Finally!
The best of both cinematic worlds for the two official languages in this country: The Cinemania Film Festival features French films with English subtitles, so as to suit both English and French audiences.
The festival is in its eighth year. Running from Nov. 7 to the 17, it is not holding back with any of its featured films.
Showing are 17 widely known French language films that vary in content and tone, lending a nicely mixed blend of suspense, drama and comedy to the festival.
Some of the choice picks may already be known to a few film fanatics, but for those rusty on their French film library, here are a few of the flicks you won’t want to miss:
Quebec-Montreal was filmed in our own province and pokes fun at our French-Quebecois culture. The film serves up several laughs as we follow four groups of people on their way from Quebec City to Montreal by car. With its fast-paced dialogue and several inside jokes about Montreal and Quebec City, the subtitles are appreciated. Viewers will especially be drawn into the situations the characters find themselves in and find the decisions they make may strike very close to home.
My Wife Is An Actress follows the story of a cute sports-writer that winds up marrying a hugely popular actress. The story details the couple’s toils and turns of dealing with fame and trying to lead a normal life. Some critics have said this film reminds them of Woody Allen comedies, with the central male character being neurotic while the female is poised and beautiful.
Read My Lips is one part Hitchcock thriller and another part weird romance. The movie follows the story of a woman who is in a dead-end job and suffers from partial deafness; lonely and repressed she meets an ex-con that she quickly falls for. However, the ex-con has different plans for her as he uses her ability to read lips to his advantage. Emmanuelle Devos, who stars as the main character, won this year’s Ceasar award in France for Best Actress for her role in this film.
Sweat is a film that cannot be missed if you love adventure. The story follows a truck of stolen gold across the Moroccan desert as four men rush to get across the dry, flat terrain without getting caught. With some great lines and a kicking soundtrack, this film definitely catches the eye.
All films are being shown at the Maxwell-Cummings Auditorium, which is part of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (located at 1379 Sherbrooke St. West, just a couple of blocks away from Concordia).
Tickets are $6.50 for students and $8.50 for adults and there is a six movie pass available for $35.
There will be a pre-sale for tickets on Nov. 6 and Nov. 7 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Festival schedules are now available at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. For more info call 878-0082 or visit the website www.cinemaniafestival.com.
