The red carpet was rolled out and the wine was flowing for the gala night premiere of the 30th Annual French Film Festival in Brisbane, presented by Alliance Française. The Barracks were buzzing with one of their biggest nights of the year. Glamorous women were tottering on sky-high heels with matching bags and many of the men were spruced up in open necked shirts and long pants, whilst supping on sparkling wine with not a beret in sight! Everyone who has a penchant for the suave and sophisticated were in attendance for the premiere of the French comedy En Liberté! (The Trouble With You!), directed by Pierre Salvadori, showing in four screens at the Palace Barracks Cinema. As winner of the Sacd Prize at the Festival de Cannes, it was an excellent choice for the opening night and lived up to all expectations.
The night was opened by Lady Jane Edwards, the Honorary French Consul for Brisbane, who remarked how the Alliance Française French Film Festival just gets bigger and better every year. This year there are 54 films and 420 screenings in a showcase of the best French film has to offer. There is a flavour to suit every film palate with categories including: Summertime; Family Anew; Across Borders; Moving Mountains; Paris Snapshots; Critically Acclaimed and Danger Sphere, for those who like to view life on the edge of their seat!
En Liberté! (The Trouble With You!) is a rambunctious comedy of double takes and madcap action starring Adèle Haenel, Pio Marmaï, Audrey Tautou and Damien Bonnard. Yvonne (Adèle Haenel) is a detective and young widow of the local police chief who was recently killed in the line of duty. However, she discovers that he was a bent police officer and not quite the hero he had portrayed. He also framed an innocent man for his crime, who has spent eight years in jail, so Yvonne determines to help him on his release with dire, but hilarious consequences. However, Antoine (Pio Marmaï) is no longer an innocent after his years in jail and wreaks havoc with everyone who he comes into contact with, including his devoted fiancé Agnés, played beautifully by Audrey Tautou from Amelie. Two love triangles form around the four characters when Yvonne becomes romantically involved with both her husband’s friend Louis (Damien Bonnard) and Antoine. It was a critical and box office success in France and is a wild and comical ride well worth seeing.
Some other notable films to see include:
The Image Book (Le livre d’Image) by Jean-Luc Goddard a beautiful experimental sound and image collage from a luminary of the French New Wave cinema, winning the special Palme D’Or at Cannes.
The Wild Boys (Les Garçons Sauvages) directed by Bertrand Mandico, a bizarre Kenneth Anger styled movie about boys lured to a supernatural island of transformation.
Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion (Astérix: Le secret de la potion magique). A 3D animated movie from the spectacularly popular French series of comic books of Asterix the Gaul about the fiendish Gaulish resistance to the Roman conquerors at the beginning of the 2nd century. The Gauls must help the Druid Getafix find a young successor to learn the secrets of brewing his magic potion, the source of their super strength and the success of their resistance to the Romans.
One Nation, One King (Un People et Son Roi). A spectacular period-drama directed by Pierre Schoeller, and the most expensive French film produced in 2018. It re-tells the epic tale of the historical events surrounding the French Revolution in 1789 with breathtaking imagery, fine costumes and raw emotions.
Wine Calling on March 27 with a cheese and wine tasting reception. Wine Calling, directed by Bruno Sauvard is a documentary focused on the people of the stars of last year's French film festival feature, Back to Burgundy. They are wine-makers from the south of France with a rebellious streak and a sharp focus on producing good quality delicious wine.
Closing night, Kiss & Tell (Voyez Comme On Danse) on April 14. The festival closes with Kiss & Tell, a mélange of tales about life, love and consequences. With a pre-screening cocktail party to get you in the mood and perhaps you may have an encounter with a French stranger and start your own tale…
The 52 films are showing during the day and evening at both the Palace Centro and the Palace Barracks cinemas enabling you to relax in the cinema French-style with a glass of wine and some nibbles from the bar. All films are clearly subtitled in English for the non-French speaker and you instantly forget you are listening to a foreign language. However, if you would like to learn French for next year’s festival Alliance Française, a worldwide network of 840 centres which promote France and their culture is offering Free Trial French classes for adults on the 16th April at 5pm and 6pm and for children at 4pm, with limited spaces, sign up at afbrisbane.com
Get online at affrenchfilmfestival.org to choose one or many of the 52 movies, and grab the opportunity this month to experience the fantastique uniqueness of French cinematography at the Alliance Française 30th French Film Festival. Vive le Film Français!
Palace Centro and Palace Barracks cinemas
14 March - 14 April 2019
Dr Gemma Regan