Welcome To The Third Edition Of The Princeton French Film Festival That Will Take Place

Conceived As A Public Humanities Initiative, A Community-Engaged Project, And An Innovative Promotion Of The Arts In Princeton, This Festival Will Celebrate The 130th Anniversary Of Cinema In All Its Richness And Complexity.

It Offers 20 Feature-Length And Short Movies (From Classics To Us Premieres) By Emerging And Award-Winning Filmmakers, 13 Qanda Sessions With Directors, Artists, And Professors, 3 Masterclasses With Renowned Artists, 2 Art Exhibitions On Campus And At The Arts Council Of Princeton, A First-Of-Its-Kind Ciné-Symposium On And With A Honorary Oscar Awardee, A Book Discussion With A World-Class Writer, A Concert With Two Exceptional Haitian Musicians, A Rediscovery Of Princeton Through A Cinematic Guided Tour, And Numerous Pedagogical Projects With Local Schools.

Schedule Of Events:

March 28, 2025

Opening Night And Us Premiere - Music Pick
7:00 Pm
Armenian, English, French, 121 Mins
Mccosh Hall 10

Followed By A Qanda With Armenian-American Journalist And Playwright Taleen Babayan(Link Is External) (Link Opens In New Window). Part Of Princeton University's 2025 Gradfutures Forum

March 29, 2025

Us Premiere - Women's History Month And Family Friendly Pick
6:00 Pm
English, French (Canada), 73 Mins

Community Room, Princeton Public Library

Followed By A Qanda With Playwright And Filmmaker Marie-Claire Marcotte. Part Of The Inaugural Princeton Francofest

March 30, 2025

Romance Pick - 111 Nominations And 88 Awards Worldwide, Including 2012 Cannes Film Festival's Gold Palm And 2013 Oscar For Best Foreign Film
5:00 Pm
French, 127 Mins

Mccosh Hall 10

April 1, 2025

The Siren

Animation Pick
7:00 Pm
Persian, 101 Mins
Betts Auditorium, School Of Architecture Building

Followed By A Qanda With Scriptwriter And Filmmaker Sepideh Farsi Introduction And Moderation By Sareh Z. Afsher

April 2, 2025

Euzhan Palcy – A Pioneer Of Transnational Cinema
Cine-Symposium
9:00 Am To 5:00 Pm
Interesting Fact: Euzhan Palcy Will Probably Be The First-Ever Honorary Oscar Awardee To Come To Princeton University For An Event.

Sugar Cane Alley (Rue Cases-Nègres)
Classic And Book Adaptation Pick - 1983 Venice Film Festival's Silver Lion Winner And First-Ever Screening Of The Restored Version On The Us East Coast
6:30 Pm
Creole (Martinique), French, 103 Mins
Mccosh Hall 10

April 3, 2025

Music And Dance Pick - Brussels International Fantasy Film Festival Silver Raven Award And Philadelphia World Film Festival Audience Award
7:00 Pm
Mccosh Hall 10

In A Small Caribbean Village, Siméon (Jean-Claude Duverger), A Music Teacher And Isidore (Jacob Desvarieux From Kassav), His Star Disciple, A Mechanic By Necessity And Guitarist By Passion, Shared The Same Ambition, An Impossible Dream — To Put Their Island On The World's Music Map With Zouk Music. Orélie, Isidore's Ten-Year-Old Daughter Helps Him In His Endeavors By Bringing Simeon Back To Life, After The Drunken Rum Lover Fell From His Tree House Trying To Get Close To The Full Moon.

April 4, 2025

Flow
Animation, Environmental, And Family Friendly Pick - Winner Of Both Oscar And Cesar For Best Animated Feature In 2025
Opening Night Of The Princeton Environmental Film Festival
7:00 Pm

No Spoken Language, 75 Mins
Community Room, Princeton Public Library

April 5, 2025

Hvaldimir, Conversation With A Spy Whale
Environmental And Family Friendly Pick
11:00 Am
English, French, 90 Mins
Community Room, Princeton Public Library

In Spring 2019, A Beluga Whale Named Hvaldimir, Believed To Have Escaped A Russian Military Base, Appeared In Northern Norway, Becoming A Social Media Phenomenon. Fascinated By Him, A French Cetacean Researcher, His Daughter, A Norwegian Journalist, And A Marine Biologist Embark On An Extraordinary Adventure With Hvaldimir Through The Norwegian Fjords.

April 6, 2025

From The French 'Banlieues' To The World

Short Movies Pick
5:00 Pm
Betts Auditorium, School Of Architecture Building

April 8, 2025

50 Years Of Film Criticism

Masterclass
Led By David Sterritt

12:00 Pm To 1:30 Pm
Lunch Will Be Offered To Attendees.

Open To Princeton University Members Only.

Godard Cinéma
Classic And Documentary Pick
7:00 Pm
French, 100 Mins
Betts Auditorium, Soa Building

April 11, 2025

Little Haiti Celebrated
Cine-Concert & Masterclass
5:00 Pm To 7:00 Pm
Haitian-Themed Dinner Will Be Offered To Attendees

Music And Performances By Drummer Atibon Nazaire And Singer Sheila Anozier. Masterclass Led By Filmmaker Monica Sorelle, Film Producer Robert Colom, As Well As Actors Atibon Nazaire And Sheila Anozier.

Music. Culture. Connection. Don't miss this magical fusion of sound, soul, and taste! Join us for an unforgettable night celebrating the vibrant spirit of Haiti! Experience the powerful rhythms and soul-stirring performances of Atibon Nazaire and Sheila Anozier — two extraordinary artists bringing the heart of Haitian music, dance, and storytelling to life. Delight in a captivating live concert and an intimate masterclass, where they'll share the rich history and inspiration behind their art. As the evening unfolds, savor a Haitian-themed dinner with traditional flavors that transport you straight to the Caribbean.

Mountains
Drama Pick
7:30 Pm
Creole (Haiti), English, Spanish, 95 Mins
Mccosh Hall 10

Followed By Q&A With Monica Sorelle, Atibon Nazaire, Sheila Anozier, And Robert Colom

Xavier, a dutiful middle-aged Haitian demolition worker, is outgrowing the Little Haiti home he shares with his wife Esperance – a seamstress and school crossing guard – and their adult son Junior, who is caught between two cultures as he harbors ambitions of a career path his parents don't understand. Despite not climbing the ranks at the demolition company, Xavier has remained loyal, hardworking, and well respected, keeping his head down and mentoring his younger counterparts. But as the demolition sites inch closer to home, the realities of gentrification come into focus, and Xavier's loyalties are tested. Mountains is a multigenerational drama that explores the relationships between immigrants and their children, Miami's own stratification of race and nationality, the looming threat of gentrification, and the pursuit of the American dream. What results is a loving portrait of Little Haiti and Miami's Haitian community.

April 12, 2025

A Thousand And One Berber Nights
Local Artists Pick
4:00 Pm
Arabic, French, 53 Mins
Theater Room

In the late 1950s Hassan Ouakrim was a young dancer and actor in Morocco. Little did he know that he would soon become the protegé of La Mama Theatre founder Ellen Stewart, performing across America, forming friendships with the likes of jazz virtuosos Ornette Coleman and Randy Weston, and becoming a pioneer in spreading Amazigh dance and music in North America.

April 13, 2025

Rust And Bone (De Rouilles Et D'os)
Jacques Audiard & Book Adaptation Pick
French, 120 Mins
Princeton Garden Theater

Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts), a former boxer and single father, meets Stephanie (Marion Cotillard) when he saves her from a brawl at the nightclub where he works as a bouncer. Their casual acquaintance develops into something much more after Stephanie, who trains killer whales at a marine park, suffers a horrible accident and loses both her legs above the knee. As Stephanie draws on Ali's physical strength, an unexpected courtship slowly comes to life.

April 16, 2025

Contempt (Le Mépris)
Classic, Book Adaptation, & Godard Pick
7:00 Pm
French, 101 Mins
Betts Auditorium, School Of Architecture Building

Based on Alberto Moravia's 1954 novel A Ghost at Noon, Contempt is Jean-Luc Godard's rare detour into commercial filmmaking. Initiated at the behest of Italian producer Carlo Ponti, the star-studded Cinemascope extravaganza stars Michel Piccoli as a screenwriter torn between the demands of his German director (played by the legendary Fritz Lang), his boorish American producer (Jack Palance), and his exploited wife (Brigitte Bardot), as he attempts to patch together the script for a film adaptation of Homer's Odyssey. Filmed on location at the iconic Cinecittà film studios and the spectacular Villa Malaparte in Capri, and boasting lush cinematography by Raoul Coutard and Brigitte Bardot at her most glorious, Contempt is an astute study of conjugal disintegration, artistic compromise and a somewhat cynical look at the film industry itself. The film is widely acknowledged to be Godard's great masterpiece.

April 17, 2025

Cinematic Guided Tour
Being Human Festival
3:00 To 4:30 Pm

Since at least the beginning of the sound film era in the 1920s, the town and campus of Princeton have always attracted major and emerging filmmakers who found, in its exceptional architecture, evolving landscapes, and historical campus, a unique background for their stories. From Frank Tuttle's Varsity (1929), one of the first sound films produced by Paramount Pictures, to Christopher Nolan's recent and internationally acclaimed Oppenheimer (2023), not forgetting an impressive but range of lesser-known cinematic works as well as the local arthouse (Princeton Garden Theatre) built in 1920, Princeton has a rich, varied, yet unfortunately unexplored history of cinema that was often at the intersection of major historical, cultural, and intellectual events.

April 19, 2025

Chicken For Linda (Linda Veut Du Poulet)
Animation & Family Friendly Pick - Winner Of 2024 Cesar For Best Animated Film
11:00 Am
French, 73 Mins
Community Room, Princeton Public Library

On The Adamant (Sur L'adamant)
6:30 Pm
French, 104 Mins
Betts Auditorium, School Of Architecture
Well-Being, Disability, And Accessibility Pick - Winner Of The Golden Bear At The 73rd Berlinale In 2023

April 20, 2025

Other People's Children (Les Enfants Des Autres)
Comedy Pick
5:00 Pm
French, 104 Mins
Betts Auditorium, School Of Architecture

When Dedicated High School Teacher Rachel (Virginie Efira) Falls In Love With Ali (Roschdy Zem), It's Not Long Before She Also Falls For His Daughter Leila. The Lustful Giddiness Of Rachel And Ali's Late Night Rendezvous Evolves Into The Familiar Warmth Of Family Picnics And After-School Pickups. Although She Feels Like A Mother, Rachel Is Not Allowed To Forget That Lelia Is Another Woman's Daughter. She Begins To Long For A Child Of Her Own, But As A Forty-Something Woman, She Is Abundantly Aware That She Has Limited Time To Begin A Family. Rachel Must Decide Whether To Embrace The Inherent Entanglements Of Her Current Situation, Including Coparenting With Ali's Ex-Wife Alice (Chiara Mastroianni), Or Strike Out Again On Her Own. Other People's Children Becomes A Soulful, Sexy, And Resolutely Grown-Up Story Of The Elusive Quest For Agency And Belonging.

April 23, 2025

Banel & Adama
Romance Pick
7:00 Pm
French, Pulaar, 87 Mins
Betts Auditorium, School Of Architecture Building

Banel And Adama Are Fiercely In Love. The Young Couple Live In A Remote Village In Northern Senegal And For Them, Nothing Else In The World Exists. However, Their Perfect Everlasting Love Seems On A Collision Course With Their Family's Traditions As Drought Strikes Their Community. Award-Winning Filmmaker Ramata-Toulaye Sy's Breathtaking Debut Feature Follows The Fated Lovers In Their Quest To Carve A Life For Themselves Beyond The Expectations Of Others.

April 25, 2025

Cinematic Guided Tour
Being Human Festival
3:00 To 4:30 Pm

Inaugural Guided Tour To Rediscover Princeton's Town And Campus Through Cinema. Generously Funded By The National Humanities Center

The Adamant Is A One-Of-A-Kind Place: A Floating Refuge On The Seine River In The Heart Of Paris That Offers Day Programs For Adults With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities (Idds). Its Attendees Come From Across The City And Are Offered Care That Grounds Them In Time And Space, Helping Them Achieve Recovery And Stability. Through A Blend Of Therapy, Education, And Culture Rooted In Music And The Arts, The Adamant Offers A Hopeful Vision Of What A Humanistic Approach To Mental Health Care Could Look Like. The Community On The Boat Is Intentionally Created So That Both The Staff And The People Receiving Care Are Treated With The Same Respect And Dignity. Their Meetings And Conversations Reveal The Camaraderie And Collective Humanity Of A Group Of People Whose Similarities Far Outweigh Their Differences.

1975-2025: Writing And Filming The Vietnamese Diaspora In North America
5:00 Pm To 6:45 Pm
Dinner Will Be Offered To Attendees.

Kim Thuy
A Vietnam-Born Canadian Author Who Was Forced To Leave Her Homeland With Her Parents At A Young Age Along With The “Boat People”, Kim Thuy Found Inspiration In Her Complex Background And Wrote Eight Novels For Which She Won Numerous Awards, Including Her Autobiographical Narrative Ru (2009) That Was Sold Into Half A Million Copies And Translated Into 30 Languages. Throughout Her Artistic Career, She Also Received Several Honorific Distinctions And Was Named, In 2023, Both Member Of The Order Of Canada And Knight Of The Order Of Arts And Letters Of The French Republic.

Ru

Drama & Book Adaptation Pick - Closing Night

7:00 Pm
French, 120 Mins
Mccosh Hall 10
Director: Charles-Olivier Michaud. Production: Amalga. Distribution: Immina (Courtesy Of The Délégation Du Québec In New York)

After A Dangerous Sea Crossing And A Stay In A Camp In Malaysia, The Young Vietnamese Tinh And Her Family Are Accepted As Refugees In Canada And Arrive In Montreal Where They Begin Their New Life. But For Tinh, Adapting Has Its Share Of Difficulties. Already Shy And Reserved By Nature, She Must Learn A New Language And Integrate Into Her New Environment. Haunted By The Hardships Of The Journey, Tinh Will Have To Draw Deep Within Herself The Resilience Necessary For Her Survival And Her Happiness.

Date: March 28 - April 25, 2025

Location: Various Venues in Princeton, NJ

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