Representing both sides of the screen, three of France’s most acclaimed cinematic talents will be in Australia to help celebrate the 29th season of the Alliance Française French Film Festival.
LAURENT LAFITTE, the suave and charismatic star of such films such as Elle, Little White Lies, The Love Punch (opposite Pierce Brosnan and Emma Thompson), Bright Days Ahead and 2016 Festival favourites, Boomerang and Papa ou Maman, will be here to discuss his role in the critically lauded post WW1 drama, See You Up There (Au revoir là-haut).
One of France’s most sought-after actors, Lafitte, who is a member of the prestigious Comédie Française, is also a noted writer and stage performer, fluent in English and was Master of Ceremonies at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
Award-winning novelist, screenwriter and director, DAVID FOENKINOS is renowned for his novels Delicacy - which he made into a film starring Audrey Tautou - and most recently Charlotte, a novel inspired by the life of Charlotte Salomon, a German-Jewish artist who was killed at Auschwitz when she was five months pregnant. She left behind over 700 painting, which inspired the novel. Charlotte won the Prix Renaudot and the Prix Goncourt des Lyceens and has been translated in the nineteen languages.
Foenkinos, who like Lafitte is also fluent in English, will be joining us to promote his latest movie Jealous (Jalouse), which he wrote and directed with his brother Stéphane. Starring the ever-popular Karin Viard, Jealous is a wickedly black comedy about a 50ish divorcée who suddenly conceives an all-consuming envy for those around her, including her beautiful and devoted 18 year-old daughter.
Adding to the excitement will be esteemed writer PHILIPPE MANGEOT. Mangeot co-wrote the 2017 Cannes Grand Prix Jury Prize-winning film BPM (Beats Per Minute), which will screen as part of the Festival’s inaugural LGBTQI program. He was also a member and former president of Act Up-Paris, a militant association fighting against AIDs, and in 1997 he founded the journal Vacarme, where he was editor-in-chief from 1999-2004. He is now a member of its editorial board and a regular contributor to Cahiers du cinéma.
Whilst here, our three guests will present a selection of special Festival screenings and will be available for select interviews in Sydney and Melbourne on the following dates:
PHILIPPE MANGEOT
- Sydney Tue 26 & Wed 27 February
- Melbourne Thu 1 March & Friday 2 March
LAURENT LAFITTE
- Sydney Mon 5 & Tue 6 March
- Melbourne Thu 8 March
DAVID FOENKINOS
- Sydney Friday 9 March
National dates and venues for the 2018 Alliance Française French Film Festival are:
SYDNEY: 27 Feb – 27 March Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona, Chauvel Cinema, Palace Central & Hayden Orpheum Cremorne
MELBOURNE: 28 Feb – 27 March Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Kino Cinemas & The Astor Theatre
CANBERRA: 1 – 28 March Palace Electric Cinema
BRISBANE: 8 March - 4 April Palace Barracks & Palace Centro
PERTH: 14 March - 4 April Cinema Paradiso, Luna on SX & Windsor Cinema
HOBART: 15 – 24 March State Cinema
ADELAIDE: 22 March - 15 April Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Palace Nova Prospect
Cinemas
RIVERSIDE: 5 – 8 April Riverside Theatres Parramatta
CASULA: 5 – 8 April Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre
Visit the official Festival website at: http://www.affrenchfilmfestival.org