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Citi-Rustan’s French Film Festival

The Embassy of France to the Philippines and the Alliance Française de Manille, as part of the French cultural program, Francophil, are proud to present the 17th edition of the French Film Festival. While the French invented cinema when the Lumière brothers held the first public screening using the cinématographe in 1895, contemporary French films continue to entertain, inspire, amaze, and provoke audiences all over the world with stories of human interest that tackle a wide range of relevant social issues. Perhaps the most outstanding film in the world this year is Michel Hazanavicius’ “The Artist,” which pays tribute to the beginnings of cinema as both an art of telling stories through moving pictures and an industry producing economic products affected by market trends and management strategies. After receiving hundreds of awards in international festivals and recently winning five Oscars, including Best Motion Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Jean Dujardin, “The Artist” will open this year’s festival.

One of France’s most respected directors, Olivier Assayas, will honor the festival with his presence to accompany a selection of his films, a retrospective compiled by the Institut Français, an agency of the French Ministry of Culture. The UP Film Institute and the Cultural Center of the Philippines will provide an opportunity for Mr. Assayas to share his passion for cinema by providing a venue for him to interact with Filipino film directors and students upon his arrival in Manila.


French Director Olivier Assayas will be coming to Manila to interact with Filipino film directors and students

Meanwhile, through the efforts of the Institut Français and the Philippine distributor, Pioneer films, a selection of contemporary French films will be shown to the loyal and growing audience of French cinematography in the country.

Moreover, the festival provides an opportunity to highlight cooperation between France and the Philippines through cinema. Traditionally, on Independence Day, the festival pays tribute to Philippine cinema by screening Filipino films that have been shown in festivals in France, or whose directors have participated in French workshops or seminars. Among the films to be shown this year are “Busong” by Auraeus Solito (Directors’ Fortnight, Cannes 2011), “Manila” by Raya Martin and Adolfo Alix, Jr. (Official Selection, Cannes Film Festival 2009), “Bakal Boys” by Ralstom Jover (participant in the Cinéfondation Atelier, Cannes Film Festival 2012) and the short films “Little” and “Au Revoir Philippe” by Sigrid Bernardo (One Country One Film Festival, Apchat).

The Festival will also have the privilege of screening Brillante Mendoza’s “Captive,” a Franco-German-Filipino co-production, starring French actress Isabelle Huppert. This sneak preview, organized in cooperation with Star Cinema, will be by-invitation only.

Meanwhile, the partnership between the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and the French Embassy through the Film Cultural Exchange Program goes beyond facilitating the screening of French films in the Philippines for the appreciation of the Filipino viewers. Co-operation between the FDCP and the CNC (Centre National du Cinéma et de l’image animée) provides French expertise on archiving techniques that will benefit the Philippine National Film Archives. While two Filipino archivists have been sent to Paris for initial training in 2011, some reels in various stages of deterioration have been brought to France for possible treatment. A reel which has been meticulously cleaned and restored will be handed over to the FDCP during the festival.

The French Film Festival will be held in Manila from June 8 to 17 at the Shang Cineplex of the Shangri-La Plaza, the home of international film festivals. The heightened prestige of the Festival is made possible through the support and sponsorship of Citibank and Rustan’s, hence, the branding “Citi-Rustan’s French Film Festival.”

The Citi-Rustan’s French Film Festival will proceed to Cebu from June 21 to 23 at the Ayala Center in Cebu, in cooperation with the Alliance Française de Cebu.

The Festival is supported by Shangri-La Plaza, Citibank, Rustan’s, Total, Air France-KLM, Pernod Ricard Philippines, Mandarin Oriental Manila, Pioneer Films, Le Cellier Wines, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the UP Film Institute, and the official media partners Business World, High Life, Travel, Radio High 105.9 and, last but not the least, Spot.ph, where the festival schedule will be posted.

See below the schedule of films: