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| Anatomy Of A Fall Photo: Courtesy of Cannes Film Festival |
The French Film Festival has the announced highlights of its line-up for this year's edition, including Palme d'Or winner Anatomy Of A Fall, by Justine Triet, and Tran Anh Hung's Oscar contender The Taste Of Things, which stars Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel. This year's festival runs from 1 November to 14 December.
Triet will be among those attending a London screening of her film, which sees Sandra Hüller's writer Sandra become the prime suspect after her husband dies. Her film will preview ahead of its UK release alongside The Taste Of Things, which explores a gourmand and his cook's love of food and of each other.
Also in attendance in London will be Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar and Pierre-Henri Gibert, who bring Agnès Varda documentary Viva Varda!, Agnès Jaoui and director Frédéric Sojcher will be in attendance on 4 Nov at Ciné Lumière for the UK Premiere of The Course Of Life. Swiss filmmaker Laurent Nègre will also put in an appearance for A Forgotten Man.
Other highlights include Berlin Golden Bear winning documentary On the Adamant by Nicolas Philibert; Thomas Cailley’s second feature The Animal Kingdom; Martin Provost’s beautiful painterly drama Bonnard, Pierre and Marthe; Christian Carion’s heart-warming Driving Madeleine with Dany Boon and veteran Line Renaud; the sixth feature by Oscar-nominated Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania, Four Daughters; and thriller The Origin of Evil, by Sébastien Marnier, featuring Laure Calamy. Quebec’s Monia Chokri (actress turned film-maker) offers a sexy rom-com, The Nature Of Love. Two Belgian talents, rapper Baloji making a stunning debut with Omen while compatriot Bas Devos tugs at the heart-strings in Brussels-based Here which had the critics heaping on praise in Berlin earlier in the year. Female camaraderie comes to the fore in Two Tickets To Greece by Marc Fitoussi with a trio of fine performances by Olivia Côte, Laure Calamy, and Kristin Scott Thomas.
There is also an opportunity to view some select titles online (on a special offer) via Curzon’s streaming platform, Curzon at Home, and this year including Krzysztof Kieślowski’s famed Three Colours Trilogy. And also to watch at home is the latest selection from the Mobile Film Festival featuring award-winning African film-makers.
Within the Classics strand is Je t’aime... moi non plus, the sublime homage to the late legendary Jane Birkin by director (and partner) Serge Gainsbourg plus two gripping crime dramas, Classe Tous Risques (by Claude Sautet) and The Sicilian Clan (by Henri Verneuil) both featuring the unforgettable Lino Ventura.
Richard Mowe, co-founder and director said: "After the record-breaking 30th edition of the French Film Festival UK last year, the event returns for the start of its fourth decade. The aim remains the same: to explore the richness and diversity of francophone cinema. Working with UK distributors and French sales agents the line-up includes films from Quebec, Switzerland, Belgium, Democratic Republic of Congo and France, and includes an Oscar contender (The Taste of Things) and a Palme d'Or winner (Anatomy Of A Fall). On any view it's going to be an excellent vintage. Vive le cinéma!"
