War II to the scorching dry sands of the Starring David Marsais long-time Brussels-based theatre actor-directors (and real Sahara in this giggle-inducing romp. Fiona Gordon Grégoire Ludig Dominique Abel life couple) Fiona Gordon and Dominique Abel. Alice Vial War has broken out in France in 1939 and thousands of Emmanuelle Riva Fiona’s (Gordon) orderly and precise life in Canada is thrown Dominique Pinon men are being conscripted to defend their people and their Pierre Richard into chaos when she receives a letter of distress from her country.