The 34th Alliance Française French Film Festival 2023

Presented by Champagne Lanson 1760

The flagship film, Masquerade (Photo: Alliance Française French Film Festival)

Calling all film-lovers and Francophiles!

The 34th Alliance Française French Film Festival (AFFFF), in partnership with the French Embassy and Palace Cinemas was back this 2023 – running March 8 to April 5.

Indulging in France’s best contemporary cinema with the largest French film showcase outside France.

AFFFF Artistic Director Karine Mauris said, the 2023 programme offered “something for everyone, whether it be the hilarity of a meta-zombie comedy, tragic journeys with gripping consequences or adventures of l’Amour in all its forms.”

The French Ambassador, Jean-Pierre Thebault, spoke on the film industry’s importance, “cinema is an art form which holds an invaluable place in French culture, with 250 films produced every year in France alone,” he said.

“We are so proud of the growth of this event, which has ascended to previously unimaginable heights over the years, with 153,000 eager spectators in attendance last year alone,” he said.

More than 250 French films were produced in 2022, but only 50 were selected by the AFFFF including Women with a Voice, L’Amour’s Promises, Family, Up for A Laugh and more for this year’s extensive programme.

The festival provided multiple daily film viewings - including programme highlights like Mascarade (Masquerade) and A La Belle Etoile (Sugar and Stars).

Nicolas Bedos’ 2022 film Masquerade combines glamour, sex, money, and manipulation in a ‘deadly vortex’ on the unassuming and dreamy Côte d’Azur shores – where aspiring dancer Adrien’s (Pierre Niney) exciting future is suddenly dashed by a debilitating injury.

Consumed by laziness, Adrien, attempts to seduce an older, wealthier woman with his beauty – to support his lavish lifestyle.

A La Belle Etoile, directed by Sebastien Tulard, is a feel-good film based on champion pastry chef Yazid Ichemraham’s autobiography and story of struggle and triumph above all else.

Starring G Riadh Belaïche, Dycosh and Pascal Légitimus, the film explores themes including homelessness, adoption and family issues, sense of belonging, and elitism in the cheffing industry.

A recap of the festival’s many special events can be found here.

The festival closed with a night reception on April 5, 2023.