AF French Film Festival

The AF French Film Festival will once again entertain, enchant and enthral film lovers when it runs at Palace Barracks & Palace James St cinemas, March 14-Apr 14.

It’s the 30th year for the much-loved festival, which is known as the largest film festival in Australia and the leading French film festival outside of France. To commemorate the momentous occasion, Artistic Director, Philippe Platel, has selected a superlative line-up of 54 features and documentaries – the biggest in the Festival’s proud history.

Brisbane audiences this year will be treated to winners of the 2019 Cesar Awards - France’s equivalent to the Oscars, including “The Sisters Brothers,”  a Western starring Joaquin Phoenix, Jake Gyllenhaal and John C. Reilly, which won three awards at the prestigious ceremony including Best Director for Jacques Audiard. French actor-turned-director Gilles Lellouche’s “Sink or Swim” (Le Grand Bain) about a men’s synchronized swimming team received 10 Cesar Award nominations with Philippe Katerine winning Best Supporting Actor.

Other winners include Alex Lutz, who won Best Actor for his performance in “Guy,” (a film he also directed) about a man who discovers he is the son of an on-the-road French crooner, and heart-warming family film, “Dilili in Paris,” about a young girl’s fearless quest to investigate some mysterious kidnappings in Paris during the Belle Epoque, which won Best Animated Film.

All of these Cesar Award-winning films (and dozens more) will screen at the Alliance Française French Film Festival this year along with a selection of outstanding movies from Belgium, Canada and Switzerland via its “Across Borders” category including The Fall of the American Empire (La chute de l’empire Américain), a richly amusing comedy drama from renowned Canadian director Denys Arcand.

More highlights of this year's program from the French camp include Claire Denis’ mesmerising sci-fi drama, High Life, with a cast led by Juliette Binoche and Robert Pattinson; director Christophe Honoré’s Sorry Angel (Plaire, aimer, courir vite), an emotionally rich romance set in early 1990s France and, from the legendary Jean-Luc Godard, The Image Book (Le livre d’image) – a work of audio-visual poetry awarded the inaugural Special Palme d'Or at Cannes 2018. And for lovers of classic cinema, the Festival will be screening a restored version of Alain Resnais’ 1961 para-surrealist masterpiece, Last Year at Marienbad (L’année dernière à Marienbad).

In addition to the film screenings there will be four Special Events throughout the festival:

Opening Night Gala – Thursday 14 March, 6:15pm

Screening of The Trouble With You (En liberté) starring Audrey Tautou, followed by an after party featuring wine, canapes and complimentary gift bag

Love Wins! – Thursday 21 March, 6:15pm

Wine & canapés inspired by French Flavours, followed by a screening of the critically acclaimed drama, Sorry Angel (Plaire, aimer, courir vite)

Taste of France – Wednesday 27 March, 6:15pm

French wine and cheese followed by screening of the vinaceous documentary Wine Calling (Le vin se lève)

Closing Night – Sunday 14 April, 5pm

An indulgent afternoon soiree followed by the choral comedy Kiss & Tell (Voyez comme on danse)

AF French Film festival is a valued partner of Must Do Brisbane.com