Le French Film Festival returns with award-winning films and other activities
The range of events includes free movie screenings for kids, food workshops, live music performances
AFTER being away for two years because of the pandemic, the French Film Festival, or Le French Film Festival 2022 (LFFF22), returns this June and July with events showing off celebrated French films, Gallic gastronomy, live music and more.
This year’s 20th edition of the festival will reach over tens of thousands of people with events in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Baru and Kota Kinabalu.
This edition is presented by the Alliances Françaises in Kuala Lumpur and Penang and the Embassy of France in Malaysia, with the support of two main Gold Sponsors, Cartier and Martell, as well as Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC), who will be hosting all the film screenings.
The launch event this past Tuesday, held at GSC Cinemas Mid Valley Megamall, was attended by Roland Galharague, Ambassador of France to Malaysia who said, “Le French Festival is one of the most vibrant symbols of the solid relationship that has been built between France and Malaysia since 1957.”
LFFF22 will share 21 award-winning French films from a variety of genres with moviegoers this year. For children, for the first time, the festival will have an interactive programme for kids, ‘Le Petit Festival’, where they can enjoy eye-catching movies.
Online, the festival is teaming up with streaming platform Mubi, known for its curation of independent cinema from around the world, with a selection of 10 French movies with the theme ‘Bewitching Outsiders’.
Ranging from the Nouvelle Vague to contemporary cinema, Malaysians will be able to enjoy French arthouse movies, as well as a free 30-day trial.
The launch event included a screening of the 2019 film Proxima, starring Eva Green as a single mother who has to balance raising her daughter and training for a mission to the International Space Station, which will separate them for a year.
The high concept mixed with the understated and relatable drama highlight what French cinema is capable of.
The total list of events that Malaysians will be able to enjoy include:
The largest French Film Festival in Malaysia with 21 award-winning French films (with English subtitles), featuring the movie Aline, a hilarious and touching biopic on world-famous singer Céline Dion.
A brand new programme designed for kids with Le Petit Festival
‘Les Arts de la Table’, ‘Élans Radieux’ and ‘Le Corbusier’ – three exclusive arts exhibitions.
Gastronomy workshops.
La Fête de la musique – a whole night of music for all tastes with a joyful and upbeat atmosphere
‘Solstice Lunaire’ – a multi-sensorial concert, bringing together three countries: Malaysia, France and Columbia.
Electro Acoustic Latin Jazzy House Performance brought by No Black Tie – an energetic trio who will bring back to life old school jazz-funk disco.
Shedding light on the festival’s expectations this year, Asma Manssouri, cultural coordinator from Alliance Française of Kuala Lumpur, said: “We will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the festival with an inclusive and hands-on programme with activities for Malaysians of all ages.
“We are particularly excited to showcase how eclectic and unique French cinema still is nowadays.”
In Penang, LFFF will be partly organised in conjunction with the George Town Festival.
Priscille Lasémillante, director of Alliance Française of Penang elaborated: “After two years of absence, we are very happy to celebrate together this renewal of cultural life and to affirm our will to develop our collaborations with other local cultural institutions.”
source – The Vibes
