Festival spotlights French and Filipino films

THIS YEAR marks the 70th year of the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and the friendship between France and the Philippines. To celebrate these two milestones, the 22nd edition of the annual French Film Festival features films fresh from the Cannes. The festival, which runs from June 9 to 17, is headlined by Personal Shopper, starring Kristen Stewart.

Directed by Olivier Assayas, Personal Shopper casts Ms. Stewart as Maureen, personal shopper to celebrities. An American woman in Paris, she finds herself in the City of Love doing a job she hates. As she juggles shopping for clothes and accessories, she communicates with spirits, including her twin brother’s, Lewis. While the movie received cheers from critics, which had Mr. Assayas winning the Cannes’ Best Director last year, it also got some boos following a press screening, according to a report from Variety.

Mr. Assayas and Ms. Stewart have worked together in the 2014 film Clouds of Sils Maria, which earned the Twilight star a Cesar Award, making her the first American actress to win the prestigious French prize. The Cesar Award is France’s national film award.

But not only will the festival showcase 13 French movies on values, culture, and language, but it will also pay homage to Filipino films that have been selected at the Cannes Film Festival in the past years. On view on Independence Day, June 12, are films Ma’Rosa by Brilliante Mendoza ( Best Actress Award 2016); On the Job by Erik Matti ( Director’s Fortnight, 2013); Anino by Raymond Red ( Best Short Film, 2000); and Nakaw by Noel Escondo and Arvin Belarmino ( Short Film Corner, 2017).

All the films are on view at Greenbelt 3 Cinema at P100 per movie, and, for the first time, will also be available for an outdoor screening at Circuit Makati on June 17 and 18 for free admission.

According to the French Embassy, the annual festival gathers over 15,000 moviegoers every year. —