French Film Festival 2024 brings Feminist Cinema to Manila
For the first time in its history, the French Film Festival will feature Feminist Cinema in a cross-cultural perspective between France and the Philippines, with a selection of films by the new generation of both French and Filipina women directors.
France is an advocate of gender equality in international forums and wants this to be taken into account in all issues, including cinema, which has the power to influence culture. With this, the French government delivers this commitment through its feminist diplomacy, initiated in 2018.
The Embassy of France to the Philippines, in partnership with SM Supermalls and SM Cinema, stages the 27th edition of the French Film Festival from November 22 to 29. A selection of 14 French feature films will be shown at the SM Aura Premier and SM City North EDSA, showcasing recent and heritage French films and offering a platform for promoting French culture, as well as cultural diversity. Special screenings will also be held at the Alliance Française de Manille, University of the Philippine Film Institute, and De La Salle College of Saint Benilde.
This year, the festival’s “godmother” will be Filipina director Sigrid Bernardo, who will open the event with a roundtable discussion on November 22 on the status of women through cinema. A special screening of Bernardo’s short film “May at Nila”, a love story between two Filipino women during the Japanese Occupation, will be held prior to the roundtable discussion.
A special guest – French director Noémie Lefort – has been invited to the Philippines for the occasion. She will present her movie “My Heroin” about her own story, that of a young girl who dreams of directing a film in Hollywood. She will take part in a roundtable discussion at SM North – The Block on November 26 on the place of women in cinema, both in front of and behind the camera, alongside prominent women involved in the Philippine film industry. She will also give a masterclass on film directing to the film students in the University of the Philippines.
On November 25, on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, a screening of the film “Annie Colère” (Angry Annie) will be held at the UP Film Institute followed by a debate with civil society organizations and feminist movements.
The 27th French Film Festival – Feminist! is organized by the Embassy of France, Alliance Française de Manille, Institut Français, Film Development Council of the Philippines, SM Supermalls, and SM Cinema.
Film selection
1. Prodigies (Prodigieuses) by Frédéric & Valentin Potier, 2024
2. A Tale of Love and Desire (Une Histoire d’Amour et de Désir), by Leyla Bouzid, 2020
3. Spring Blossom (Seize printemps) by Suzanne Lindon, 2020
4. Skies of Lebanon (Sous le Ciel d’Alice) by Chloé Mazlo 2020
5. No Fucks Given (Rien à foutre) by Julie Lecoustre and Emmanuelle Marre, 2022
6. The Blank Page (La page blanche), by Murielle Magellan, 2022
7. Hard shell soft shell (Fragile) by Emma Benestan, 2021
8. The Rapture (Le Ravissement) de Iris Kaltenbak, 2023
9. Angry Annie (Annie Colère) Blandine Lenoir, 2021
10. Marinette by Virginie Verrier, 2023*
11. Slalom by Charlène Favier 2020
12. My Heroine (Mon Héroïne) by Noémie Lefort, 2022
13. The Count of Montecristo (Le Comte de Montecristo) by Matthieu Delaporte & Alexandre De La Patellière, 2024
14. The Balconettes (Les Femmes au Balcon) by Noémie Merlant, 2024
15. When Fall is Coming (Quand Vient l’Automne) François Ozon, 2024
