French Documentary Month returns
Yet another addition to the ever-increasing local film festival calendar: French Documentary Month, vis-à-vis The Festival of Festivals 2006, returns to present eight documentary films courtesy of the Embassy of France and Alliance Française. This, the third edition of the documentary festival, tours various centres throughout November and December. The dates we were given and are listed below don’t quite match those listed on the festival website – we suggest confirming with your corresponding venue closer to the time. Fresh from the European festival circuit, major acquisitions this time around include Clair Denis’ dance documentary Towards Mathidle (the great French choreographer Mathidle Monnier its subject), and Avi Mograbi’s Avenge But One of My Two Eyes, an encore from the Telecom New Zealand International Film Festivals earlier this year. Programme and itinerary follows. More details at ambafrance-nz.orgTHE FILMS
My Dad is into Terrorism
William Karel/FRA/2004/90 min
Under police protection from the age of 10, French journalist/author Clémence Boulouque was confronted with a disturbing reality at just 13.
Glenn Gould: Hereafter
Bruno Monsaingeon/FRA/2005/106 min
A sensitive portrait of the life and work of the irrepressible Glenn Gould – concert pianist, intellectual, broadcaster.
Avenge But One Of My Two Eyes
Avi Mograbi/FRA-Israel/2005/100 min
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict – retelling Masada
Towards Mathilde
Claire Denis/FRA/2004/84 min
Claire Denis eavesdrops on Mathilde Monnier’s new dance work rehersals at the National Centre for Choreography in Montpellier.
Il fare politica
Hugues Le Paige/Belgium/2004/90 min
A “long view” of the political and personal development of Italian Communist Party members living in Mercatale.
Voyage in G Major
Georgi Lazarevski/FRA/2005/54 min
Forty years in the making, 91-yr-old Aimé fulfils his dream journey to Morocco, accompanied by his grandson, filmmaker Georgi Lazarevski.
Ils ne mouraient pas tous mais étaient tous frappés
Marc-Antoine Roudil, Sophie Bruneau/FRA/2005/80 min
Distress in the workplace – meetings behind closed doors with Parisian hospital staff suffering from work-related illnesses.
We the Emigrants
Elisabeth Leuvrey/FRA/2006/55 min
Journeys between France and Algeria – a different take on immigration.
THE VENUES
Millstream Theatre, Warkworth
November 16-22 | themillstreamrestaurant.co.nz
Moving Image Centre, Auckland
November 10-December 3 | mic.org.nz
Victoria Cinema, Hamilton
November 6-10 | victoriacinema.co.nz
Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth
November 20-December 15 | govettbrewster.com
Sarjeant Gallery, Wanganui
November 28-December 2 | sarjeant.org.nz
Film Archive, Wellington
November 10-December 3 | filmarchive.org.nz
Gecko Theatre, Motueka
November 23-December 14 | geckotheatre.co.nz
Regent on Worcester, Christchurch
November 23-26 | hoytsnz.ninemsn.com.au
Otago Museum, Dunedin
November 11-19 | otagomuseum.govt.nz
Rain of the Children: All those years after In Spring One Plants Alone, Vincent Ward has a fine Tuhoe homecoming. The story of Puhi and her son Niki is sad and compelling. The director of River Queen artfully tells another important story. Problematic, but well worthy.
