The 21st annual COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL is here, presenting nine days of premieres at the Directors Guild Theater in Hollywood. Some highlights from the first few days of the fest:
L’OPÉRA—a documentary about the Paris Opera directed by Jean-Stéphane Bron, and a worthy complement to Frederick Wiseman’s La Danse (2009)—screens Tuesday evening, April 25 at 5 pm.
Later that night, rustic farceur Bruno Dumont screens his new satire SLACK BAY / MA LOUTE. Tuesday, April 25 at 7:30 pm.
Lambert Wilson, Audrey Tautou, and Pierre Niney headline L’ODYSSÉE, a biopic of adventurer and filmmaker Jacques Cousteau. Directed by Jérôme Salle, L’ODYSSÉE screens on Wednesday night, April 26 at 8:30 pm. (Wilson will participate in a post-screening Q & A.)
Director Stéphane Brizé—known for contemporary dramas starring Vincent Lindon—takes on Guy de Maupassant in the trenchant period piece A WOMAN’S LIFE / UNE VIE, starring Judith Chemla, and screening Thursday evening, April 27 at 7:25 pm. (Brizé will attend.)
Also Thursday, Pierre Deladonchamps stars in A KID / LE FILS DE JEAN, an examination of paternity and identity directed by Philippe Lioret, who is in town for the festival.
POLINA—directed by Valérie Müller and choreographer Angelin Preljocaj—takes wing once its eponymous protagonist leaves the Bolshoi (and Moscow) for France. But the lessons learned at the dance academy in Aix are only the beginning of Polina’s European education.
Starring Mariinsky dancer Anastasia Shevtsova, Niels Schneider, dancer-choreographer Jérémie Bélingard, Preljocaj star Sergio Diaz, and Juliette Binoche (who has danced for Akram Khan), POLINA screens on Friday evening, April 28 at 5:45 pm.
Through May 2.
Directors Guild
7920 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood.
From top:
Scene from L’Opéra.
Judith Chelma in Un vie.
Pierre Deladonchamps and Gabriel Arcand in Le fils de Jean.
Anastasia Shevtsova in Polina.
Audrey Tautou in L’Odyssey.
