French film fest begins today
ORGANISERS of the Francophone Film Festival say this year’s staging will have a packed roster of movies for the lovers of French culture.
The festival kicks off tonight at 7:00 pm with a private screening of Swagger, at the Embassy of France on Hillcrest Avenue in St Andrew. It is expected to run until November 24.
“We have more movies showing this year… a total of six. This year we have more diversity — not only movies from France, but from Belguim. There is also a documentary from Burkina Faso called The Siren of Faso Fani,” Marie-Noelle Brunot, director of Alliance Francaise de la Jamaique — organisers of the event — told the Jamaica Observer.
Directed by Michel K. Zongo, The Siren of Faso Fani (2014) examines the impact of the closure of a textile plant in the landlocked West African country.
Swagger (2016), directed by Olivier Babinet, peers into the minds of 11 children and teenagers, with astonishing personalities, who are growing up in some of France’s most underprivileged housing projects. The cast includes Régis Marvin Merveille N’Kissi Moggzi, Nazario Giordano, Aissatou Dia and Mariama Diallo.
The line-up includes Girlhood, Blowin’ in the Reggae Wind, Good Luck Sam, Corporate, The Rabbi’s Cat and Teacher.
The festival opens to the general public on tomorrow and Thursday at Campion College in St Andrew at 6:30 pm. University of Technology is expected to have two showings, 3:30 pm and 6:30 pm, on Saturday. The following week, the University of the West Indies plays host on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
The Martinique-born director highlighted the importance the festival.
“It’s important to showcase French is a live language — not only to be taught in school. It’s creative and informative. It’s not only a language not only spoken in France but also countries in Africa,” she said. “We want to see an improved appreciation of French and the French-speaking culture in Jamaica.”
