Get ready to paint the city blue, red and white as the Alliance Française French Festival (AFFF) 2023 returns to Melbourne with a program of contemporary French films that are magnifique.
Running from March 7-April 23, you can expect a suite of 39 French feature films, from box-office hits and timeless classics to infectious tales of hope and resilience, and to see legends such as Gérard Depardieu, Juliette Binoche and Laure Calamy up close and personal.
The anticipated 34th edition of the festival will be opened with Nicolas Bedos’ glamorous Masquerade, a French drama starring Pierre Niney, Isabella Adjani and Marine Vacth, which will transport cinemagoers to the Côte d’Azur in this sexy double-dealing thriller. Didier Barcelo’s road trip comedy Freestyle will close the festival, starring the rising star Benjamin Voisin and Marina Foïs.
Other must-see highlights from the 2023 festival include the Australian premiere of Two Tickets to Greece, starring Call my Agent’s Laure Calamy, Kirstin Scott Thomas and Oliva Côte as the three estranged friends who tentatively reunite for a trip to the Greek islands.
Also premiering for the first time is The Innocent, which holds the highest number of nominations for a single film at the upcoming 2023 César awards. The new comedy hit from Louis Garrel follows widowed marine biologist Abel (Louis Garrel) who learns that his impulsive mother Sylvie (Anouk Grinberg) is re-marrying an inmate she met while teaching theatre in prison.
Cédric Jimenez’s edge-of-your-seat dive into one of the most incredible manhunts in European history is also featured in the 2023 program. Led by an all-star cast, November’s powerful exploration of the lead investigators of the French anti-terrorism services after the 2015 Paris attacks led it to become one of the most successful French films of the year.
“2023 represents our most dynamic program to date,” said Karine Mauris, the Festival Artistic Director and Cultural Attachée to the French Embassy in Australia. “The hilarity of a meta-zombie comedy, suspenseful thrillers and historical dramas that will have you clinging to the edge of your seat, family-friendly flicks and of course, l’amour in all its forms!”
“With over 153,000 eager spectators in attendance last year alone, we’re looking forward to reaffirming our emphasis on discovering the latest and greatest French talent and bringing impactful storytelling to new audiences.”
Tickets are on sale from February 9, and you can review the full program of French films on the AF French Festival website.