Rediscover 2020

To close the celebration of the Month of Documentary Film (Mois du film documentaire), Alliance Francaise de Manille and Institut Francais presented a virtual cinema screening with “16 levers de soleil” (“16 sunrises”), on Saturday, November 28, followed by a virtual discussion with its filmmaker, Pierre-Emmanuel Le Goff, during which participants can ask questions through the chat.

Alliance Française de Manille and The Embassy of France to the Philippines organized the first online Jeudi culturel (“Cultural Thursday”) with a virtual French classical music concert featuring cellist Kyongmin Nam and pianist Dingdong Fiel.

Throughout the month of November, Alliance Française de Manille presented the diverse line-up of screenings in 21st celebration of the Month of Documentary Film (Le mois du film documentaire).

Institut Français offered a selection of 4 feature films available for streaming.

For the 10th year in a row, the Institut Français, in partnership with the AFCA (Association Française du Cinéma d'Animation), brought the Fête du cinéma de l'animation (Animation Film Festival) to an international audience.

From October 14 to 31, 2 animated feature films and 11 French & African animated short films were available online and for free. Adults and children were invited to watch them!

A great occasion to discover Francophone movies and learn more about French with your family!

This year marked the very first digital edition of Fête de la Musique PH! As we were all encouraged to stay home, and because we through it was important to maintain this major cultural event, we brought concerts straight to your home thanks to live-stream concert!

On March 11, le Ciné-Club showed "Timbuktu", by Abderrahmane Sissako.

Synopsis: A cattle herder and his family who reside in the dunes of Timbuktu
find their quiet lives - which are typically free of the Jihadists
determined to control their faith - abruptly disturbed.

Review: “Mr. Sissako’s film is [...] a symbol of decency and tolerance, of everything the extremists want to destroy, precisely because he is an intriguing, fully rendered individual. And “Timbuktu” is a political film in the way that “The Bicycle Thief” or “Modern Times” is a political film: It feels at once timely and permanent, immediate and essential.” - The New-York Times

Each year, the French Ministry of Culture suggests 10 words of the French language for people to play around with and express their creativity through any literary or artistic form. This year's words are under the theme of WATER.

Alliance Française de Manille took part in this creative writing workshop on March 7!

Alliance Française de Manille presented its first exhibition by artist Jill Paz, the 2019 recipient of the Philippine Art Residency Program (PARP). Jill stayed in France for 6 weeks at Centre lntermondes in La Rochelle, where she also had an exhibition at the end of her residency.

Le Ciné-Club selection of February 26 was "Pas son genre" (Not My Type), by Lucas Belvaux.

Synopsis Clement, a young philosophy teacher, is sent to Arras for a year. He meets Jennifer, a pretty hair stylist, and the two freely share their hearts and bodies as they try to overcome the cultural and social divide between them.

Review "This intimate two-hander is somewhat redeemed by an endearing turn from Belgian-born star Emilie Dequenne, who brings something extra to a film that seems to be deliberately playing with Gallic rom-com stereotypes." - The Hollywood Reporter

On the theme of French language or Francophonie, Alliance Française de Manille organized "L'AFM a un incroyable talent"! Everybody was invented to show their talent (chant, music, poetry, etc.) and the winner, elected by a jury, wasinvited to perform during Francophonie Night on March 19.

On February 19, le Cine-Club made us discover "Jules et Jim", by François Truffaut.

Synopsis In the carefree days before World War I, introverted Austrian author Jules (Oskar Werner) strikes up a friendship with the exuberant Frenchman Jim (Henri Serre). Both men fall for the impulsive and beautiful Catherine (Jeanne Moreau), but it's Jules who wins her hand. After the war, Jim visits Jules, Catherine and their daughter in their Austrian home and discovers not only that his feelings for Catherine are unchanged, but also that they're reciprocated.

Review "What is so astonishing about it is not just its freshness and vitality - the feeling that life is always exciting if sometimes dangerous - but the way the young director managed to mould his characters so accurately to the events of their time." - The Guardian

Le Cine-Club chose "9 mois ferme" (9 Month Stretch), by Albert Dupontel for the movie night of February 12.

Synopsis Ariane Felder is pregnant. This is all the more surprising since this examining magistrate is an old-fashioned single person. But even more surprising is the fact that, according to DNA tests, the father is no other than Bob, a criminal prosecuted for atrocious assault and battery. Ariane, who does not remember anything, tries to understand what happened.

Review "A disposable, crowd-pleasing black comedy which gets its laughs from cartoonishly puncturing the pomposities of the French legal system" - The Hollywood Reporter

On February 5, we spent a beautiful night watching "Hope", by Boris Lojkine.

Synopsis Leonard, a Cameroonian, meets Hope, a girl from Nigeria, while travelling to Europe through the Sahara desert. Despite difficult conditions, the two plan to cover the rest of the journey together.

Review "Festivals and rep houses, especially ones spotlighting the newest juicy crop of new work from Africa, will offer Hope ports to berth in." - The Hollywood Reporter

The selection for January 29 movie night was "Gueule d'ange", by Vanessa Filho.

Synopsis One day, Marlene suddenly chooses to abandon her daughter for a man she has just met during yet another night of excess. Elli must confront her mother's demons to get her back.

Review "Cotillard, looking like one of the most glamorous white-trash fantasy figures in the history of the movies, has a hypnotic quality that will make you follow her character whatever she says or does. We might not know how she makes what little money she has or how she ended up in her situation, but she’s always completely believable and even, up to a point, strangely sympathetic as a born hedonist who can only live in the moment..."

Last January 24 was a musical night with József Terék playing the Turkish Pipe at Alliance Française Makati!

The Embassy of Hungary, with the support of the country’s National Cultural Fund and local partners, hosted the Philippines tour of József Terék, a well known musician of the Hungarian folk art scene. Mr. Terék is not a stranger to the Philippines, where he performed in March 2018 with his band „József Terék and Friends”. József Terék is involved in the preservation and popularisation of a unique musical instrument, the Tárogató (in Hungarian), also widely known as the Turkish pipe.

We laughed on this January 22 watching "Les Garçons et Guillaume, à table", by Guillaume Gallienne.

Synopsis A boy called Guillaume, who pictures himself as a girl, tries to discover his true identity and break free from the pernicious influence of his mother.

Review "French stage star Guillaume Gallienne turns sexual anguish and family friction into charming confessional comedy." - The Hollywood Reporter

"Fatima", by Philippe Faucon, played on January 15, is a very touching movie!

Synopsis Fatima lives alone with her two teenage daughters. She has poor command of French and lives it like a frustration in her daily relationships with her daughters ...

One of the outstanding films of the Directors' Fortnight in Cannes in 2015, Louis Delluc Prize, 2016 César Award for Best Film of the Year, for the Best Adaptation and César for the Most Promising Actress for Zita Hanrot.

Review "Fatima offers a gentle, affecting celebration of the fortitude and intelligence of an Algerian cleaning lady (played by non-professional actor Soria Zeroual, who was an actual cleaner when she was cast) struggling to raise her two daughters in contemporary France." - The Hollywood Reporter

Alliance Française de Manille presented, on January 15, a solo exhibition featuring the works of Allan Cosio, as a tribute to Alliance Française de Manille’s centennial celebrations (2020). Cosio’s series on nature-inspired paintings started in the early 2000’s.

On January 8, le Cine-Club showed "Bande de filles" (Girlhood), by Céline Sciamma.

Synopsis Marieme joins an all-girl gang in the projects of Paris and is slowly turned out of her shell by her three sassy neighbours. As she falls further under their bravado and volatile energy, she begins making brave and foolish choices.

Review "Newcomer Karidja Toure makes a mesmerizing impression as a teenager drawn into a black girl-gang in the Paris suburbs in Celine Sciamma's expertly judged drama." - The Hollywood Reporter

We discovered "La belle vie", by Jean Denizot, on December 11.

Synopsis Yves and his two sons reside secretly for twenty years after Yves wins legal proceedings against their mother. But the teenaged children feel suffocated due to their life in hiding.

Review "Restraint is clearly the director’s aim, and his avoidance of melodrama is admirable." - Hollywood Reporter