The 41st edition of the Namur International French Film Festival will take place in the Walloon capital between 30 September and 4 October, once again shining a light on the rich array of Francophone cinema and with a strong French contingent distinguishing itself from the outset, thanks to the Belgian premiere of All About Corinne kicking off proceedings. This new film by Marc Fitoussi, which sees him reuniting with two of his favourite actresses, Isabelle Huppert and Sandrine Kiberlain, previously showcased on Locarno’s Piazza Grande and in Toronto’s Gala Presentations section. Sandrine Kiberlain will be attending the festival to introduce the film, as well as taking part in a Special Meeting with the audience.

Eight feature films will be presented in the Feature Films Competition, starting with two titles which recently triumphed in Venice: Cédric Kahn’s new film A Place To Heal, which earned Malou Khebizi the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor/Actress, as well as the new film by two festival regulars who won the Golden Bayard in 2021 for Madly in Life, Ann Sirot and Raphaël Balboni, who’ll now be presenting Diane in the Loop, fresh from winning the Grand Prize in Venice’s Orizzonti section. Likewise screened in competition at the Venice Film Festival, Nicolas Pariser will be presenting One Minute to Midnight.

The section is also welcoming a handful of films which made a splash in Cannes: Flesh and Fuel by Pierre Le Gall, which scooped the Queer Palm Revelation Award & CinÉduc Award, and Iron Boy by Louis Clichy, which bagged the Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize, but also Mary Magdalene by Gessica Généus, which was presented in the Cannes Première programme, and Think Good by Géraldine Nakache, unveiled in the very same section. The final contender in this competition is Geneviève Dulude-De Celles’ Quebecois film Nina Roza, which walked away with the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay in Berlin.

The festival is also hosting a First Feature Films Competition, due to be judged by a jury of critics. In addition to Flesh and Fuel and Mary Magdalene, the press jury will get to discover Congo Boy by Rafiki Fariala, Too Many Beasts by Sarah Arnold, and Words of Love by Rudi Rosenberg - three films which were also unveiled on the Croisette - alongside Summer Meadow by Lisa Debauche and Naël Khleifi, for which actress Manal Issa has just won the Best Performance Award in Locarno.

A few high-profile previews will also be on offer to audiences, including Martin Provost’s new film Love Lessons, which boasts an all-star cast (Fabrice Luchini, Emmanuelle Devos, Chiara Mastroianni, Carole Bouquet) and is set to close the festival, and Milo, which is the new title by Nicole Garcia, who’ll be the festival’s “Coup de Coeur” Guest, having previously presented her movie in a world premiere in San Sebastián.