The 24th French Film Festival is on its way to a couple of theaters in the metro. With it comes an interest mix of French titles, from Agnès Varda’s tender autobiographical doc “Varda by Agnès” to Daniel Roby’s expansive sci-fi-drama “Just a Breath Away” (French title: “Dans la brume”).
The event, which happens from June 12th thru 18th, is hosted by Embassy of France to the Philippines. The institute has been screening French films to Philippine theaters for 24 years; this year, the festival program goes beyond theaters in Makati or BGC. The French Film Festival’s provincial leg follows:
- June 20 to 22, 2019 – Cebu City (Ayala Center Cebu)
- June 28 to 30, 2019 – Davao City (Abreeza Mall Davao)
- July 10 to 12, 2019 – Bacolod City (Ayala Capitol Central Mall)
Alongside French films, select Filipino titles also make it to the festival. Pepe Diokno’s “Singing in the Graveyard”, Carlo Catu’s “Kung Paano Hinihintay ang Dapithapon”, Kidlat Tahimik’s “Perfumed Nightmare” and Carlo Manatad’s “Jodilerks Dela Cruz, Employee of the Month” are all included in the program with their own special screenings.
RELATED: The complete list of Film Festivals in the Philippines
Featured films
“De Toutes nos forces” (The Finishers, 2014)
Director: Nils Tavernier
Starring: Jacques Gamblin, Alexandra Lamy, Fabien Héraud, Sophie de Fürst
Genre: Drama
“L’Incroyable histoire du facteur cheval” (The Ideal Palace, 2017)
Director: Nils Tavernier
Starring: Jacques Gamblin, Laetitia Casta, Bernard Le Coq, Florence Thomassin
Genre: Drama
“Le Grand Bain” (Sink or Swim, 2018)
Director: Gilles Lellouche
Starring: Mathieu Amalric, Guillaume Canet, Benoît Poelvoorde, Jean-Hughes Anglade, Virginie Efira, Leïla Bekhti, Marina Foïs, Philippe Katerine
Genre: Comedy
“Bande de Filles” (Girlhood, 2014)
Director: Céline Sciamma
Starring: Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Mariétou Touré
Genre: Drama
“La Promesse de l’Aube” (Promise at Dawn, 2017)
Director: Eric Barbier
Starring: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Pierre Niney, Didier Bourdon, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Catherine McCormack, Finnegan Oldfield, Pawel Puchaliski, Nemo Schiffman
Genre: Drama
“Victoria” (In Bed with Victoria, 2016)
Director: Justine Triet
Starring: Virginie Efira, Vincent Lacoste, Melvil Poupaud, Laurent Poitrenaux, Laure Calamy, Alice Daquet
Genre: Comedy
“Le Brio” (2017)
Director: Yvan Attal
Starring: Daniel Auteuil, Camélia Jordana, Yasin Houicha, Nozha Khouadra, Nicolas Vaude, Jean-Baptiste Lafarge
Genre: Comedy
“Mes Provinciales” (A Paris Education, 2018)
Director: Jean Paul Civeyrac
Starring: Andranic Manet, Gonzague Van Bervesseles, Corentin Fila, Diane Rouxel, Jenna Thiam, Sophie Verbeek, Valentine Catzéflis, Charlotte Van Bervessel, Nicolas Bouchad, Laurent Delbeque, Jeanne Ruff
Genre: Drama
“Dans la brume” (Just a Breath Away, 2018)
Director: Daniel Roby
Starring: Romain Duris, Olga Kurylenko, Fantine Harduin, Michel Robin, Anna Gaylor, Réphaël Ghrenassia, Erja Malatier, Alexis Manenti, Maurice Antoni, Robin Barde
Genre: Science fiction
“Barbara” (2017)
Director: Mathieu Amalric
Starring: Mathieu Amalric, Jeanne Balibar, Vincent Peirani, Aurore Clément, Grégoire Colin, Fanny Imber, Pierre Michon
Genre: Drama
“Jusqu’à la Garde” (Custody, 2018)
Director: Xavier Legrand
Starring: Denis Ménochet, Léa Drucker, Thomas Gioria, Mathilde Auneveux, Mathieu Saïkaly, Florence Janas, Saadia Bentaïeb, Sophie Pincemaille
Genre: Drama
“La Villa” (The House by the Sea, 2017)
Director: Robert Guédiguian
Starring: Ariane Ascaride, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Gérard Meylan, Jaques Boudet, Anaöis Demoustier, Robinson Stévenin, Yann Trégouët, Fred Ulysse, Geneviève Mnich, Diouc Koma
Genre: Drama
“Le Grand Méchant Renard” (The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales, 2017)
Director: Benjamin Renner and Patrick Imbert
Genre: Animation
“Madame Hyde” (Mrs. Hyde, 2018)
Director: Serge Bozon
Starring: Sarah Bramms, Dinara Droukarova, Xavier Dias, Carla Marie Santerre, Aurélie Faula
Genre: Comedy
“Varda by Agnès” (2018)
Director: Agnès Varda
Genre: Documentary
Festival screening schedule
Check out the full screening schedule for the BGC/Makati leg of the 24th French Film Festival.
Tickets go out for PHP 150 each and are available via the ticket counter or online thru SureSeats. You may watch the films in the above schedule in the following malls:
- Bonifacio High Street – Central Square
- Greenbelt 3
For more information, visit www.ph.ambafrance.org or follow the Embassy of France to the Philippines on Facebook (/FrenchEmbassyManila), Twitter or Instagram (@FrenchEmbassyPH). #FrenchFilmFest24
