French Cinema Now 2019

SEATTLE — September 6, 2019 — SIFF and TV5MONDE present French Cinema Now, a celebration spotlighting the state of contemporary Francophone cinema. The week-long event runs September 26 through October 3 at SIFF Cinema Uptown, and features 17 extraordinary French language-features from six countries and three continents.

The festival kicks off with the French blockbuster comedy The Shiny Shrimps. In the film, a champion Olympic swimmer who uttered a homophobic slur on national television is forced to coach the Shiny Shrimps, a flamboyant and outrageous water polo team in training for the Gay Games. Join us after the film for our Opening Night party at Bastille Café + Bar in Ballard for delicious wine and hors d'ouevres. 

Other French Cinema Now films were created by veteran directors including Daniel Vigne, Alain Raoust, and Philippe Faucon working alongside a new wave of filmmakers such as Marie-Sophie Chambon, Ladj Ly, Felix Moati, and Marie Garel-Weiss. Highlights include Michele Blanc's Kiss & Tell, a French farce with with an impressive cast led by Charlotte Rampling, Carol Bouquet, and Jacques Dutronc; the versatile Adèle Haenel stars in director Pierre Salvadori's comedy, The Trouble With You, a cops-'n'-criminals romantic comedy about the devil inside every one of us; director Oliver Masset-Depasse (Illégal) tells the tale of Mother's Instinct, a Hitchcockian 1960s period thriller that reveals the darker side of motherhood; Les Miserables, Ladj Ly's Cannes Jury Award-winning film that moves Victor Hugo's novel into the present-day Muslim community of Montfermeil; and Israeli director Nadav Lapid's Berlin Film Festival Golden Bear award-winning, Synonyms, about his own experiences putting down roots as an immigrant in France. 

In addition, actor Laure Duchêne is scheduled to attend Stars By The Pound, a coming-of-age tale about a girl dreaming of becoming an astronaut.

SIFF Festival Programming Manager, Stan Shields, enthusiastically says, "2019's French Cinema Now lineup is one of the most thrilling in years - featuring an exciting mix of quirky comedies, touching dramas, and eye-opening award-winning films from both veteran filmmakers and first-time directors. The world of Francophone cinema is looking better than ever!"

Beth Barrett, SIFF Artistic Director, agrees, "We're very excited about this year's lineup, being able to bring such a diverse group of films to the Francophile Seattle audience. Our continued partnership with TV5Monde has allowed French Cinema Now to reach not only the Seattle viewers, but nationally through the TV5Monde channel."
See the Full Lineup.

For screeners and interview requests please contact Leah Anderson.

Tickets: 
Individual Tickets: $14 | $9 SIFF Members
Festival Pass: $100 | $75 Members 
Vouchers and year-round passes are valid for admission.

About SIFF

Founded in 1976, SIFF creates experiences that bring people together to discover extraordinary films from around the world with the Seattle International Film Festival, SIFF Cinema, and SIFF Education. Recognized as one of the top film festivals in North America, the Seattle International Film Festival is the longest, most highly attended film festival in the United States, reaching more than 140,000 annually. The 25-day festival is renowned for its wide-ranging and eclectic programming, presenting over 400 features, short films, and documentaries from over 80 countries each year. SIFF Cinema exhibits premiere theatrical engagements, arthouse, international titles, and classic repertory film showings 365 days a year on five screens at the SIFF Cinema Uptown, SIFF Cinema Egyptian, and SIFF Film Center, reaching more than 175,000 attendees annually. SIFF Education offers educational programs for all audiences serving more than 8,000 students and youth in the community with free programs each year.