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June 26, 2015
'France Film Festival 2015': Bringing the 'now' of French cinema to Japan | MOVIE
MOVIE | Festival de Cannes Actress Emmanuelle Devos Heads the Event
The Annual "France Film Festival 2015" Kicks Off, Showcasing Contemporary French Cinema
The "France Film Festival 2015," a vibrant celebration of the latest in French cinema, has once again opened its doors. From Friday, June 26th to Monday, June 29th, audiences can enjoy screenings of 12 films alongside a variety of special events. Many filmmakers from France will also be visiting Japan for the occasion.
Text by YANAKA Tomomi
Read our exclusive interview with the organizers of the "France Film Festival 2015" here
"Timbuktu" (tentative title), a César Award-winning film, to be Screened Before General Release
The "France Film Festival 2015" offers an early glimpse of French films slated for release in Japan this year, as well as those that won't be shown. This annual celebration of contemporary French cinema arrives in Japan, bringing the essence of "today's France" directly to audiences.
This year's festival director, a symbol of the distinguished guests from France, is Emmanuelle Devos, an acclaimed actress nominated five times and a two-time winner of the César Award for Best Actress. She will be visiting Japan to present "Violette" (original title), a film where she portrays a real-life female writer who caused a stir in the Parisian literary scene.
The opening film will be "La Famille Bélier" directed by Éric Lartigau, scheduled for a nationwide release in late October. Much like "The Intouchables," which was screened at a previous France Film Festival and became a major hit in Japan, this film promises to be a heartwarming story that will make you laugh and cry, arriving soon.
"Timbuktu" (tentative title), a moving drama depicting the struggles and resilience of a father and daughter devoted to music, which garnered seven awards at this year's César Awards including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, will also be screened in advance of its general release. Director Abderrahmane Sissako will be in attendance, sharing insights into the film's creation during a talk session at the Institut Français Tokyo on Saturday, June 27th.
Additionally, "Eden," a film chronicling the beginnings of the French house music movement that swept through the late 1990s and 2000s, will be screened, along witha music event titled "FRENCH TOUCH" hosted by DJ Sven Love, who penned the screenplay. The event will take place on Saturday, June 27th, starting at 10:00 PM at "Le Baron de Paris Tokyo" in Minami-Aoyama..
Throughout the festival, various other events will be held. Director Olivier Assayas, whose film "Clouds of Sils Maria" (original title) is also being screened, will give a special lecture. As part of a special related program, the Institut Français Tokyo will host a screening series titled "All the Boys and Girls of Their Time," featuring French and Japanese films that explore the lives of adolescents, including Shinji Sōmai's "Typhoon Club" and Jean Eustache's "My Little Loves."
This year, the "France Film Festival 2015" will be held not only in Tokyo but also in Osaka, Kyoto, and Fukuoka. Why not immerse yourself in the world of French cinema this weekend?
France Film Festival 2015
Dates | Friday, June 26 - Monday, June 29
Venue | Yurakucho Asahi Hall, TOHO CINEMAS Nihonbashi (late shows only)
2-5-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
http://unifrance.jp/festival/2015/
Opening Film: "La Famille Bélier"
Screening Time | Friday, June 26, 5:20 PM
Screening Venue | Yurakucho Asahi Hall
Director | Éric Lartigau
Starring | Louane Emera, Karin Viard, François Damie
2014 / France / 105 min
"Serial (Bad) Weddings"
Screening Time | Friday, June 26, 9:15 PM
Screening Venue | TOHO CINEMAS Nihonbashi
Director | Philippe de Chauveron
Starring | Christian Clavier, Chantal Lauby
2013 / France / 97 min
"Gemma Bovery"
Screening Time | Saturday, June 27, 10:30 AM
Screening Venue | Yurakucho Asahi Hall
Director | Anne Fontaine
Starring | Fabrice Luchini, Gemma Arterton, Jason Flemyng
2014 / France / 99 min
"The New Girlfriend"
Screening Time | Saturday, June 27, 2:00 PM
Screening Venue | Yurakucho Asahi Hall
Director | François Ozon
Starring | Romain Duris, Anaïs Demoustier, Raphaël Personnaz
2014 / France / 107 min
"Eden"
Screening Time | Saturday, June 27, 5:30 PM
Screening Venue | Yurakucho Asahi Hall
Director | Mia Hansen-Løve
Starring | Félix de Givry
2014 / France / 131 min
"The Blue Room"
Screening Time | Saturday, June 27, 9:15 PM
Screening Venue | TOHO CINEMAS Nihonbashi
Director | Mathieu Amalric
Starring | Léa Seydoux, Mélanie Laurent
2014 / France / 97 min
"Clouds of Sils Maria"
Screening Time | Sunday, June 28, 10:00 AM
Screening Venue | Yurakucho Asahi Hall
Director | Olivier Assayas
Starring | Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, Chloë Grace Moretz
2014 / France, Switzerland, Germany, USA, Belgium / 124 min
"Violette"
Screening Time | Sunday, June 28, 1:50 PM
Screening Venue | Yurakucho Asahi Hall
Director | Martin Provost
Starring | Emmanuelle Devos, Sandrine Kiberlain, Olivier Gourmet
2013 / France / 139 min
"Timbuktu"
Screening Time | Sunday, June 28, 5:50 PM
Screening Venue | Yurakucho Asahi Hall
Director | Abderrahmane Sissako
Starring | Ibrahim Ahmed Aka Pino, Toulou Kiki, Abel Jafri
2014 / France, Mauritania / 97 min
"The Earrings of Madame de..." *Classic Film, Digital Remastered Version, DCP
Screening Time | Monday, June 29, 10:45 AM
Screening Venue | Yurakucho Asahi Hall
Director | Max Ophüls
Starring | Danielle Darrieux, Charles Boyer, Vittorio De Sica
1953 / France / 95 min
"The Salt of the Earth" *Documentary
Screening Time | Monday, June 29, 1:30 PM
Screening Venue | Yurakucho Asahi Hall
Director | Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado
Starring | Sebastião Salgado
2014 / France, Brazil, Italy / 110 min
"The Connection"
Screening Time | Monday, June 29, 5:00 PM
Screening Venue | Yurakucho Asahi Hall
Director | Cédric Jimenez
Starring | Jean Dujardin, Gilles Lellouche, Cécile de France
2014 / France / 115 min