This year, VIFF honours the rich cinematic culture that continues to flourish in France by highlighting the nation’s finest big-screen offerings. The following is a selection of films featured in the ‘Spotlight on France’ series. To get your tickets please click here: http://bit.ly/VIFFTix
Beginning as a cellphone-shot record of his mother’s losing battle with Alzheimer’s, Jean-Albert Lièvre’s documentary retains its incredible intimacy but grows into a universal testament to dignity. “An unexpectedly hopeful exploration of a terribly sad situation… A portrait of love, patience and the pursuit of a more humane, holistic approach…”—Hollywood Reporter. Winner, Best Documentary, COLCOA 2014.
Hand Made with Love in France: (Also apart of the ‘Style in Film’ series)
The French title—time suspended—perfectly captures this affectionate celebration of the artisans who create fabulous haute-couture outfits for Dior, Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent: a third-generation specialist in pleat-making; a designer of perfect artificial flowers whose atelier opened in 1880; and one of three remaining sculptors of wooden forms for hat-making. A delightful look at a vanishing breed.
Life of Riley: (North American Premiere)
Life of Riley, cinema legend Alain Resnais’ last film. Revolving around three couples (the cast includes Sabine Azéma, Sandrine Kiberlain, Caroline Sihol, André Dussollier, Hippolyte Girardot, Michel Vuillermoz and Alba Gaia Bellugi, all in top form) dealing with the news that their mutual friend George Riley is terminally ill, the film unfolds as his ensuing absence from their lives reshapes the dynamics in their relationships. But Riley—in Godot-like fashion—never appears and we’re left to enjoy the hysterical interactions between the others, who each find themselves at a mid-life crossroads, pondering their next directions in life and love.
For the full ‘Spotlight on France’ films, please review the Free VIFF guide available around Vancouver. Get your tickets here: http://bit.ly/VIFFTix
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