French Film Fest beckons

Otago Daily Times

30-05-2025

PHOTO: ARCHIVE
This year's French Film Festival Aotearoa could provide a taste of things to come at Queenstown's new high-end cinema complex Silky Otter.
Now in its fourth year, festival director Fergus Grady says the month-long festival, which started yesterday, is the biggest in the country.
"When we started, the festival wasn't in a great place, averaging 30,000 to 35,000 tickets sales a year. Now we are up to 100,000 ticket sales.
"That makes it the most successful in terms of sale and scope in regional areas, and we plan to keep it that way."
Highlights include My Brother's Band, a hit at the French box office, and The Divine Sarah Bernhardt, a biopic from director Guillaume Nicloux set in the dizzying theatrical world of opulent wealth and delicious scandals.
There are also plenty of comedies, such as How to Make a Killing, Jane Austen Wrecked My Life and Love Boat, along with Beating Heart, ''a big sweeping romance with a fair amount of crime".
Being held for the first time at the new Remarkables Park cinema, Grady says if it goes well there, they'll offer Silky the British/Irish festival in October.
For more info, see frenchfilmfestival.co.nz