Movie Nights

Our film series features the latest French and francophone movies, often in advance screenings, and reflects the vitality of the cinema of France, regarded by most as the birthplace of the art. Every first Wednesday of the month, at 6:30pm in the Lycée Auditorium, films are subtitled in English. Screenings are free.

Upcoming Calendar

April 10, 2013

Upcoming screenings

Wednesday April 10, 2013 at 6:30pm

You Will Be My Son by Gilles Legrand

Niels Arestrup plays Paul de Marseul, a passionate and demanding winemaker unsatisfied with the prospect of his son, Martin (Lorànt Deutsch) taking over his vineyard. He dreams of a more talented one, and finds him in the shape of Phillipe (Nicolas Bridet), the son of his steward, François (Patrick Chesnais). de Marseul lavishes attention and praise on Phillipe, all the time degrading Martin’s achievements, eventually inviting Phillipe rather than his own son to attend his investiture in the Legion d’honneur. Le Figaro gave the film three out of four stars and called it “a great vintage”. 102’
The movie will be followed by a Q&A with Gilles Legrand .Recommanded for 13 years old and up

Past screenings

Wednesday March 6, 2013 at 6:30pm

Elza, by director Mariette Montpierre

Mariette Montpierre who was born in the French West Indian island of Guadeloupe, grew up in Paris and now lives in New York City. In this autobiographical movie, a Parisian student returns to her birthplace in Guadeloupe to reunite with her father. But there she discovers “a family frayed by adultery, mental illness and the devastating bigotry of light skin against dark.”(New York Times). With Stana Roumillac, Vincent Byrd Le Sage. 88’’
The movie will be followed by a Q&A with Mariette Monpierre.

February 6, 2013

I made myself quite small, by Cécile Rouaud.

A French comedy and first film by director Cecilia Rouaud with Denis Ménochet, Vanessa Paradis and Léa Drucker (2012). Nothing keeps Yvan in Paris any more. His wife left him and now lives in Thailand. His teenage daughters chose to move in with their sister, Ariane, a stressed yet remarkable woman. Yvan is ready to leave but beautiful Emmanuelle comes into his life as well as Leo, the son his wife had with another man. Yvan has
to change his plan.
In French with English subtitles. No audience restriction. 96’’

January 9, 2013

What the Day Owes the Night, by Alexandre Arcady at 6:30pm in the auditorium.

This film is an adaptation of the eponymous novel (2008) by Algerian writer Yasmina Khadra. Action takes place in Algeria from 1930 to 1962. Younes, a 9-year-old boy from Algeria lives with his parents and his sister. After the family’s crops are intentionally burned, they lose all of their resources and must leave their land to work in the city. The father cannot make ends meet, and he decides to “give” his son to his brother, who is married to a French woman. Younes becomes Jonas and is integrated into a community of French people living in Algeria later known as les pieds noirs.
The film is directed by Alexandre Arcady (Day of Atonement (1992)) with actors Nora Arnezeder, Fu’ad Ait Aattou, Anne Parillaud (2012). In French with English subtitles. Recommended for all ages.

December 12, 2012

The We and the I, by Michel Gondry

It is the last day of school at Bronx high school. Students pile into the bus to go home. On board is a group of raucous and exuberant teens, bullies and the bullied, young couples, etc. As the bus empties along the route home, relationships become closer and more personal among students with seemingly little in common. By parent of alum and French film maker Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind ). In English. Some strong language. Appropriate for 13 and up.

November 7, 2012

Malabar Princess, by Gilles Legrand

The film tells the story of am 8-year-old boy named Tom, who is sent to live with his grandfather in the French Alps. His mother had disappeared during an excursion some years ago not far from there, and Tom wants to find her. While searching for his mother with his friend Benoît, they come across the remains of a plane, the Malabar Princess, that had crashed during the 1950s, Malabar Princess. Shot on location at Mount Blanc in France and based on a true story: The Malabar Princess disaster actually take place on November 3, 1950. It is a moving film about love, love of a little boy for his mother, love between a grandfather and his grandson, love for the mountains
With Jacques Villeret, Michele Laroque and Claude Brasseur. 94 minutes. Ages 10 and up

October 3, 2012

Quand Je Serai Petit (When I Will Be a Child) by Jean Paul Rouve ( 2012)

During a trip Mathias (Benoit Poelvoorde), 40-years old, encounters by chance a child who reminds him of his own childhood. Moved by this resemblance, he starts a foolish enquiry about the little boy that will change his life and his family balance. Ad if we could live our childhood again, could we change the course of events?
PG-rated.

September 19, 2012

The Other Son, by Lorraine Levy with Emmanuel Devos, Pascal Elbe, Jules Sitruk

While it prepares to integrate the Israeli army for military service, Joseph discovers that he is not the biological son of his parents and he was exchanged at birth with Yacine, the child of a Palestinian family in the West Bank. The lives of these two families are brutally disrupted by this revelation that forced them to reconsider their respective identities, their values and beliefs. 95” In french with English subtitles.

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