Five films to see at the Cork French Film Festival this weekend
Lambert Wilson as De Gaulle.
If you've been itching to get on a plane to some farflung destination, this classic documentary will whet your appetite for a visit to one of Europe's great cities. Using archival footage, it looks at life in Paris from 1900 to 1914.
One for the kids, this animated adaptation of Dino Buzzati's children's book follows the tale of what happens when an army of hungry bears invades the human-run part of the Mediterranean island.
A sci-fi film without special effects? Yes indeed, Jean-Luc Godard brought une grande dollop of film noir to his influential 1965 tale about a society run by a dictatorial computer, Alpha 60.
This biopic of the French general has had mixed reviews since its release in 2020, but it still presents a solid portrayal of De Gaulle during a crucial period in the country's history. Lambert Wilson (possibly familiar as The Merovingian in The Matrix films) plays De Gaulle in 1940 as he works to build an alternative force to the Vichy Government who collaborated with the Nazis.
The closing film of the festival focuses on a couple whose plans to have a child are thrown into turmoil when her mother shows symptoms of dementia. It tackles the weighty issue with a light touch, providing some comedy moments along the way.
- The 32nd Cork French Film Festival is presented by Alliance Française de Cork. Tickets to the festival can be bought online at www.corkcinemas.com for screenings at the Gate Cinema, and at https://corkfrenchfilmfestival.com for online screenings
