Spring is in the air…and for some reason my mind is set on everything en francais – a culture that is passionate about everything they do. So, inspiring! And there’s nothing better than to take in a few of the world’s best films!
CINEFRANCO is English Canada’s largest international showcase in Francophone cinema and will take place in Toronto from April 5 to April 14, 2013. Films from Belgium, Canada, Egypt, France, Luxembourg, Morocco, and Switzerland will descend on the big screen in the city with 3 World Premieres, 7 North American Premieres, 13 English Canadian Premieres and 2 Toronto Premieres and a showcase of 25 features, 1 documentary and 6 shorts!
Guests at CINEFRANCO 2013 will include Luc Picard (Director-Esmesac), Micheline Bernard (Actress- La Mise a l’aveugle/Small Blind), Simon Galiero (Director-La Mise a l’aveugle/Small Blind), Thierry Aflalou (Producer-Cassos), Philippe Carrese (Director-Cassos), Nathalie Saint-Pierre (Director-Catimini),Lahcen Zinoun (Director-Femme ecrite/Written Woman), Franck Guerin (Director- One O One), Yann Peira and Cassandre Manet (Actors-One O One), Marc-Andre Grondin (Actor-L’affaire Dumont)
This is the 16th year for the festival and films will range in topics to include hilarious comedies, dramas and powerful topics including sex and love, freedom, prison life, and justice.
You can visit the official website for the complete programme, appearances and events at www.cinefranco.com
There are so many wonderful films to see during this film festival. Here are just a few picks that have caught my attention…
ESIMESAC **Opening Night Film
by filmmaker Luc Picard, Quebec (in attendance at the opening night screening)
A tale about a gentle giant who tries to help his starving village by creating a vegetable garden to that everyone can eat. He’s a child in a man’s body. The village is given an opportunity of a railway passage through it’s town which would bring food, tourists to the village. But would this solve their problems?
TANGO LIBRE (Dance to Freedom) **Closing Night Film
by Frederic Fonteyne from Belgium.
By day, JC is a prison guard. At night, he attends his weekly tango classes and has fallen in love with Alice. He is surprised to see her visiting two prisoners – one is her husband and the other her lover. When her husband learns that his wife tangos with the prison guard he is determined to learn how to dance as well. The tango works its passionate magic and an air of freedom and fantasy blows through the prison.
LA VERITE SI JE MENS! (Would I Lie to You?) North American Premiere
No need to have seen the previous films to appreciate this funny, exuberant France’s favorite Sephardic Rat Pack (Hollywood Reporter). Dov the lady-killer, Serge the compulsive irresponsible liar, Eddie the business brain, Yvan the smart salesman and Patrick the wheeler-dealer millionaire, left Paris Sentier neighbourhood for the suburbs. The Chinese have become their competitors in the fashion imitation business.
Victims of a plot that may ruin them, the five buddies struggle between the suburb of Aubervilliers and Shanghai to save their livelihood as well as their families and their friendship.
Victims of a plot that may ruin them, the five buddies struggle between the suburb of Aubervilliers and Shanghai to save their livelihood as well as their families and their friendship.
FEMME ECRITE (Written Woman) World Premiere
An anthropologist is planning a film on the life of a poet woman he admires, Mririda. During his research he discovered that she frequently attended a house where she practiced the oldest profession in the world. In search of Mririda ,Naim discovers Adjou. their meeting became a spiritual connection but she becomes a victim of murder. The mystery reveals a tattoo that was removed from her body…a symbol of eroticism that Berber women held secret long ago. The tattoo represents memories and history.
QUEEN OF MONTREUIL North American Premiere
Agathe is bringing back her husband’s ashes with intention to overcome her grief but unexpectedly meets two Icelanders at the airport. Ulfur and Fifi (a depressed sea-lion) who settles in Agathe’s bath tub amongst other funny occurrences makes this quirky film about the circumstances of people and their attempt to rebuild their lives.
Screenings will be held at The Royal, 608 College Street (Toronto)
Tickets are available online at www.cinefranco.com
Regular tickets: $12
Festival pass (10 tickets): $99
You can also purchase tickets at The Royal box office everyday from April -14, starting 1 hour prior to the screenings.
Advance tickets will also be sold at T.O.TIX at Yonge-Dundas Square.