OLLI hosts French Film Festival
The six-film event is made possible by the support of the American Association of Teachers of French, the Québec Delegation in Atlanta and the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and CulturesFrance. Admission per film is $1 for students and OLLI members; $3 for the general public. For more information and directions, call 843-349-6584.
Thursday, Feb. 24, 7 p.m. – "Deux de la Vague" ("Two in the Wave"), 2009: Directed by Emmanuel Laurent, the documentary tells the story of the friendship between François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. The French New Wave crashed onto international shores when François Truffaut’s debut feature, "The 400 Blows," triumphed at Cannes in 1959, followed in 1960 by Godard’s equally thrilling "Breathless," based on a Truffaut scenario. "Two in the Wave" poignantly melds revealing period footage of both men with scenes from some of their greatest films, newsreel clips, photos and newspaper clippings, as it moves inexorably toward their bitter fallout. Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival and Rotterdam International Film Festival.
Friday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m. – "Le Hérisson" ("The Hedgehog"), 2009: Directed and co-written by Mona Achache, based on Muriel Barbery’s bestseller "The Elegance of the Hedgehog." Set in an upscale Parisian apartment building, "The Hedgehog" casts an eye over the lives of three outsiders and their unexpected encounter: concierge Renée Michel, a frumpy, grumpy 54-year-old woman and two of the tenants, Paloma Josse, a precocious intelligent 11-year-old, and Mr. Kakuro, a quietly dignified Japanese businessman. The film captures the special blend of gravity and lightness that makes the novel so distinctive. Won Best Film and Best Director and Film Critics awards at the Cairo International Film Festival and Best Music Award at the Valladolid Film Festival.
Saturday, Feb. 26, 3 p.m. – "Le Petit Nicolas" ("Little Nicolas"), 2009: Directed and co-written by Laurent Tirard. Based on the illustrated books by Goscinny & Sempé, Tirard’s family comedy tells the story of Nicolas, a happy 8-year-old with loving parents and a group of friends with whom he has great fun. However, one day he overhears a conversation that leads him to believe that a baby brother is on the way, and his parents are going to abandon him in the woods like Tom Thumb. What follows is a crazy solution he and his friends dream up to avoid the worst he envisions. Nominated for Best Adaptation at the 2010 Césars Awards.
Saturday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m. – "Le Jour avant le lendemain" ("Before Tomorrow"), 2008: Directed by Marie-Hélène Cousineau and Madeline Ivalu, from the novel by Jorn Riel. Set in 1840 on the edge of the Arctic Circle. After the homecoming of the Inuktitut hunting party and the rejoicing and feast, a grandmother and grandson are dropped off on a remote island where every year the family dries the meat and fish and stores it for winter. As summer turns to fall, they wait in vain to be picked up, and finally return home on their own where they must face the ultimate challenge for survival. Stunning photography of the Arctic wilderness. Won Best Canadian First Feature at the Toronto Film Festival and nomination for Grand Jury Prize at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Also nine Canadian Genie Awards nominations and four Québec Jutra Awards.
Sunday, Feb. 27, 2:30 p.m. – "Sans Rancune" ("No Hard Feelings"), 2008: Directed and written by Yves Hanchar. Set in 1950s Belgium at a boarding school, the story follows 17-year-old Laurent Matagne, who suspects his French teacher, nicknamed Vapor, is his father who disappeared during an air raid in 1940. Vapor is eccentric, mysterious, disturbing, brilliant and shares his passion for literature so strongly that Matagne wants to become a writer. Matagne and his friend decide to launch an investigation and set a trap for Vapor as Matagne devises his first novel. Official Selection at 2009 Montreal World Film Festival, Chicago, and Miami Film Festivals, 2010 Vienna Film Festival.
Sunday, Feb. 27, 5 p.m. – "Capitaine Achab" ("Captain Ahab"), 2007: Directed and co-written by Philippe Ramos, inspired by Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick.” Ramos presents Ahab’s story in five vignettes. Each chapter is seen from a person close to Ahab: his father, his aunt Rose, the Reverend Mulligan, Anna, who he married, and Starbuck, who saw him the White Whale pull Ahab under. Won Best Director and International Film Critics Award at the 2007 Locarno Film Festival.