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| Audience Favourites at the Festival |
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| An all-star cast dazzles in the spectacular and exhilarating new film by Xavier Giannoli, an adaptation of Balzac’s classic novel about a young idealist who learns that anything can be bought and sold.
1821. Handsome poet Lucien (Benjamin Voisin, in a star-making turn) is poor, but highly ambitious. Failing to make a name for himself in his provincial hometown, he naively follows his married patroness (a radiant Cécile de France) to the glamorous beau monde of Paris.
Epic in scope and impact, Lost Illusions is an eerily prescient fable bracingly attuned to the anxieties of the modern media age. This is grand French cinema at its most lavish, and finest. |
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| The legendary Daniel Auteuil gives one of his most superlative screen performances in the gripping new film from writer/director Fred Cavayé, based on the celebrated, multi–Molière Award-winning play.
Cavayé masterfully guides the viewer through the world of Vichy France, where lives are irrevocably shaped by the twin scourges of war and the black market. Rich in moral complexity and empathy, with several twists too good to spoil, this is one of the festival’s major highlights. It’s a must-see. |
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| The follow up movie to Louis-Julien Petit’s box-office hit Invisibles, The Kitchen Brigade explores the world of French gastronomy while also tackling issues of social justice and inclusion.
Cathy (Audrey Lamy) is a sous-chef, finally fulfilling her lifelong dream of opening her own high-end restaurant. Things do not go to plan. Facing serious financial difficulties, she reluctantly accepts a job in the cafeteria of a shelter for young migrants. |
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| Astonishingly, in all their years on screen, cinema icons Juliette Binoche and Vincent Lindon have never acted together. This anomaly is finally corrected with Fire, the explosive new romantic drama from celebrated auteur Claire Denis, a blazing story about a passionate, complicated woman caught between two very different men.
Packed with erotic frisson and a series of dramatic, emotionally-charged encounters, the superbly acted Fire delivers two powerhouse actors working at the very top of their game. |
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| The marvellous Laure Calamy (Antoinette in the Cévennes) stars in Eric Gavel’s gripping and award-winning new drama, as a single woman pushed to her limits when the delicate balance between her home and work life is upended.
Winning Best Actress and Best Director at the 78th Venice Film Festival for Laure Calamy and Eric Gravel respectively, Full Time harnesses our most mundane, everyday fears to create an enthralling film that will have audiences on the edge of their seats. |
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| With an all-star ensemble cast led by Gérard Depardieu and Liliane Rovère, The Villa joins the ranks of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Calendar Girls and The Intouchables, with its touching and oft-hilarious depiction of friendships formed against all odds.
An unlikely story of friendship between Milann (Kev Adams), a young man on parole, who is forced to work in a retirement home rather than going to jail, and a larger-than-life group of retired people who are reluctant to accept this new recruit. |
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| The fabulous Fanny Ardant, Melvil Poupaud and Cécile de France beguile in The Young Lovers, Carine Tardieu‘s eagerly anticipated follow up to Just to Be Sure, a modern and emotionally-nuanced romantic dramedy of a woman who embarks on a relationship with a much younger man, and the implications her choices have on those around her.
Capturing the thrill, guilt and vulnerability of December-May romances, The Young Lovers is a hugely moving call to arms to fully appreciate life, no matter society’s preconceptions. |
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| Tomorrow Night: It’s a Beautiful World |
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| The soaring score and epic landscape of The Velvet Queen are the backdrop to a broader question about the purpose of life.
Unlike typical documentaries which often feature detailed voiceover, this film asks audiences to sit in contemplation alongside the filmmaker as they explore an older, more intentional way of living. Amidst the elegant nature shots of Tibet’s wildlife, nature photographer Vincent Munier shares poetic reflections with his companion and French travel writer Sylvain Tesson.
These moments provide the viewer with a more intimate perspective on humanities impact on the planet. With its exquisite cinematography, The Velvet Queen is a meditative experience like no other.
Wednesday 23 March
Palace Central
6:00pm Reception includes drinks and nibbles upon arrival
6:30pm Film |
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