Alliance Française French Film Festival 2013

Haute Cuisine (Opening Night)

Hortense Laborie (Catherine Frot) gets her world turned upside down after being appointed personal chef to the President (Jean D’Ormesson). This is a light comedy of distinctly French manners and deliciously French food.

Children of Paradise (Closing Night)

A true epic of the French cinema, closing night film Children of Paradise is a loving portrait of the theatre world of 1830s Paris. The 1946 classic will be screened in a new print painstakingly restored from the original negatives.

Another Woman’s Life

Ever wanted to wake up older, wiser and smarter? Oscar-winner Juliet Binoche stars as Marie, who wakes up after a night of passion with Paul (Mathieu Kassovitz) to find ten years have passed.

A Lady in Paris

This is a story of friendship between a young Estonian émigré (Laine Mägi) who becomes a carer for elderly Parisian Frida – played by legend of the silver screen, Jeanne Moreau. Sparks fly and personalities clash in this ultimately moving film.

Renoir

In 1915, painter Auguste Renoir (Michel Bouquet) is in a slump – old, decrepit, sad – until the ethereal beauty Andrée (Christa Theret) enters his life. Then his son – and future filmmaker – Jean (Vincent Rottiers) returns from war and despite his father’s pleas, falls for the young muse.

Thérèse Desqueyroux

In Claude Miller’s final film, free spirit Thérèse (Audrey Tautou) cannot handle life under the chauvinistic thumb of husband Bernard Desqueyroux (Gilles Lellouche). Her freedom becomes ever closer after she discovers that increasing Bernard’s medicine dose makes him unwell.

After May

A nostalgic and passionate portrait of a young artist’s (Clément Métayer) dalliance with sex, love and socialism in the wake of France’s 1968 student protests. This semi-autobiographical film comes courtesy of acclaimed director Olivier Assayas.

Camille Rewinds

This whimsical comedy asks – like the Coppola film Peggy Sue Got Married – what would happen if we could go back in time? What would we do differently? Noémie Lvovsky directs, co-writes and stars.

Farewell My Queen

This exquisite historical drama is set in the upheaval following the French Revolution. Director Benoit Jacquot’s period piece features intricate characters and wonderful attention to detail and stars Diane Kruger as Marie-Antoinette.

Asterix and Obelix in Britain

Here’s one to take the kids to. Everyone’s favourite Gauls (Gérard Depardieu and Edouard Baer) are employed by the Queen of Londinium (Catherine Deneuve) to protect the British Isles from a Roman invasion.