Watch Over 10 Movies in 10 Days with Alliance Française’s Francophone Film Festival 

The Alliance Française of Greenwich, Connecticut, is presenting its 2024 Focus on French Cinema festival this spring. 

Celebrating its 19th edition, the FFC festival will run from April 25th to May 5th and feature a curated selection of new releases, both in person and online. Indeed, after the success of last year’s “hybrid” edition that welcomed 8,000 viewers, the festival is keen to repeat the experience.  

“After the challenges of the Covid crisis, it is exciting to expand the number of public theatrical screenings this year to three events at the beautiful Avon Theatre, Deborah and Chuck Royce Cinema Arts Center in Stamford, said FFC Director, Joe Meyers. “We are also continuing the very popular online aspect of FFC with a selection of new French-language films not available on any streaming platforms.  

“In addition to Fanny Ardant, this year’s Focus on French Cinema will feature some of France’s greatest stars including Camille Cottin, Benoît Magimel, Karen Viard, and Miou Miou.  

“The 2024 edition exhibits Francophone film makers unique ability to deal with important social issues illustrated in several of our selections, including two films that examine the complexity of the global migrant crisis in a very personal way. ’Just a Couple of Days’ follows a jaded journalist played by a brilliant Benjamin Biolay who finds himself letting a migrant crash in his apartment, with life-changing results. And the stirring French- Canadian drama ’Temporaries’ takes us into lives of the migrant farm workers of Québec.  

“A personal favourite of mine, ’A Real Job’ shows the challenges faced by a new teacher played by the popular Vincent Lacoste. If you share my belief that teaching is one of the most important professions you should enjoy this warm and moving story in the tradition of ‘Up the Down Staircase’ and ‘ To Sir, with Love’.” 

Highlights include the opening night screening of the U.S. Premiere of Rachel’s Game (Les Rois de la Piste) at the Avon Theatre, in Stamford, CT, which will feature the actress Fanny Ardant and Q&A session with Director Thierry Klifa and FFC Director of Programming, Joe Meyers. The Centerpiece screening will feature, on Thursday, May 2nd, the U.S. Premiere of Just a Couple of Days (Quelques jours pas plus) followed by a Q&A with a panel from IRIS (Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services).  

The online selection will be available from April 25- May 5 highlighted by online zoom interviews with Director of Programming, Joe Meyers and talent from the films.   

The FFC 2024 festival is certainly embracing today’s new ways of appreciating cinema, blending the exciting pleasure and quality of viewing in a movie theatre and the comfort of lounging in your own home in front of a film. Today’s social issues and, sometimes, difficult subjects are also a welcome addition to the land of Hollywood which rarely deals with such stories.