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Festival Schedule and Program

en français | time schedule | feature films | short films | program [PDF]

2008 Festival Short Films (March 28-30)


Deweneti

Friday night before the feature film Ulzhan, the VCU French Film Festival presents Deweneti

director Dyana Gaye screenwriter Rémi Mazet producer Andolfi Productions starring Abasse Ba, Oumar Seck, Nianga Diop, Moustapha Gaye running time 16 min

Synopsis

Dakar, Senegal. Ousmane, not yet 7 years old but already earning his living by begging in the center of the capital city, gets it into his head to write to Santa Claus. Read more


L’Evasion

French directors Gilles Cuvelier and Gabriel Jacquel present the North American premiere of L’Evasion

directors Arnaud Demuynck, Gilles Cuvelier, Gabriel Jacquel screenwriter Arnaud Demuynck producer Les Films du nord running time 10 min

Synopsis

A man is in prison. His cellmate is tortured to death. When his jailers come for him, he manages to escape within the building, a desperate act because the jail is a labyrinth. But he eludes his captors until he ends up on the roof of the building. From a high watchtower, a soldier has a bead on him. There he expresses before them the full extent of his freedom. Read more


Manon sur le bitume

French directors Élizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont present Manon sur le bitume

directors/screenwriters Élizabeth Marre, Olivier Pont producer La Luna Productions starring Élizabeth Marre running time 15 min

Synopsis

Manon’s dress is on the asphalt, the wheel of her bicycle spins in midair. While everyone is bustling around her, Manon’s thoughts wander. Seems like it’s easy to die in the springtime. Read more


Heureux qui comme Edouard

French directors Vincent Burgevin and Franck Lebon present the North American premiere of Heureux qui comme Edouard

directors/screenwriters Vincent Burgevin, Franck Lebon producer Philippe Braunstein (Les Films d’Avalon) starring Boris Vigneron, Jérôme Bruno, Patrick de Valette, Jennifer Colin, Patrick Vendeville, Denis Hubleur running time 21 min

Synopsis

Edward is an ambitious young businessman hired by the multinational Croesus Inc., a modern temple for profit. He will boost growth at any price and train an absurd chorus of unions, investors and executives for the meteoric rise of the free market. Read more


Pour quelques minutes de plus

French director Matthieu-David Cournot presents the North American premiere of Pour quelques minutes de plus

director/screenwriter Matthieu-David Cournot production Caïmans Productions starring François Cognard, Jean-Pierre Andréani running time 8:30 min

Synopsis

In his office, Charles Penêt is getting impatient. He has convened one of the company’s oldest employees to inform him of his dismissal.

But the task is more arduous than he’d anticipated.

A duel will begin between the two men.

Read more


Premier Voyage

French sculptor and animator Mikaël Fenneteaux presents Premier voyage

director Grégoire Sivan screenwriters Grégoire Sivan, Noémie de Lapparent, Frédéric Chansel sculpture and animation Mikaël Fenneteaux and Two Left Hands producer Caïmans Productions running time 9:30 min

Synopsis

Chloé begins her 293rd day on earth. Her father begins his 10,935th. But today they’ll have their first real father-daughter chat as they take a train trip, a voyage during which this new dad might finally discover who this little being, who entered his life 10 months ago, is. Read more


Les Hommes s’en souviendront

French director Valérie Müller presents the North American premiere of Les Hommes s’en souviendront

director/screenwriter Valérie Müller producer Pétrouchka Films starring Marina Föis, Oliver Soler, Aurélie Guichard running time 10 min

Synopsis

In a fictional account, this film retraces the final minutes in private that preceded, on Nov. 26, 1974, Simone Veil’s entry into the chambers of the French National Assembly to present her bill on abortion. Read more


Juste une heure

French director Virginie Peignien and French actor Sam Karmann present Juste une heure

director Virginie Peignien production Elytel starring Marie Bunel, Sam Karmann running time 10 min

Synopsis

A woman approaches a man in a café and asks him to make love to her.  Read more


The VCU French Film Festival welcomes back director and cinematographer Pierre-William Glenn of La Fémis film school in Paris. The festival thanks him for furthering the relationship between the festival and La Fémis and for making possible the new collaboration between students from La Fémis and VCUarts Cinema


Les Quarante Voleurs

French director Thomas Favel presents the North American premiere of Les Quarante Voleurs

director Thomas Favel production La Fémis running time 10 min

Synopsis

A hunters’ gathering in the mountains. A brotherly reunion where each recounts his adventures, between fantasy and reality, enthralling stories and silent tracking. Read more


All about Yvonne

French director Karine Arlot presents the North American premiere of All about Yvonne

director Karine Arlot production La Fémis starring Florence Janas, Nathalie Richard, Dominique Frot, Amélie Nicot running time 11 min

Synopsis

Yvonne’s story — an especially stark generational conflict — is an edifying story of family scandals, pregnancies and aborted careers. Read more


Le Grand Bal

French director Sébastien Hestin presents the North American premiere of Le Grand Bal

director Sébastien Hestin production La Fémis running time 10 min

Synopsis

It’s the winter of 1915 in the Vosges Mountains. Two soldiers, one meeting. Read more


Parcours d’obstacles

French director Noémie Gillot presents the North American premiere of Parcours d’obstacles

director Noémie Gillot production La Fémis running time 12 min

Synopsis

Céline is a young Army recruit. She’s now enduring the training and obstacle courses of boot camp. But some obstacles are less surmountable than others. Today she decides to desert. Read more


L’Heure Bleue

Director Macha Kassian presents the North American premier of L’Heure bleue

director Macha Kassian production La Fémis running time 14:30 min

Synopsis

Five-year-old Oscar finds himself alone on a winter night in a public square. His mother is supposed to come get him but she’s late. Having to wait alone, Oscar observes the twilight and the world surrounding him. Read more


L’Arbre d’Hugo

French director Yoann de Montgrand presents the North American premiere of L’Arbre d’Hugo

director/screenwriter Yoann de Montgrand production La Fémis starring Cyril Laurent, Tom Novembre, Hélêne de Saint-Père, Sandrine Dumas running time 14:30 min

Synopsis

Five-year-old Hugo has two mothers, Jeanne and Julie, who love each other and love him. But for kindergarten, he must fill in his family tree with a photograph of a father on it! But that’s no problem; Hugo will just have to use his imagination to find a solution. Read more




 
 

 

 


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