The IFI French Film Festival, the IFI’s annual celebration of Gallic cinema and a key date in Dublin’s film calendar, is perfectly timed to restore Franco-Irish relations in the aftermath of the World Cup playoffs. This year’s programme is packed with sneak previews of major new releases, fantastic revivals and a host of new French films that won’t be shown anywhere else.
Launching the festival IFI Programmer Niall Macpherson said, ‘This year’s IFI French Film Festival aims, as ever, to provide the best of recent French cinema and this year’s programme is nothing if not wide-ranging in its content. From romantic melodramas to hip-hop animation, prison drama to slapstick comedies, intimate documentaries to drooling hordes of zombies, you’ll have plenty to choose from.’
The IFI is particularly delighted to have secured the festival’s Opening Film, Micmacs; a film so inventive, visually distinctive and utterly charming that it could only have come from Jean-Pierre Jeunet, director of Delicatessen and Amélie. This major upcoming release follows the comedy-satire story of Bazil in his madcap plans to take down two local arms dealers. The film won’t be in cinemas until early 2010 - so don’t miss this opportunity to get a sneak preview.
IFI audiences will also get a first look at the award-winning performance of Yolande Moreau (who you’ll also spot in Micmacs) in the incredible biopic Séraphine. This stunning portrayal of the rise and fall of the naïve painter Séraphine Louis won an astonishing seven César Awards in 2008 including Best Film and Best Actress.
For many the highlight of this year’s Cannes Film Festival was the winner of the Grand Prix - A Prophet directed by Jacques Audiard (The Beat My Heart Skipped). This stunning piece of filmmaking is, without doubt, the finest crime drama of the year featuring Tahar Rahim as Malik, an illiterate petty criminal rising up through the ranks of Corsican gangs in prison – a must see in this year’s festival.
Two special events confound preconceptions about French cinema; The Horde (presented in association with Horrorthon) is a cop movie that morphs in to a low-budget Zombie horror - a genre that is undergoing a renaissance in France, and Round Da Way is a streetwise animation that has been described as Beavis and Butthead meets La Haine and will be followed by a special French Hip-Hop Club Night in the IFI Bar.
The IFI will be taking a retrospective look at the work of comedy genius Jacques Tati, with a 70mm screening of PlayTime, a programme of short films, and restored version of Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, a fascinating new documentary looking at his life and career and a talk from UCD expert Laurent Marie. Another look at the work of an iconic French filmmaker is provided by the new documentary on an unfinished classic, Henri-George Clouzot’s Inferno.
If all this wasn’t enough we’ll also have Irish premieres of work from Claude Chabrol, André Téchiné, Christophe Honoré and Benoît Jacquot to name but a few. And if some of those names ring a few bells you’ll certainly be interested in the first ever French Film Quiz and the launch of the IFI French Film Club at the screening of Bellamy (featuring Gérard Depardieu) on the 23rd Nov. The club will see special screenings and events taking place throughout the year – so watch this space.
The Closing Film, Around a Small Mountain, by Jacques Rivette is a light, humourous and effecting story of Kate’s (Jane Birkin) return to her late father’s circus. The French New Wave is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and this screening is a wonderful opportunity to see the new work of Rivette; one of La Nouvelle Vague’s leading figures.
Full details of all 23 films in the IFI French Film Festival can be accessed in the special brochure available at the IFI or from our website at www.ifi.ie. A comprehensive listings calendar appears below.
Tickets are available from the IFI Box Office in person, by telephone on 01 679 3477 or online at www.ifi.ie
For further information, images and interview requests with our programmer Niall MacPherson, Laurent Marie and other special guests please contact Patrick Stewart at the IFI Press Office - Tel: (01) 612 9447 email: pstewart@irishfilm.ie
The IFI’s Principal Funder is the Arts Council

IFI FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL LISTINGS CALENDAR

Thursday 19th 18:30 OPENING FILM: MICMACS (Micmacs à tire-larigot)
Includes post-screening reception

Friday 20th 17:00 Tati Shorts
18:15 Séraphine
20:45 The French Kissers (Les Beaux gosses)

Saturday 21st 14:00 Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday (Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot)
16:30 Someone I Loved (Je l’aimais)
18:45 The French Kissers (Les Beaux gosses)
20:45 The Girl on the Train (La Fille du RER)

Sunday 22nd 14:00 PlayTime
16:30 Someone I Loved (Je l’aimais)
18:30 Bellamy
20:45 The Beautiful Person (La Belle personne)

Monday 23rd 18:15 The Girl on the Train (La Fille du RER)
20:30 Bellamy

Tuesday 24th 16:15 Bellamy
18:30 Henri-George Clouzot’s Inferno (L’Enfer d’Henri-Geoges Clouzot)
20:30 Regrets (Les Regrets)

Wednesday 25th 18:15 The Thorn in the Heart (L’Épine dans le coeur)
20:15 A Prophet (Un prophète)

Thursday 26th 16:15 Regrets (Les Regrets)
18:30 The Thorn in the Heart (L’Épine dans le coeur)
20:15 Please, Please Me! (Fais-moi plaisir!)
22:00 The Horde (La Horde)

Friday 27th 16:30 Please, Please Me! (Fais-moi plaisir!)
18:15 Hidden Diary (Mères et filles)
20:30 Round Da Way (Les Lascars)
22:00 French Hip-Hop Club Night

Saturday 28th 13:45 The Magnificent Tati
15:30 Sisters (Gamines)
17:45 Villa Amalia
19:45 Hidden Diary (Mères et filles)
21:45 Round Da Way (Les Lascars)

Sunday 29th 14:15 Sisters (Gamines)
16:30 Bluebeard (Barbe Bleue)
18:30 CLOSING FILM: Around a Small Mountain (36 vues du Pic Saint-Loup)
Includes post-screening reception
Tickets for the IFI French Film Festival are priced at €9, except for the opening and closing films which include a post-screening reception and cost €15 euro each. There are special package prices of €40 for 5 films and €70 for 11 films but each ticket purchased must be for a different film and the package excludes the opening and closing films.