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Vive La France

Fancy spending the weekend enjoying the Parisian life right here in Singapore? Start by attending the French Film Festival, which kicked off on Thursday (Nov 10) and runs till Nov 20. Organised by Institut Francais Singapour and the French Embassy, the festival offers a slew of French films, from fascinating cult classics to the latest box-office hits.

The French Film Festival kicked off on Thursday (Nov 10) and runs till Nov 20. Photo: French Film Festival/Facebook

The French Film Festival kicked off on Thursday (Nov 10) and runs till Nov 20. Photo: French Film Festival/Facebook

Fancy spending the weekend enjoying the Parisian life right here in Singapore? Start by attending the French Film Festival, which kicked off on Thursday (Nov 10) and runs till Nov 20. Organised by Institut Francais Singapour and the French Embassy, the festival offers a slew of French films, from fascinating cult classics to the latest box-office hits.

In an effort to engage a Singapore audience increasingly interested in French films and culture, festival director Laurence Lochu shared: “This year, we have prominent local film maker, Eric Khoo, coming on board as a Festival Ambassador to share her film recommendations for the festival. We are also working with new partners such as independent cinema The Projector and ArtScience Museum to present shows.”

Khoo has admitted to being an unabashed Francophile himself, pointing out that culturally, the French have a huge appreciation for world cinema. He is among the growing number of French film-lovers here who have lapped up such cinematic offerings. While Lochu declined to reveal audience-growth figures for the 32-year-old event, which was previously known as Rendevouz with French Cinema, she said the audience here has been very receptive. “Last year, we welcomed 6,000 attendees. This is an indication of the positive response from the local audience towards French films,” she added. “Hence this year, we are looking forward to welcoming 8,000 film enthusiasts to our festival.”

In fact, French film screenings are some of the best-attended among foreign film screenings at The Projector, the local independent cinema at the historic Golden Theatre at Golden Mile Tower. Based on strong audience response, The Projector has increased the annual number of French films this year by 75 per cent outside of the festival, and will be screening even more French films next year. “In my opinion, French cinema offers an easy means to access, and a chance to experience, French culture for a few hours,” Gavin Low, spokesperson for The Projector, observed. “Its films contrast well with those produced within Europe, as well as those from the rest of the world, and whose storytelling is accessible albeit in a foreign language that evokes romance, liberty, and humanity.”

One big fan of French movies is Munirah Bashir. “French films deal with realities of life, adding humour into everyday situations, and you feel sad when the film ends so you keep finding more French films to watch!” said the 25-year-old research assistant, who enjoys watching French films with her family.

For her, watching French films is refreshing because the French are open about sensitive issues and stereotypes of particular groups. “They may exaggerate them, but they are laid out there for you instead of being swept under the carpet because they could potentially be offensive.”

The most recent French film she watched was Bienvenue Chex Le Ch’tis (Welcome to the Sticks), which follows a French public servant from Provence who is banished to the far North and forced to confront his prejudices against the cold and inhospitable place. This was the film that opened the 2008 Rendevouz with French Cinema.

Another fan, Charmaine Hon, explains that French films are thought-provoking. “They make you think about life,” quipped the 25-year-old teacher.

That said, how about immersing yourself in one this weekend?

We have some recommendations on how you can get started, courtesy of maestro Khoo himself.

WHAT TO WATCH AT THE FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL

Khoo said French cinema has always inspired him. “Just look at the French New Wave — the whole spirit of independent cinema essentially arose when film critics and cinephiles wanted to make films in a different way from the studios, to have a new form of cinematic expression. And this movement included auteur film directors like Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard, who started making films not based on the usual formula and breaking the rules with new techniques such as jump cuts, alternative storytelling with shoestring budgets,” he explained. “These fresh individualistic works from the 1950s to 1960s inspired directors like Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Francis Ford Coppola and Steven Spielberg.”

Here are Khoo’s recommended films from the French Film Festival:

1. STANDING TALL 
(La tete haute)

Directed by Emmanuelle Bercot and starring Rod Paradot, Catherine Deneuve, Benoit Magimel and Sarah Forestier, this film is about a juvenile judge and a special educator who are convinced that they can save young delinquent Malony from himself and his violent ways. The film follows this struggle for more than 10 years as they tirelessly try to rescue him and help him build his life.

Khoo describes the performance of Paradot as Malony as a “sensitive and brilliant performance by a young actor”. Also, anyone who is a great admirer of French actress Deneuve should watch this film.

2. HOTHEAD (Coup de tete)

Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, it stars Patrick Dewaere, France Dougnac and Dorothee Jemma. In Hothead, Francois Perrin is a right-winger in the football team of the small town of Trincamp. Unfortunately, he has a really bad temper. The Club’s president is also the owner of the factory he works in and on top of that, Perrin is accused of a rape he did not commit. However, the club must play during the French Football Cup and needs Perrin to win it more than ever.

Khoo recommends the film highly, describing it as “a hilarious comedy from the 1970s with a lot of rebellious temper!”

3. COWBOYS (Les cowboys)

Directed by Thomas Bidegain and starring actors Francois Damiens and Finnegan Oldfield, it is set in a prairie town east of France on a particularly uneventful day when a young girl suddenly disappears from her family. The family falls apart as her father Alain embarks on a relentless search for his daughter, even if it costs him everything and takes him to far-off places.

According to Khoo, this movie is “a bit of a slow burner, but it eventually gets under your skin. It is a strong and relevant work”.

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