FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL

Got an itch Hollywood simply can’t scratch? In want of cinema that possesses a certain…je ne sais quoi? Then trade in your ungainly 3D glasses for an ‘oh-so-chic’ cravat, slap on a beret, and rush out to see the 22^nd Alliance Française French Film Festival. Courtesy of France’s most exciting auteurs, the eclectic lineup of 46 films will beguile cinephiles and Francophiles alike as it genre-hops between crime, drama, romance, comedy, suspense, historical intrigue and documentary. And, of course, no program would feel complete without an obligatory on-screen appearance from the ever-burly Gérard Depardieu (he’s practically an institution in France), who’ll be ably supported by actors Daniel Auteuil, Sophie Marceau, Marion Cotillard, Catherine Deneuve, Jean Reno, Audrey Tautou, Kristin Scott Thomas and Mathieu Amalric, amongst others. At a glance, the program certainly dispels the popular notion that French filmmakers are merely the purveyors of frivolous comedies. For instance, in the wonderfully eccentric, yet pensive On Tour, director/star Amalric balances humour with melancholia as he explores the guady, salacious world of burlesque through the eyes of a jaded ex-television producer. Meanwhile, viewers will be seduced by Christopher Thompson’s brash, free-spirited Bus Palladium, which charts the rise and fall of ‘Lust’, a fictional 80s rock band modelled on The Beatles and The Doors. Far more topical is Rachid Bouchareb’s historical drama Outside The Law; the gripping story of three brothers zealously committed to obtaining Algerian independence. Finally, Olivier Assayas’ intoxicating, politically subversive biopic Carlos dramatises the life of Venezuelan terrorist Carlos the Jackal, who gained notoriety for his bloody 1975 raid on the OPEC headquarters. A welcome antidote to what’s screening in your local megaplex.

March 8-27, Palace Verona (9360 6099), Palace Norton Street (9564 5620), Chauvel Cinema (9361 5398) & the Cremorne Orpheum (9908 4344), $8-25 frenchfilmfestival.org/