10 movies to see at the Cork French Film Festival
The Marching Band will screen at the Arc Cinema as part of Cork French Film Festival.
The story of an internationally-renowned conductor who discovers the existence of a younger brother, Jimmy, who works in a school cafeteria and plays the trombone in a small marching band. Emmanuel Courcol’s film made the official selection at Cannes last year.
The action thriller film directed by Michiel Blanchart is set over the course of a night amid a Black Lives Matter protest in Belgium. It follows the story of Mady, a young locksmith who is called for a nocturnal assignment that plunges him into danger. He becomes embroiled in a manhunt that sees him having to prove his innocence, racing across Brussels to survive one crazy night.
Saturday, March 8 at 1.40pm
Prime suspect in the murder of a young girl, Monsieur Hire, spends much of his time secretly gazing from his window at Alice, a beautiful 22-year-old who lives alone in the apartment opposite. His solitude, however, is broken when Alice visits him in his room and bluntly asks why he spies on her. Part of a tribute to the great actor and director Michel Blanc, who died in October 2024.
Saturday, March 8 at 3.30pm
Three Friends follows the story of Joan, Alice and Rebecca, whose relationships are turned upside down. Joan turns to her close friends Rebecca and Alice after the disappearance of Victor, her ex-lover and the father of her child. She is reassured by Alice, who doesn’t feel passionate about her partner, Eric, and who she later finds out is having an affair with Rebecca.
Saturday, March 8 at 6pm
Mathyas, an aspiring writer, trades his life in Montreal as a young advertising executive for that of a shepherd in beautiful pastoral Provence. But the road to his desired pastoral tranquillity is filled with hard work. A visit from Elise, a civil servant who boldly quit her job, gives Mathyas’ quest a new direction. Together, they embark on the good life, forging a new life for themselves in the mountains with a herd to take care of.
Saturday, March 8 at 8.30pm
A sweeping romance over several decades, Beating Hearts follows the story of rebellious teenager Clotaire, who falls for his schoolmate Jackie. As powerful first love blossoms between the two, he is enticed into a much darker path that threatens everything they have built. After many years apart and now leading profoundly different lives, the star-crossed lovers discover that every path they’ve taken leads them back together.
Sunday, March 9 at 11am
Animated feature suitable for families. In the 1950s, on the banks of the River Marne, François, a young 11-year-old boy, is intrigued to discover that his parents are building a boat in their little garden, a replica of the famous sailor Joshua Slocum’s sailboat. While the boat is being built, he embarks on an adventure that sees him discover his passion for the sea and drawing.
Sunday, March 9 at 4pm
Set in Paimpont, Brittany, where harmony reigns among the locals, Meet The Barbarians follows the story of schoolteacher Joëlle, convenience store owner Anne, plumber Hervé, and the local ranger Johnny as the town enthusiastically votes to host some Ukrainian refugees. But the refugees, it turns out, aren’t so Ukrainian after all.
Sunday, March 9 at 6.15pm
Dahomey delves into real perspectives on far-reaching issues surrounding appropriation, self-determination, and restitution. Set in November 2021, the documentary charts 26 royal treasures from the Kingdom of Dahomey that are due to leave Paris and return to their country of origin: the present-day Republic of Benin.
Sunday, March 9 at 8pm
Based on the 1844 novel by Alexandre Dumas, this historical action adventure follows Edmond Dantes as he becomes the target of a sinister plot and is arrested on his wedding day for a crime he did not commit. After 14 years in the island prison of Château d’If, he manages a daring escape.
- For full details, see corkfrenchfilmfestival.com
