CineImagine presents their tenth annual French Film Festival, June 1-3 at the Movie Mill and the Cité Des Prairies (2104, 6 Avenue South).
 For the first time the festival will take place in Lethbridge.
The festival was in Medicine Hat last year and in Fort Macleod before that.

“We had a lot of the community asking for it to be in Lethbridge and the entire board is from Lethbridge,” said Marie-Helene Lyle, Directrice générale, Société cInéMAGINE de l'Alberta.
“It is a festival to promote francophonie culture,” she said.

“ These are the best French films of the past year,” she added, noting there are a lot of films from Quebec, as expected, one from France, one from several different countries and even a French film from Ontario.

“ Our festival is also about increasing visibility and awareness of independent French film production,” she continued.

A panel of community members chose the 10 best French films from all over the world over the past few years to be screened at  both the Cite des la Prairies and the Movie Mill.

“We invited the community to an evening of screening movie trailers,” she said adding the board narrowed down 50 movies to a shortlist of 30 and asked the audience of about 35 people to choose their favourite 10.

“We wanted the community to be involved in an event we’re creating for the community,” she said.

“It’s a community festival and we want people to attend from the community,” she continued adding they advertised from B.C. to Saskatchewan and even down into Montana thanks to Visit Lethbridge and Travel Alberta , so they are hoping  they will attract visitors from out of town as well.

There will be 10 full length films and a short which was added at the last minute. While most of the movies are targeted at an adult audience and are subtitled, there wil also be four short films for children , “L'été de boniface”/“Le chat colla”/“Chez madame poule”/“Matrioska,”  at La Cité des Prairies being screened at 10:30 a.m., June 2.

 

 Films run from 7 p.m. on Friday, June 1 and from 10 a.m. on June 2 and 9:45 a.m., June 3.

 In addition to  movies, well known actress Louison Danis (best known for starring in the TV series Les Bougon: C’est aussi ca la vie) and director/ producer Jonathan Levert will be hosting a question and answer period after their movies “La Sacrée” on June 1 at 3 p.m. at the Movie Mill and “La Route de l’Ouest”  at 1 p.m. respectively.

 The event features a gala event at 9:30 p.m. for pass holders at La Cité Des Prairies, June 2.  Passes are $65 for adults, $45 for students and seniors. SAAG members get five dollars off the price. Individual movies can be screened for seven dollars each, three dollars for children under 13. Other than two children’s films, all movies are subtitled. More information about the festival including a complete list of films is  available at http://www.cinemagine.net/