presents the 27th annual affrenchfilmfestival.org SYDNEY 1–24 MARCH NATIONAL SPONSORS CONTENTS Opening Night Closing Night Gold Sponsor Rosalie Blum 6 Contempt 7 David’s Picks The Anarchists 38 Recommandé par David The Sweet Escape 39 Courted 9 The Very Private Life of Mister Sim 42 Microbe & Gasoline 10 Intense Exhibition Partner Taj Mahal 11 Intense The Measure of a Man 12 The White Knights 13 A Perfect Man 44 Boomerang 45 Small Screens on the Big Screen Heatwave 46 Petits écrans sur grand écran The Wait 47 Festival Partner Baron Noir 16 Dear Families Call My Agent! 16 Chères Familles The Bureau 17 The Last Panthers 17 All Three of Us 49 Un Village Français 18 Family for Rent 50 Red Carpet Sponsors First Growth 51 Just Like Being at Cannes The Student and Mr. Henri 52 Cannes comme si vous y étiez Giggle and Grin Dheepan 20 Comédies à la francaise Macadam Stories 21 Mon Roi 22 Chic! 55 Home Sweet Home 56 YEARS Valley of Love 23 Lolo 57 Love, Love, Love Love at First Child 58 Ah ! L’amour ! One Wild Moment 59 All About Them 25 Papa ou Maman 60 Bang Gang 26 The Brand New Testament 61 Blind Date 27 For the Young at Heart In Harmony 28 Tous au cinéma ! In the Shadow of Women 29 La Belle Saison 30 April and the Extraordinary World 63 Front Row Sponsors My Golden Days 31 Belle & Sebastian: The Scent of the Mandarine 32 the Adventure Continues 63 Un Plus Une 33 Acknowledgements 65 (Extra)ordinary Stories Festival Highlights 66 Media Partners Histoires (extra)ordinaires Anton Chekhov 1890 35 Screening Schedule 70 Gaston Méliès and His Wandering Star Film Company 36 Festival Ticketing & Conditions 78 2 Marguerite 37 3 The Alliance Française French Film Festival, presented in partnership with the Embassy of France in Australia, is a unique experience. With the success of last year’s Festival with The Alliance Française French Film Festival was first close to 160,000 admissions, it is unparalleled. launched in 1989 by the Alliance Française in Sydney and These are the kinds of projects that paint has since become a major annual event for all 6 capital the image of France in Australia; a France in Alliances Françaises in Australia: Sydney, Melbourne, motion, decidedly innovative and creative. Brisbane, Perth, Canberra and Adelaide. Come and discover French cinema at its best for this 27th edition of the Alliance Française Each year, the Festival provides a unique opportunity for French Film Festival. cinema aficionados to embark upon a thrilling voyage which showcases the best contemporary French films. Mr. Christophe Lecourtier, With each Festival season, Australian audiences have Ambassador of France to Australia displayed a continually deepening interest in our screening programme, which also contributes to the strengthening of cultural ties between our two countries. At the Festival with DAVID STRATTON and GEORGE MILLER Since its Parisian inception in 1883, the Alliance Alliance Française French Film Festival 2016 Patrons Française has expanded into a network of over 800 Alliances worldwide, coordinated by the Fondation Alliance Française based in Paris. The purpose of Alliance Française is to promote the French language and francophone cultures, and to this aim, hundreds of Alliances have developed across the world under the status of not-for-profit associations governed by local law. The network of Alliance Française is also distinguished by thousands of cultural events, such as the Alliance Française French Film Festival, which they stage throughout the year, complimenting the peerless French language courses offered by 741 Alliances to 550,000 students across all continents. The annual Alliance Française French Film Festival has become the most popular national film event in Australia, which should come as no surprise, given the It is my pleasure to now invite you to discover the 2016 consistently rich and diverse quality of French film production. Few countries Screening Programme and to wish you a happy Festival. have managed to face up to the Hollywood juggernaut that swamps the world’s cinemas, but in France, American films screen alongside an equal number of Alliance Française in Australia French films, from comedies to thrillers to intimate psychological dramas. France Isabelle Faure was a pioneer of cinema, and the French have never wavered in their love for Chief Representative of Fondation Alliance Française the medium. The worldwide popularity of French cinema is the result, and once in Australia again this year the Festival is screening a representative selection of new films, Director of Alliance Française de Canberra with something to please everyone. George Miller and David Stratton David’s picks of the Festival – from what he was able to see at the time of going to 4 press – are featured on pages 9-13. 5 OPENING NIGHT CLOSING NIGHT ROSALIE BLUM CONTEMPT Rosalie Blum Le Mépris Sarlat Film Festival 2015 – Winner of Audience & Best Actress Award, Noémie Lvovsky Restored Version directed by France | Drama-Comedy | 96 mins | 2016 | M France | Drama | 105 mins | 1963 | PG directed by Julien Rappeneau Julien Rappeneau’s enchanting directorial debut Rosalie Blum Opening with one of the most famous shots of the legendary Jean-Luc Godard with is a warm, witty and impeccably performed drama-comedy Brigitte Bardot, Contempt remains a glorious experience with Noémie Lvovsky about a random encounter that has unexpected and far- made for the big screen. Over fifty years on from its first Brigitte Bardot Kyan Khojandi reaching consequences. release, Jean-Luc Godard’s film remains a touchstone for Jack Palance Alice Isaaz Thirty-something Vincent Machot (indelibly played by Kyan world cinema, an incandescent work of intellect and passion, Michel Piccoli and a true film icon. Anémone Khojandi) is a hairdresser, like his father before him. Life Fritz Lang Sara Giraudeau rotates around work, his overbearing mother who lives in Godard self-reflexively tells the story of a screenwriter, Giorgia Moll the apartment upstairs, and a womanising cousin constantly Paul Javal (Michel Piccoli), who is working on a script of trying to set him up. But one morning Vincent experiences a The Odyssey, directed by film giant Fritz Lang (playing powerful déjà-vu when he meets the gaze of a grocery store himself), and sure to be a box-office bomb. Art, commerce Based on the “Possibly Godard’s clerk, Rosalie Blum (the fabulous Noémie Lvovsky). Intrigued and personal affairs clash as Paul courts favour with brash award-winning by this mysterious woman, he begins following her… producer Jerry Prokosch (Hollywood stalwart Jack Palance), most melancholy film and probably his series of graphic novels and compromises his marriage to Camille (Bardot). by Camille Jourdy To reveal more would only spoil the surprises of Rappeneau’s most beautiful” ingeniously structured tale, other than to say that a series Contempt remains a miraculous contemplation of the Village Voice of coincidences – both hilarious and dramatic – memorably corroding effect of the film business on those who aspire to brings together a group of lost souls in a manner reminiscent raise it to the level of great art. Godard used colour for the of Claude Berri’s wonderful Hunting and Gathering. first time, flooding the screen with stunning compositions, Indeed with its themes of fraternity, love and the need for and composer Georges Delerue created one of his most human connection, Rosalie Blum delivers a timely reminder heartbreaking scores. This newly restored version of of the best that French culture has to offer. It’s a joy to watch. Contempt is not to be missed. 6 Australian Première 7 COURTED L’Hermine Venice International Film Festival 2015 – Official Competition Winner of Best Screenplay Award, Christian Vincent Winner of Volpi Cup for Best Actor, Fabrice Luchini Borgen television star Sidse Babett Knudsen and directed by revered actor Fabrice Luchini (Gemma Bovery – Festival Christian Vincent Cycling with Molière 2015, – Festival 2014) combine their with immense talents in this intriguing blend of courtroom Fabrice Luchini drama and suppressed romance. Sidse Babett Knudsen Luchini brings his instantly recognisable brand of Éva Lallier irascible comic weariness to the role of severe judge Corinne Masiero Xavier Racine, presiding in a country court over a tragic murder case. He recognises jury member Ditte (Knudsen) as the anaesthetist he fell in love with several years before and, breaking with protocol, he connects “A smart, amusing with her outside. In wistful, contemplative dialogue, comedy in which the judge softens his heart as they recall a past of Fabrice Luchini is in missed opportunities, all while revelations of the excellent form” murder unfold. David Stratton Fluently directed by Christian Vincent, of such classics as La Séparation and Haute Cuisine (Festival 2013), the film manages to be both grittily realistic and gently thoughtful. Courted was selected for competition in France the Venice International Film Festival in 2015, and now Drama-Comedy Australian audiences can enjoy the opportunity of 98 mins watching these two masterful performers reach into the 2015 depths of their characters with subtlety and humour. CTC David’S PICKS 9 MICROBE & GASOLINE TAJ MAHAL Microbe et Gasoil Taj Mahal Venice International Film Festival 2015 – Official Selection directed by Microbe & Gasoline is celebrated director Michel Taj Mahal presents an edge-of-the-seat journey into directed by Michel Gondry Gondry’s winning portrait of two adolescent outsiders our most contemporary fears, based on the real life Nicolas Saada with determined not to follow the herd. 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks on luxury hotels. with Ange Dargent On the eve of a long, tedious summer vacation, 18-year-old Louise (Stacy Martin of Nymphomaniac Stacy Martin Théophile Baquet Microbe (Ange Dargent) and Gasoline (Théophile notoriety), about to begin a new life in India, is left Louis-Do de Lencquesaing Audrey Tautou Baquet), decide to take their own holiday in a home- alone in her hotel room as her parents dine across Gina McKee made house on wheels as neither want to spend time town.