Free French Cinema at SUU, Tuesdays in February

Published: February 05, 2013 | Read Time: 3 minutes

Tu vas souvent au cinéma?

If “oui,” you’re in luck because the Tournées Film Festival is coming to Cedar City, an annual treat for local movie buffs.

Organized by the French American Cultural Exchange (FACE) and the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, the Tournées Festival brings contemporary French cinema to American college students through an ongoing grant program to fund the annual film festival that has become tradition on a few select college campuses.

Four years ago, SUU’s Department of Foreign Language and Philosophy was inducted to this short list of lucky universities, giving SUU sole access to the French film festival in Utah, and brining award-winning French films to the entire Cedar City community, free of charge.

Foreign language and philosophy department chair, Elise Leahy, has been involved with the program since it first opened at SUU and repots an increasing interest in the Tournées Festival year after year, a unique outlet for students and the community to learn about modern French life.

“Seeing these films can transport the viewer and allow him or her to learn about a culture that they wouldn’t otherwise. It is a chance to see something different outside the typical films shown at local theaters,” said Leahy.

Every Tuesday, over a five-week span that begins February 5 and runs through March 5, SUU will screen a new award-winning French film, with introductions and discussions by professors from different academic colleges at SUU. All films will be shown in the Sharwan Smith Center Theater (room 161D) at 7 p.m.

Admission to all five screenings is free of charge to students, faculty, staff and the local community.

The 2013 Tournées Film Festival at SUU includes:

February 5: “Les Hommes Libres” (Free Men)

An action and historical drama depicting the French Resistance during World War II, which highlights the heroic acts of Muslim agents who provided North African Jews with false identification papers.

February 12: “Le Gamin Au Vélo” (The Kid with a Bike)

A sublime tale of a 12-year-old boy who turns to a woman for comfort after his father has abandoned him. This emotional drama received Grand Prix at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and received a nomination at the 69th Golden Globe Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, on top of multiple other accolades.

February 19: “Film Socialisme” (Film Socialism)

Set on a Mediterranean cruise ship, this documentary details the passengers’ feelings as they dock at ports throughout the Mediterranean sea and reflect on both the horrors of Europe’s past and the uncertainty of its future. 

February 26: “Une Vie De Chat” (A Cat in Paris)

An exhilarating hand-drawn animated film telling the story of a cat that lives a secret life as a cat burglar’s aide. He must come to the rescue of Zoe, the little girl he lives with during the day, after she falls into a gangster’s clutches. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Film in 2011. 

March 5: “Le Hérisson” (The Hedgehog)

Adapted from a novel, the film follows the events in the life of concierge, Renée Michel, whose deliberately concealed life is uncovered by a precocious girl who lives with her upper-class family in the upscale Parisian apartment building where Renée works. The novel has received many honors, including the 2007 French Booksellers Prize.

The Tournées Film Festival is made possible through the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Florence Gould Foundation. At SUU, it is presented with the support of the Department of Foreign Languages & Philosophy, the College of Humanities & Social Sciences and The Sargon Heinrich Global Engagement Center.

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