Equity, escapism and effervescence are defining themes of the 2023 Alliance Française French Film Festival, which runs until April 5 at Melbourne’s iconic Astor Theatre in St Kilda.
Masquerade (Mascarade) kicked off the festival on International Women's Day earlier this month, with strong characters befitting the themes, according to festival Artistic Director Karine Mauris.
“We need escapism, we need effervescence, we need to push the limits,” Ms Mauris said.
Ms Mauris’s role as cultural attaché of the French Embassy entails presenting and sharing French culture in Australia. In her third year as Artistic Director for the French Film Festival, she described it as the role of her life.
“When you are in charge of the festival it is not only a challenge to share but also a challenge to bring people back to the theatre,” Ms Mauris said.
“We are very lucky in Australia because people are very curious…we’ve got a beautiful audience.”
Ms Mauris’s recommendations for students range from comedies to drama: from zombie comedy Final Cut to contemporary thriller November, to feminist history themed Annie’s Fire.
She said that in Final Cut, which was the opening film for the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, “you don’t know where you’re going and you love it – it’s hilarious”.
She hoped to boost the film community in Melbourne – like she saw happen at Cannes.
“There are movies I saw [at] Cannes [Film Festival], and the reaction of the people is so amazing, that you are a community. We need this link of community.”
Yet Ms Mauris points out that the cinema is not only entertainment.
“It’s something that can help you to understand the past, and when you understand the past you understand your present, and you can control your future,” she said.
Meanwhile, a returning ambassador for the French Film Festival, renowned Australian actor David Wenham, found he gravitated towards the comedies in this year’s line-up.
“We’ve gone through an interesting time over the past few years and I think we need a little bit of a lightness in our lives,” Mr Wenham said.
Of the large selection of films, he recommended three for student audiences: Final Cut as well as action-packed Jack Mimoun and the Secrets of Val Verde and humorous Smoking Causes Coughing.
“If people love cinema…you can go to France without having to leave Melbourne,” Mr Wenham said.
“You can travel and revel in that country, both visually and culturally, and see what a different culture can give the world.”
The festival remains the biggest global celebration of French cinema outside of France, with 39 films across various genres showing at seven cinemas in Melbourne.
The festival is running until the 5th of April, you can find the full programme here.