What to Watch for the At Home Edition of the French Film Festival UK 2020
For the first time in the history of the French Film Festival there will be, in 2020, a dedicated virtual platform for screening films. These films can be viewed within the At Home programme for the 28th Edition of the French Film Festival in addition to the in person screenings, where permitted in accordance with any national restrictions for the pandemic.
This online edition will be available to access from 27 November – 4 December 2020 at the French Film Festival’s website. To participate in this online segment of the festival, there are three types of festival passes that are available to purchase. One pass will enable its purchaser to watch two films, another permits access to three films and there is also the festival pass providing access to the full content across the festival.
The online film programme contains seven features being: How to Be a Good Wife, The Dazzled, Felicità, Honey Cigar, Just Kids, Under the Stars of Paris and Into Dad’s Woods. The films will be accessible via the online platform to view for 24 hours after the initial screening date.
The opening night film will be How to Be a Good Wife (La Bonne Épouse) starring Juliette Binoche and many of the film screenings will include a recorded introduction and a Q&A session thereafter. All that remains is to choose the snacks and drinks to settle in comfortably watching the films at home.
It may be difficult to know where to start with the online programme and so here are a few highlights to assist:
How to Be a Good Wife (La Bonne Épouse)
As the opening night film, this comedy set in 1960s France tells the tale of a husband and wife operating a French type of finishing school for young ladies during the times of women’s liberation and the protests. Everything starts to go awry following the death of Paulette’s (Juliette Binoche) husband.
The Dazzled
An insight into life within a Catholic community where religious sensitivity is explored following a joke that is made. What ensues is a struggle for liberty against the constraints of such religious regime. The Dazzled is the directorial debut for Sarah Suco.
Honey Cigar
This is director Kamir Aïnouz’s debut feature film set in Paris with a 17 year old protagonist in 1993. The film depicts conflicts between home life culture and society in a coming of age narrative.
Under the Stars of Paris
An 8 year old boy separated from his mother from Burkina Faso, forges a tender relationship with Catherine Frot’s character as they navigate their way through the various types of Parisian sub-cultures along a journey to locate his mother.
The French Film Festival At Home programme and passes can be accessed here.
