This year the French Film Festival's selection includes some of the finest recent French film releases including the breath-taking Valérie Donzelli film Declaration of War (opening night), Mia Hansen-Løve's Goodbye, First Love, and Christ
Alliance Française French Film Festival
29 February – 4 April
This year the French Film Festival’s selection includes some of the finest recent French film releases including the breath-taking Valérie Donzelli film Declaration of War (opening night film), Mia Hansen-Løve’s Goodbye, First Love, and Christophe Honoré’s new feature Beloved.
The majority of films have received international critical acclaim including works which have been selected for the Cannes, Toronto, London, São Paulo, San Sebastián festivals. Several have been nominated for Academy, César, and European Film Awards.
These include Bertrand Bonnello’s controversial House of Tolerance and Donzelli’s Declaration of War which both started their successful journeys at the Cannes Film Festival, and ended up months later with César nominations and other accolades.
Also included in the Festival programme are the latest crowd-pleasing films from much-loved directors Cédric Klapisch and Julie Delpy – My Piece of the Pie and The Skylab. Delpy’s Skylab is based on her experiences as a young girl living in an eccentric family around the time the titular NASA space station came crashing down to Earth in 1979 just six years after going into orbit.
This is the first year there is a ‘themed’ category - "Paris au Présent" which gives audiences a chance to see a selection of previously-released modern classics which capture the true essence of Paris. Included in this section is Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli’s A Cat in Paris which recently received a nomination for Best Animated Feature Film at the 2012 Academy Awards.
There is also a selection of short works by up-and-coming French filmmakers, most of which were made within the curriculum at their Parisian film schools. Many of these films are explorations of Paris – its people, its buildings, and its constant hum of activity.
Christchurch, Hoyts Northlands - 29 February – 11 March
Auckland, Rialto Cinemas Newmarket and Bridgeway Cinemas ¬ 1 March – 11 March
Tauranga, Rialto Cinemas Tauranga - 2 March – 11 March
Wellington, Paramount Cinemas, - 8 March – 25 March
Dunedin, Rialto Dunedin - 14 March – 25 March
Nelson, The Suter Theatre - 14 March – 25 March
Palmerston North, Cinema Gold - 15 March – 22 March
Havelock North, Cinema Gold - 22 March – 1 April
Hamilton, Lido Cinema - 22 March – 4 April
