24th French Film Festival rolls out the red carpet for French directors Nils Tavernier

Time for the foreign language film festival season to begin as the 24th French Film Festival rolls out the red carpet on June 12-18, 2019 at the Bonifacio High Street Cinemas and Greenbelt 3 Cinemas.

The festival welcomes French director Nils Tavernier whose works De Toutes nos forces/The Finishers and his latest, L’Incroyable histoire du facteur cheval/The Ideal Palace are part of the lineup this year.

Director Nils Tavernier

A total of fifteen French contemporary films, including those two directed by Tavernier, are in the lineup with genres ranging from drama, comedy, sci-fi, animation, and documentary. 

A special screening of Band de Filles, co-presented by SPARK! Philippines, followed by a forum on issues affecting young girls in the Philippines and France will happen on June 14, 2019. This is in line with France's commitment to the defense of women's rights all over the world.

French Ambassador Nicolas Galey

The film festival also pays tribute to Philippine Cinema on June 12, 2019 with screenings of Pepe Diokno's Above the Clouds, Carlo Catu's Waiting for Sunset, Carlo Manatad's Jodilerks dela Cruz, Employee of the Month, and National Artist for Cinema, Kidlat Tahimik's Mababangong Bangungot.

After the Manila leg, the festival travels to Cebu (Ayala Center Cebu, June 20-22, 2019), Davao (Abreeza Mall Davao, June 28-30, 2019) and for the first time, to Bacolod (Ayala Capitol Central Mall, July 10-12, 2019).

Admission to the screenings at Bonifacio High Street Cinemas and Greenbelt 3 Cinemas cost s P150 each to cover the cinemas' operational costs.

Here are the films lined up for the 24th French Film Festival.

De Toutes nos forces/The Finishers (2014)

Director: Nils Tavernier

Cast: Jacques Gamblin, Alexandra Lamy, Fabien Héraud, Sophie de Fürst 

Like all teenagers, Julien dreams of adventure and thrilling sensations. But when you live in a wheelchair, such dreams are difficult to fulfill. To do so, Julien challenges his father to compete with him in the "Ironman" triathlon in Nice, one of the most difficult sporting events in the world. A whole family comes together and reconnects in an attempt to see this incredible exploit through.

L’Incroyable histoire du facteur cheval/The Ideal Palace (2017)

Director: Nils Tavernier

Cast: Jacques Gamblin, Laetitia Casta, Bernard Le Coq, Florence Thomassin

South of France, 1879. Ferdinand Cheval is a reserved and quiet man. A rural mail carrier, he enjoys the loneliness of his 20 mile rounds while daydreaming about a world full of wonder and beauty he sees only through postcards and magazines. After the birth of Alice, his daughter, he has a revelation: to build her a castle to make her a princess. He builds with no architectural background, driven only by his love for Alice, the unconditional support of his wife, Philomène, and his vision.

Le Grand bain/Sink or Swim (2018)

Director: Gilles Lellouche

Cast: Mathieu Amalric, Guillaume Canet, Benoît Poelvoorde, Jean-Hughes Anglade, Virginie Efira, Leïla Bekhti, Marina Foïs, Philippe Katerine

A group of 40-something guys, all on the verge of a mid-life crisis, decide to form their local pool’s first ever synchronized swimming team – for men. Braving the skepticism and ridicule of those around them, and trained by a fallen champion trying to pull herself together, the group sets out on an unlikely adventure and, on the way, will rediscover a little self-esteem and a lot about themselves and each other.

Bande de Filles/Girlhood (2014)

Director: Céline Sciamma

Cast: Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Mariétou Touré

For 16 year old Marième, life is like a succession of prohibitions – the censorship in the neighborhood, boys ruling the roost, school's dead end... But her encounter with three liberated girls changes everything. They dance, fight back, talk loudly, laugh at everything. Marième meets Vic and joins the gang, to make the most of her youth. 

La Promesse de l’Aube/Promise at Dawn (2017)

Director: Eric Barbier

Cast: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Pierre Niney, Didier Bourdon, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Catherine McCormack, Finnegan Oldfield, Pawel Puchaliski, Nemo Schiffman

From his difficult childhood in Poland and his adolescence beneath the sun of Nice, to his adventures as a pilot in Africa during the Second World War, Romain Gary lived an extraordinary life. But Gary owed his fury for a thousand different lives, to become a great man and a famous writer, to his mother, Nina. It was the crazy love of this endearing and eccentric mother that will make him one of the most important novelists of the twentieth century with a life full of twists and turns, passions, and mysteries. But this boundless maternal love will also be his burden throughout his life.

Victoria/In Bed with Victoria (2016)

Director: Justine Triet

Cast: Virginie Efira, Vincent Lacoste, Melvil Poupaud, Laurent Poitrenaux, Laure Calamy, Alice Daquet

Victoria Spick, a criminal defense attorney on the verge of an emotional breakdown, goes to a wedding where she runs into her old friend, Vincent, and Sam, a one-time dealer she had successfully represented. The next day, Vincent is accused by his girlfriend of attempted murder. The only witness is the victim’s dog. Victoria reluctantly agrees to defend him, and at the same time, hires Sam as her nanny. Her life is about to take a devastating turn.

Le Brio (2017)

Director: Yvan Attal

Cast: Daniel Auteuil, Camélia Jordana, Yasin Houicha, Nozha Khouadra, Nicolas Vaude, Jean-Baptiste Lafarge

Neïla Salah grew up in Creteil and dreamed of becoming a lawyer. On her first day at the renowned Assas Law School in Paris, she runs up against Pierre Mazard, a professor known for his provocative behavior and misconduct. To redeem himself, he agrees to prep Neïla for a prestigious public speaking contest. Cynical and demanding, Pierre might become the mentor she needs... But to do that, both of them will have to rise above their prejudices.

Mes Provinciales/A Paris Education (2018)

Director: Jean Paul Civeyrac

Cast: Andranic Manet, Gonzague Van Bervesseles, Corentin Fila, Diane Rouxel, Jenna Thiam, Sophie Verbeek, Valentine Catzéflis, Charlotte Van Bervessel, Nicolas Bouchad, Laurent Delbeque, Jeanne Ruff

Etienne comes to Paris to study filmmaking at the Sorbonne. He meets Mathias and Jean-Noël who share his passion for film. But as they spend the year studying, they have to face challenges in friendship and love, as well as choosing their artistic battles.

Dans la brume/Just a Breath Away (2018)

Director: Daniel Roby

Cast: Romain Duris, Olga Kurylenko, Fantine Harduin, Michel Robin, Anna Gaylor, Réphaël Ghrenassia, Erja Malatier, Alexis Manenti, Maurice Antoni, Robin Barde

Mathieu will stop at nothing to get his 11 year old daughter Sarah out of the hermetic chamber she has been living in since she was born due to a childhood illness. Suddenly, an earthquake hits Paris. A deadly fog seeps out of the earth. Panic spreads across the city. Mathieu and Sarah's mother, Anna, are among the few survivors who find refuge on the rooftops and upper floors of the tallest buildings. But they have to leave Sarah in her bubble to escape to the top floor. As the hours pass, they get increasingly worried about their daughter. Rescue squads are unable to manage the situation. All hope that the fog will clear begin to fade. Mathieu and Anna count the time left on the batteries that power Sarah's bubble. How can they replace them before they run out and leave her unprotected from the spreading danger? Knowing they can count only on themselves, and pressed for time, they have to find a way to make it outside through the fog.

Barbara (2017)

Director: Mathieu Amalric

Cast: Mathieu Amalric, Jeanne Balibar, Vincent Peirani, Aurore Clément, Grégoire Colin, Fanny Imber, Pierre Michon

An actress will play Barbara, the French singer. The shoot will soon start. The actress works on her character, her voice, the songs, scores, the gestures, knitting, scenes she has to learn… Things are going okay, there's progress, development, she is even overwhelmed. The film director also works, through his encounters, through archives, music, he lets himself be submerged, overwhelmed like the actress, by the actress.

Jusqu’à la Garde/Custody (2018)

Director: Xavier Legrand

Cast: Denis Ménochet, Léa Drucker, Thomas Gioria, Mathilde Auneveux, Mathieu Saïkaly, Florence Janas, Saadia Bentaïeb, Sophie Pincemaille

Miriam and Antoine Besson have divorced, and Miriam is seeking sole custody of their son, Julien, to protect him from a father she claims is violent. Antoine pleads his case as a scorned dad and the appointed judge rules in favor of joint custody. A hostage to the escalating conflict between his parents, Julien is pushed to the edge to prevent the worst from happening.

La Villa/The House by the Sea (2017)

Director: Robert Guédiguian

Cast: Ariane Ascaride, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Gérard Meylan, Jaques Boudet, Anaöis Demoustier, Robinson Stévenin, Yann Trégouët, Fred Ulysse, Geneviève Mnich, Diouc Koma

By a little bay near Marseille lies a picturesque villa owned by an old man. His three children have gathered by his side for his last days. It’s time for them to weigh up what they have inherited of their father’s ideals and the community spirit he created in this magical place. The arrival, at a nearby cove, of a group of boat people will throw these moments of reflection into turmoil.

Le Grand Méchant Renard/The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales (2017)

Director: Benjamin Renner and Patrick Imbert 

Whoever thinks that the countryside is calm and peaceful is mistaken. In it, we find especially agitated animals, a Fox that thinks it's a chicken, a Rabbit that acts like a stork, and a Duck who wants to replace Father Christmas. If you want to take a vacation, keep driving past this place...

Madame Hyde/Mrs. Hyde (2018)

Director: Serge Bozon

Cast: Isabelle Huppert, Romain Duris, Jose Garcia, Adda Senani

Mrs. Géquil is an eccentric teacher despised by her colleagues and students. On a stormy night, she is struck by lightning and faints. When she wakes up, she feels decidedly different… Now will Mrs. Géquil be able to keep the powerful and dangerous Mrs. Hyde contained?

Varda by Agnès (2018)

Director: Agnès Varda 

An unpredictable documentary from a fascinating storyteller, Agnès Varda’s next film sheds light on her experience as a director, bringing a personal insight to what she calls “cine-writing”, traveling from Rue Daguerre in Paris to Los Angeles and Beijing.

Here is the screening schedule of the Manila leg of the 24th French Film Festival.

The 24th French Film Festival in the Philippines is organized by the Embassy of France to the Philippines, Institut Français, Unifrance, the Alliance Française de Manille, and the Film Development Council of the Philippines, in cooperation with the Ayala Malls Cinemas, the SSI Group, Inc., and Central Square, and with the support of Lacoste, Peugeot Philippines, Air France, SPARK! Philippines, Pioneer Films, Cignal, TV5Monde, TeamApp, Marithé François Girbaud, Bizu, Don Papa, Le Cellier, and media partners Art Plus Magazine, Manilascope, and Spot.ph.