Cinéfranco, English Canada’s largest celebration of international Francophone cinema returns to The Royal Cinema in Toronto from Friday, March 28 to Sunday, April 6, for its 17th edition.
As for feature length films, I’ve taken a look through the program and have come up with a few suggestions for you.
Saturday, March 29 – 2:00pm
The Scar / La Cicatrice
Q&A with Dir. Jimmy Larouche & Prod. Patricia Diaz
A story about two men who grew up together in school. One was a bully; the other is now the bullied who bullies. The film is about more than bullying. It’s about the invisible scars that linger and can come to create trouble later in life. I’ve read some good stuff about this one, so I am curious about this film.
Saturday, March 29 – 6:30pm
Bright Days Ahead / Les Beaux Jours
Caroline, a dentist in her sixties, has just retired. So her daughters gave her a membership at the “Beaux jours” Senior Club. Here, Caroline meets a new lover but things get a little complicated as she questions her feelings for her ‘old husband’ as well.
Director Marion Vernoux moves away from the easy “cougar” clichés to prove that age is meaningless in matters of the heart and sexual attraction
Tuesday, April 1 – 8:30pm
Jo’s Neighborhood / Un P’tit Gars De Ménilmontant
Q&A with Dir. Alain Minier
After 15 years in prison, Jo returns to his former neighborhood – Ménilmontant, a collection of high rise estates on the gritty outskirts of Paris. It’s all completely changed; new gangs and new codes now rule this place. Jo finds it difficult to settle back into life on the outside, especially when he discovers that the woman he used to love is the mother of a 14 year old boy.
Wednesday, April 2 – 8:00pm
Asphalt Playground / La Cite Rose
Twelve-year old Aimé, nicknamed Machine Gun (Mitraillette), is a mischievous kid from a housing project outside Paris, where families live alongside criminals and mothers try to keep their kids out of trouble. This isn’t an easy place to grow up. infected by drug trafficking and violence. But Mitraillette wants to believe in a good life like his brother Djibril, a law student at the Sorbonne. He worries about his cousin Isma, now a watchman for Narcisse, the violent neighbourhood boss.
Openly inspired by the Brazilian film City of God, director Julien Abraham depicts these young people’s daily lives in all its human diversity with an enlightening energy and accuracy. I’ve seen City of God and thought it a good film; I’m now curious about La Cite Rose as well.
Saturday, April 5 – 1:30pm
Halal Butcher Shop / Boucherie Halal
Q&A with actor Said Benyoucef
Jamila and Hédi make a solid couple. In order to blend into Québec way of life, they open a halal butcher shop. Everything seems to smile at them until Hédi’s father comes to settle with them. Not only does he disapprove of Jamila and Hédi’s marriage, he also opens a small mosque in the back of the store to spread his fundamentalist messages.
These are my five choices at the moment. But the festival has many more films to enjoy. For further information on films and other details visit the festival’s website. Also, do note that all films at Cinéfranco are screened with English subtitles.
