Overview
The Alliance Française French Film Festival 2014 is here. Peruse the program here.
Tout le monde ecoute! The country's largest French cultural event returns to Auckland with oodles of panache and just a whiff of gitanes smoke.
Bringing together 28 films from across the French speaking world, the festival - one of the biggest French film festivals outside of France - is a feisty celebration of all thing Gallic and offers a tempting array of the best contemporary French-language cinema. All just in the heart of Newmarket or sunny Takapuna.
Let's not forget, the France is the nation that invented the movies (there's even a documentary about it on the programme), so they definitely know what they're doing. From the retro style of directors Sylvain Chomet, Nicolas Vanier and David Perrault to the nouvelle cinema verite of documentarians Chris Marker and Pierre Lhomme, and Fabien Constant, the festival has something to satisfy even the most ardent Franco-cinephile.
A real coup is the New Zealand premiere of French youth hit Belle and Sebastian, a reworking of the classic 60s French TV show. We'll also be the first to see France's answer to Bridget Jones, The It Boy, in all it's glossy, hilarious glory - not to be missed.
So, pop open the champagne, sizzle some shallots and head to Rialto Newmarket or Takapuna's Berkeley Cinema for a real saveur of contemporary French film.
A bientôt au cinéma!