Parlez-vous le Francais? Speak French? No? Doesn’t matter!!

Here in our own Vancouver, we are lucky to have French films being brought in by  Visions Ouest Productions, Régis Painchaud and Lorraine Fortin, for the 23rd Rendez-Vous French Film Festival. Around 50 films (including shorts) from Québec and around the world will be presented, most with English subtitles, between February 1-12th.

I have some favourites, and some events that I would like to share on my blog, so stay tuned, if you’d like!

First of all, however… I’d love to let you all know about the Short Film Gala at 7:30 Saturday, February 4th, Ecole secondaire Jules Vernes, 5445 Baillie St., Vancouver. Starting with a happy hour (5-7) where you can hang out with your fellow film lovers and then see a marathon of creative shorts:

SHORT FILM SOIREE GALA with comedian/actor Jacques Lalonde

(This is a COMPLIMENTARY event with a 3$ membership that you can buy at the door. Membership is necessary for all events.)

Variety is the spice of life and film making!

A telescopic landlord, an operatic love story in an abbatoir, a French rapper professeur in a private school, secrets spotted, stories from the maple sugar shacks, a pre-teen’s grief for imagination, a poetic rising up and more are some of the flavours of the short film gourmet that awaits you on the night of February 4th, 2017 Short Film Gala during the Rendez-Vous French Film Festival (English subtitles).

Comedian and actor, Jacques Lalonde will entertain and guide you along. Be prepared for some fun, enlightenment and inspiration!

Join us earlier for Happy Hour between 5 and 7pm…

7 :30pm
PART ONE :

*NTK by Chloé Conseil (8 :07 mins)
A film that addresses the empowering of women, through the Need To Kiss, as the world becomes a matriarchal world.
https://vimeo.com/192295245
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6288004/?ref_=nmbio_mbio

*Nous Nous Souleverons (We Will Rise Up) by Natacha Kanape Fontaine (4 :12 mins)
In an inspired and powerful text, the talented Innu poet Natasha Kanapé Fontaine invites us to rise up to bring light to the world.
http://www.wapikoni.ca/movies/nous-nous-souleverons-we-will-rise

*Le Propriétaire est un Télescope by Charles Massicottek (8 :05 mins)
Reluctant new tenants Jimon and Meredith fall under the spell of their mysterious landlord.
https://vimeo.com/182389265

*Mel Ge’ Gi’ Nut Epit – Strong Woman Song by Noami Condo (2 :34 mins)
The Strong Woman Song has been revamped to grab the attention of our younger generations to draw attention and awareness to the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women. The video highlights young Mikmaq women from Gesgapegiag.
http://www.wapikoni.ca/movies/mel-ge-gi-nut-epit-strong-woman-song

*La Partie by Alexandre Isabelle (15 :03 mins)
Bernard is an austere man whose sole occupation is to care for his beloved Line, who is very ill. Their son organizes a sugaring off party that forces Bernard to reconnect with the exhilaration of spring.
https://vimeo.com/179687268

*Une Prof de Ouf by Nawal Kaffouf (18 :30 mins)
A “rapper” professor in a private school turns things upside down but results happen.
https://vimeo.com/200493530

PART TWO :
*Waiting For Spring, Persephone and The Pomegrante by Nicole Dextras (10 :00 mins)
http://nicoledextras.com/2015/09/persephone-and-the-pomegrante/

*La Voce (Voiceless) by David Uloth (22 :00 mins)
La Voce is inspired by Donizetti’s opera, Lucia di Lammermoor, and the Silent Film era. It is a satiric fable that tells the story of Edgar, a butcher who works in slaughterhouse that kills pigs on an industrial scale. He loves his job. He loves to sing opera, despite his awful off-key singing voice. And above all he loves Ginette, the stripper of his dreams.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4970628/
https://vimeo.com/138352321

*Enjambés by Noemie Brassard (8 :04 mins)
A young pre-teen girl discusses her resistence to embrace adolescence.
http://www.fcvq.ca/films/enjambees

*Mon Dernier Été by Claude Demers (15 :05 mins)
During a heat wave in Montreal Tom, 11 years old, meets Edith, also 11. He soon discovers that Édith carries a terrible secret. Tom eventually loses his innocence at the dawn of this first love, which becomes the symbol of his last summer.
https://vimeo.com/158956619

*Mutants by Alexandre Dostie (16 :32 mins)
In the summer of 1996, life throws a curveball in the face of Keven Guénette; and it strikes. Guided by his paraplegic baseball coach, Keven discovers the mutation, sex and love.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJrBP38D2SA

*Les Sucriers (Sugar Shack Tales) by Nicolas Paquet (14 :57 mins)
Each spring, in beautiful cabins in the heart of Quebec maple country, solitary artisans maintain a centuries-old tradition. Sugar Shack Tales presents their stories.
https://vimeo.com/150490617

Come early!
#RVCQF17 #RendezvousFrenchFilmFestival #filmmaking #Filmmakers #YVR #Vancouver #Films #Cinema

For more information on the whole Festival check out the Rendezvous website!