Arts & Leisure
Posted on May 26, 2016 03:47:00 PM
By Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman
21 years, 17 films, one festival
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IN THE wake of Filipina star Jaclyn Jose’s triumph in the Cannes Film Festival, it is the turn of the French to present some of their best contemporary films for the Filipino audience.
“It’s already the 21st edition. We feel the curiosity for cinema in general and the understanding of our cultures... It’s a work in progress.,” said Laurent Legodec, Deputy Head of Mission of the French embassy at a press conference on May 25 at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas in Makati, where the films will be shown.
“We have much to share and exchange that’s why we are doing this... The French and Filipinos have very much in common,” he added.
The movies will also be shown at the Bonifacio High Street Cinemas in Central Square, the Cinematheque Centre in Manila, Cebu on June 22-25, and in Davao on June 28-30.
The unifying theme among the movies, Mr. Legodec said, is about a deep introspect toward self and relationships.
“It’s how one confronts society: how to behave in difficulties, finding happiness... It’s a universal theme,” added Yves Zoberman, Counselor for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs.
“Cinema is more than entertainment, it’s a mirror -- an active mirror -- of the way of life,” he said.
Before arriving in the country seven months ago, he said he did not know much about the Philippines. But when he saw Brillante Mendoza’s movies he knew we share a culture. “Now I know we have the same view of the way of life... I began to understand society.”
The film festival opens with the movie Mon Roi (My King) directed by Maiwenn Le Besco. It’s lead star, Emmanuelle Bercot, won a the Cannes Best Actress award in 2015. Now she passed the crown to Jaclyn Jose who stars in Brillante Mendoza’s Ma’Rosa.
“The Philippines has made its mark in Cannes... By giving the Best Performance by an Actress Award to Jaclyn Jose, the jury showed the wealth of film creation in the Philippines,” said French Ambassador Thierry Mathou in a statement.
FRENCH AND FILIPINO MOVIES
At red carpet ceremonies during the festival’s opening on June 8, the festival will honorMa’Rosa’s cast and crew including cast members Andi Eigenmann, Maria Isabel Lopez, Rubi Ruiz, John Paul Duray, Jomari Angeles, and Ryan Sese.
With the tradition of highlighting Filipino movies on Philippine Independence Day on June 12, the festival will show two Filipino films featured at international film festivals in France: Lawrence Fajardo’s Imbisibol and Carl Joseph Papa’s Manang Biring.
The schedules and synopses of the 17 movies are available on www.frenchfilmfest.com, but here are some of the catchiest movies to watch out for (entrance is P100 each).
• La vie très privée de Monsieur Sim (The Very Private Life of Mr. Sim). Mr. Sim believes his life is boring and uneventful, so when he receives an unexpected offer to travel through France while selling toothbrushes, he takes it. Along the way he starts to rediscover himself, meet his first love, and catch up with childhood friends.
• Five. When an independent young man and his friends end up flat-broke, they resort to selling marijuana to pay their bills ‚ only to be caught up in the dangerous world of drugs.
• La Belle Saison (Summertime). The story of a love affair set in 1971 between a farmer’s daughter who comes to Paris in the hopes of becoming financially independent and a Parisian who’s involved in the beginnings of a feminist movement.
• Mon roi (My King). After a serious skiing accident, Tony finds herself dependent on the medical staff and pain relievers. As she journeys toward a physical healing, she looks back to her complicated relationship with Georgio.
• Un Homme Idéal (A Perfect Man). A frustrated writer who works for a moving company to make ends meet, steals the manuscript of an old man who recently died and pretends he wrote it. He becomes the hottest French author in town. Now everyone’s anticipating his second novel. -- Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman
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