Cinefranco 2023 - March Version

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Category: Cinéma - Movies

Published: Wednesday, 08 March 2023 13:06

Written by Gilbert Seah

CINEFRANCO Returns March 2023 with A Special Program

Please see Cinefranco’s announcement below regarding their March lineup to celebrate Francophonie (world) month.  The celebration kicks off Mar 8 (International Women’s Day) with special screening, TO Premiere of SimonVeil A Woman of the Century at the Varsity.  

For more details, check the website at 

cinefranco.ca 

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Film Review: Pacifiction

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Category: Cinéma - Movies

Published: Friday, 24 February 2023 11:50

Written by Gilbert Seah

PACIFICTION (France/Spain/Germany/Portugal) ***½

Directed by Albert Serra

On an island in French Polynesia, the Haut-Commissaire, a man, de Roller (Benoit Magimel, who first well-known film was LIFE IS A LONG QUIET River by Etienne Chatiliez, way back when in 1988) with a turbulent naturalness and high diplomacy, lives between the highest echelons of politics and the lowest social stratum of his co-citizens. Conflict as a way of life will lead him to take reckless decisions against his political status, as the film examines.  Director Serra introduces him in a ‘questionable’ club where he goes backstage to look at the costumes, and perhaps flirt with the dancers.

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Film Review: Cette Miason (This House)

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Category: Cinéma - Movies

Published: Wednesday, 08 March 2023 01:21

Written by Gilbert Seah

CETTE MAISON (THIS HOUSE (Canada 2022) **
Directed by Miryam Charles

As the voiceover of the deceased informs the audience, “I was born in Stanford, Connecticut, in 1994. I died in 2008 in my house, Céte (in French).  “You are the source that inspired me, I do not need anyone else.”  There are lots of chants at the film’s start and voiceover that are a little confusing, though they put the film in perspective.

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Film Review: Calvaire (The Ordeal)

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Category: Cinéma - Movies

Published: Sunday, 19 February 2023 03:37

Written by Gilbert Seah

CALVAIRE (originally tilted THE ORDEAL)(Belgium/Luxembourg/France 2022) ****
Directed by Fabrice du Welz 

These few weeks see the opening of a number of horror films, many of which are also streaming on Shudder, the horror streaming service.  Among them are the really nasty SPOONFUL OF SUGAR, NOCEBO from the  Philippines and Ireland and HUESERA, THE BONE WOMAN from Mexico and the found footage low-budget horror THE OUTWATERS,  Joining the ranks of these horror flicks is what might arguable be the best of the lot, a neat little low budget cult film way back from 2004, from then first time feature director Fabrice du Welz who wrote the screenplay with Romain Protat, best known as Gasper Noe’s cinematographer for IRRESISTIBLE, which is currently enjoying a rerun.

Read more: Film Review: Calvaire (The Ordeal)