Mumbai: From comedies like ‘In The Courtyard’ and ‘Serial (Bad) Weddings’ to dramas including ‘Clouds of Sils Maria’ and ‘Girlhood’, the 16th edition of Mumbai Film Festival will screen 24 French films. The seven-day festival (October 14-21) will also feature films of acclaimed French actress Catherine Deneuve, like ‘A Matter of Resistance’, ‘The Beloved’ and ‘The Last Metro’.
Deneuve, 70, who will attend the festival, will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award during its opening ceremony. French filmmakers Pierre Salvadori (‘In the Courtyard’), Thomas Cailley (‘Love at First Fight’), Raphael Neal, (‘Fever’), among others will also be present.
“This year the Mumbai Film Festival will enjoy the privilege and honour to confer the life time achievement award on another icon of the French Film industry, legendary yet evergreen actress Catherine Deneuve. ‘Rendez-vous with French Cinema’ will showcase the cream of the French productions of the year,” Srinivasan Narayanan, festival director said.
A special section ‘Rendez-vous with French cinema’, to take place on October 16, aims to establish an exhilarating platform for showcasing the various facets of French contemporary cinema, helping Indian distributors to promote new French films and celebrate the growing Indo-French ties.
Films that will be screened as part of this section include, ‘Clouds of Sils Maria’ by Olivier Assayas, ‘French Riviera’ by Andre Techine, ‘Girlhood’ by Celine Sciamma, ‘Life of Riley by Alain Resnais, among others.
“The Indians as well as the French love cinema. We are delighted to screen a retrospective film dedicated to Catherine Deneuve who will honour us by her presence in Mumbai,” said Francois Vandeville, Cultural Counsellor and Director of Institut Francais in India.