22/09/2022 - The 37th edition of the Namur International French-Language Film Festival will take place from 30 September to 7 October, with a programme of no fewer than 120 films

The Origin of Evil by Sébastien Marnier

The Namur International French-Language Film Festival (FIFF) will offer nearly 120 films during its upcoming edition, throughout its three main competitive sections. Among them are many French films that have delighted international festivals these past few months. Thus, the Festival will open with great fanfare with a screening of The Innocent [+see also:
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film profile], the new film from Louis Garrel, presented last May in the Cannes Premiere section. The film is among ten titles in the Official Competition. By its side are four other French films: Forever Young [+see also:
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interview: Valeria Bruni Tedeschi
film profile] by Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, selected in Competition in Cannes; Angry Annie [+see also:
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film profile] by Blandine Lenoir, starring the unmissable Laure Calamy, and discovered this summer on the Piazza Grande in Locarno; Laure Calamy is also in The Origin of Evil [+see also:
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film profile] by Sébastien Marnier (auteur of the very striking School's Out [+see also:
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interview: Sébastien Marnier
film profile]), unveiled in Venice; and finally The Gravity [+see also:
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film profile], the second feature film from Cédric Ido, which was also shown in Toronto. In addition to these five French films, we’ll also find the Switzerland-Belgium co-production Last Dance [+see also:
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interview: Delphine Lehericey
film profile] by Delphine Lehericey (projected on the Piazza Grande in Locarno); the Romanian film (co-produced with Bulgaria) Men of Deeds [+see also:
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interview: Paul Negoescu
film profile] by Paul Negoescu, which premiered in Sarajevo; the Rwandan film Father’s Day by Kivu Ruhorahoza, selected at the Berlinale; and finally, two more films first unveiled in Cannes: Return to Seoul [+see also:
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interview: Davy Chou
film profile] from French-Cambodian filmmaker Davy Chou, and Under the Fig Trees [+see also:
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interview: Erige Sehiri
film profile] from Tunisian director Erige Sehiri.

Since last year, the Festival also includes a competition dedicated to feature debuts, which will bring together ten films. There, too, French productions are well represented, with six selections. We therefore find three films first shown this summer in Angoulême, including two feature debuts from actors-turned-directors: Amore Mio [+see also:
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film profile] by Guillaume Gouix, Slumlord [+see also:
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film profile] by Steve Achiepo, and Le Sixième Enfant [+see also:
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film profile] by Leopold Legrand, which won four awards there. Also programmed are The Worst Ones [+see also:
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interview: Romane Gueret and Lise Akoka
film profile], the excellent film from Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret, also awarded in Angoulême, but most importantly in Cannes where it won the Un certain regard award; Three Nights A Week [+see also:
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interview: Florent Gouëlou
film profile] by Florent Gouelou, which open the International Film Critics’ Week in Venice; and Little Ones [+see also:
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interview: Julie Lerat-Gersant
film profile] by Julie Lerat-Gersant, unveiled in Locarno. Also in the feature debut competition are two documentaries: Le Film de mon père from Swiss filmmaker Jules Guarneri, which premiered at Visions du Réel, and We, Students! [+see also:
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film profile], from the Central African filmmaker of Congolese descent Rafiki Fariala, and which premiered in Berlin. This section will also welcome the Tunisian film Ashkal [+see also:
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film profile] by Youssef Chebbi, shown in Directors’ Fortnight, and finally the Belgian film Dalva [+see also:
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interview: Emmanuelle Nicot
interview: Emmanuelle Nicot, Julie Esp…
film profile] by Emmanuelle Nicot, which won the Louis Roederer Foundation Rising Star Award,  the Fipresci prize and the Rail d’or at the last Critics’ Week in Cannes. 

The Festival also features a Short Film Competition which will gather 25 films, a large programme for young audiences, as well as many events for professionals.