The fourth annual French Film Festival -- an interdisciplinary event highlighting French and Francophone culture and featuring food (Pascal Pâtisserie & Café), music (Guys & Doll), and cinema -- starts on March 12 at Pierce College. with screenings of six movie selections representative of French culture and modern French cinematographic style.
Half of these movies have female directors and focus on the French-speaking world outside of France. Our first film, Aline, is a biopic about Céline Dion, the famous French-Canadian singer; our second film, Lingui, takes place in Tchad and centers on the challenges faced by women in a male-dominated Moslem society. Our third film, Slalom addresses the painful subject of sexual abuse in sports.
Our fourth selection The 400 Blows is a classic Truffaut film about child abuse. Our fifth film, Lost Illusions, is an adaptation of the famous Balzac novel. Finally, our sixth film, Gagarine, will be shown appropriately on our College's Multicultural Day (April 20) as this poetic, sensitive and beautifully photographed movie is set in a multi-ethnic immigrant suburb of Paris.
So that our attendees can fully experience French culture as they watch these films, we will serve French pastries on Opening Day, March 16, and a French dinner on the March 27 screening, as well as snacks and beverages at all other showings on March 20, 22 and 23 in the Great Hall.
The French Film Festival is a collaboration between Pierce's English, Communication, Physical Education, History, Art & Architecture and Music Departments, generously sponsored by the French Embassy (Albertine Cinémathèque & Face Foundation), Janus Films, Pascal Pâtisserie, and Pierce College's Student Services, its ASO and its French Club.
Professor Denis Pra puts the event together and can be reached at pradr@piercecollege.edu.