Hey, you know our weekly screening spotlight? Well, were expanding it to include film festivals, because this city has so many of those that we figured the passionate programmers deserved their say as well. So heres a chance to learn a little more about that cinematic event youve been meaning to check out.
Marcelle Lean, founder and artistic director of Cinefranco. Shes been running it since launching its first edition in 1998, shepherding it through various venues (including the Cumberland Cinemas, Canada Square and The Royal) and devising its current three-part structure, which offers a youth festival in the winter, a Quebec spotlight series in the spring and the festival proper in the fall.
Cinefranco, a festival of French-language cinema at the Carlton Cinema Friday (October 5) through October 13. The festival aims to develop the mutual understanding and awareness of a common heritage rooted in the use of the French language, and the continuous fulfillment of historical and cultural values of francophone communities in minority settings, Lean says.
If its performed in French, its eligible for Cinefranco! This years festival opens with the Quebecois time-travel drama Origami (October 5, 7 pm) other features include a French Jazz Age caper comedy from actor/director Albert Dupontel (See You Up There, October 6, 7 pm), include a high-octane Belgian action movie (Above The Law, October 8, 1:30 pm), and a French period rom-com starring Jean Dujardin and Melanie Laurent set in the world of light opera (Return Of The Hero, October 13, 4:30 pm).
The atmosphere is friendly and warm, Lean says, with local co-presenters and topic specialists bonded by the same purpose: to celebrate Francophone talents and enrich the quality of Francophone cultural lives.
It is very hard for me to single out one title because most of the films in the selection represent my taste and my preference, Lean says. That said, I love Beauty And The Dogs (October 6, 11 am) for the style and messages expressed by Kaouther Ben Hania, Eric Zoncas Black Tide (October 13, 2 pm) for the masterful acting of Vincent Cassel and Sandrine Kiberlain and 1991 (October 13, 7 pm) by Ricardo Trogi, whos made me laugh with his humour in his trilogy.
Check out past NOW screening spotlights here.
movies@nowtoronto.com | @normwilner
