By Jessica Godart
You may have missed Cannes, but the best of French cinema is heading to Fairfax.
UniFrance Films brings France to the U.S. through some of the country’s most recent popular films. The organization’s first French Film Festival will be held June 2-5 in nine cities around the U.S., including at Fairfax’s Angelika Mosaic Theaters.
UniFrance promotes French cinema worldwide and plans to hold mini festivals on a quarterly basis for French films that have yet to find an American distributor.
The theaters will be showing up to three films a night, alternating which ones will be shown throughout the five days.
Abeline Monzier, U.S. representative for UniFrance Films, said the event was created specifically for the U.S. While 50-60 French films are run in the U.S. every year, Monzier said that there are over 250 in France.
“(There are) definitely room for more French films,” she said.
Jappeloup
After throwing away his promising legal career, Pierre throws himself into his passion: showjumping. Gambling everything he has on a horse with no chance of winning, Jappeloup, Pierre coaches and improves his abilities until the two build a relationship that takes them further than they had ever dreamed possible.
It Boy (20 ans d’écart)
Up for a promotion, 38-year-old Alice is keeping herself on a straight path to become Editor-in-Chief of her paper. After a mistake leads her current editor to believe she’s in a relationship with a boy 20 years her senior, management is intrigued and love the relationship. In order to keep herself in line for the position, Alice must go along with her fake relationship – but not with great outcomes.
Little Lion (Comme un Lion)
With a soccer dream close on the horizon, Mitri believes everything is coming together for him at 15. But when it all begins to fall apart in Paris, just when his dream is so close, Mitri feels too ashamed to go back to the home he once knew. On his own and penniless, he works to make his dream of playing professional soccer a reality again.
A Monkey on my Shoulder (À Coeur Ouvert)
The perfect marriage and perfect jobs was supposed to be enough for Mila and Javier after 10 years. They loved their heart surgeon jobs, they were crazy in love, what more could there be? But when Mila becomes pregnant, the relationship becomes off-balanced and Javier turns to drinking. Two people madly in love suddenly become strangers.
Tour de Force
When his obsession with the Tour de France drives away his wife and family, François decides to ride the tour himself, timing himself one day ahead of the race. As crowds gather for him and he overcomes obstacles he never imagined on his ride, François begins to realize what is really important in his life – the only obstacle now is, can he get it?
Under the Rainbow (Au Bout du Conte)
Happily ever after never really starts that way for princesses and Laura is no exception. Looking for her Prince Charming at 24, Laura wonders which prince will be her charming. Following each character into their own world, the movie is an entertaining comedy with a cast that makes it so.
French Film Festival
Angelika Mosaic Theaters
2911 District Ave
Fairfax, VA 22031
June 2-5
Times and tickets can be seen here
You can also check SWAG to see what French-inspired ensembles to wear to the festival.