Category Archives: Film

Sands: International Film Festival of St Andrews reveals the films taking centre stage for its inaugural programme. From 25th-27th March 2022, filmmakers from around the world will gather in the historic University town, to not only showcase their work, but to engage directly with cinemagoers and the larger community in a range of supporting events, allContinue reading “St Andrews’ Own International Film Festival, Sands, Reveals Debut Programme”

In the opening scenes of this magnificently realised animation, the only movement is that of soft snowflakes over the still, bleak backdrops showing three grey bedraggled figures as they make their weary way across the snowy border from Spain to France. This opening style heralds the varied styles of animation that make up the film,Continue reading “Josep     French Film Festival”

Stephan Streker’s engrossing thriller (based, I understand, on a real life case from a few years back) captures the imagination from the start and keeps us guessing even as the final credits roll. A well-known politician, Louis Durieux (Jeremie Renier) wakes up in his hotel suite after a wild night out with his wife MaevaContinue reading “The Enemy (L’Ennemi) (15)            French Film Festival”

Middle aged and recently widowed, Margaux (Emmanuelle Beart) moves to France from Germany to enrol in a Masters programme while house-sharing with her half-sister. Although quiet and reserved, she is befriended by a group of her fellow students who coax her, in spite of her reluctance, to join them in a study group and inContinue reading “Margaux Hartmann (L’Etreinte) (15)         French Film Festival”

This year’s French Film Festival has provided a number of gems, and this charming film from director Bruno Podalydes is one of the most enjoyable yet. A tale of the attempts of two characters struggling to get to grips with a world of fast moving technology that regularly seems about to overwhelm them is anContinue reading “French Tech (Les 2 Alfred) (12)      French Film Festival”

The 2015 novel, Professions du père by Sorj Chalandon, is the inspiration for this latest film, whose French title is the same as the book’s, from director Jean-Pierre Améris. Evocatively shot in the city of Lyon in eye pleasing colours but with the authentic 40 watt bulb look in domestic scenes of the ‘60s eraContinue reading “My Father’s Stories   French Film Festival”

Laurent Tirard’s lightness of touch allied to his deft interpretation of Fabrice Caro’s novel turns what had all the makings of a potential disaster into an extremely witty triumph. A stream of consciousness delivery from the central character, who repeatedly brings the action to a halt while he breaks the fourth wall in order toContinue reading “The Speech (15)         French Film Festival”

This is the time of year when snowglobes, these glass spheres that, with the twist of the hand, a flick of the wrist, create a scene showered with snow making a magical miniature world, are on sale. Director and French independent filmmaker Yannik Ruault, who also appears in the film as Handy, has chosen theContinue reading “Snowglobes    French Film Festival”

The organisers of the French Film Festival UK are delighted to reveal an exciting new edition of the online programme under its fff@home umbrella, which will run from Friday 3 to Sunday 12 December. The nine days of online screenings are organised in collaboration with INDEE+. Programmers have curated an exciting selection of titles, including several UK premieres and a classicContinue reading “The 29th French Film Festival UK Adds Online Section”

Not just a tale of love and desire, but of first love, that so many of us experience as something that remains in the memory, however fleeting it may have been. Leyla Bouzid’s tender, sensitive film lingers in the memory, too. When Ahmed (Sami Outabali) meets Farah (Zbeida Belhajamor) in class in the Sorbonne theirContinue reading “A Tale of Love and Desire               French Film Festival”