NOUVELLES

Back for its 31st edition, Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie, or FICFA, Moncton and Dieppe's international Francophone film festival, will once again present a large number of English-subtitled films from Canada and abroad.

Including previously-announced closing film CROSS MY HEART by Quebec director Luc Picard, a total of 17 features will be accessible to English-speaking audiences. Winner of the Grand Prix at this year's Cannes Film Festival and France's Oscar submission BEATS PER MINUTE by director Robin Campillo leads several Cannes European selections including Michael Haneke's HAPPY END (Austria's Oscar submission), Mathieu Amalric's BARBARA (Poetry of Cinema Award, Un Certain Regard) and Laurent Cantet's THE WORKSHOP (Un Certain Regard) as well as Critic's Week revelation BLOODY MILK by first-time feature director Hubert Charuel. Also hailing from France is C'EST LA VIE, the latest dramatic comedy by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano, the duo behind the 2012 worldwide hit THE UNTOUCHABLES.

Featured Canadian documentaries include Nova Scotia filmmaker and food writer Aube Giroux's MODIFIED, an in-depth look at GMO's and the food industry, IT'S ALRIGHT MICHEL, Marie-Pierre Grenier's fascinating and touching look at the life of octogenarian trans lothario Michel Gagnon and NB-born Denis Côté's A SKIN SO SOFT, an essay following six professional bodybuilders. Fictions include Lea Pool's drama AU PIRE ON SE MARIERA, based on the novel of the same name by Sophie Bienvenu and Robert Morin's thriller LE PROBLÈME D'INFILTRATION as well as this year's Best Canadian Feature Film winner at the Toronto International Film Festival, Robin Aubert's zombie thriller LES AFFAMÉS.

FICFA will also host the premiere of 1999, Dieppe-born Samara Grace Chadwick's documentary revisiting a wave of suicides that shook Mathieu-Martin High School 18 years ago and the people left in its wake. The screened version will be in English, French and Chiac with French subtitles. It is therefore recommended for viewers with a basic knowledge of French.

In addition to its film program, the festival's media arts expo, VAM, boasts works including installations and performances that are not language-specific, including the 21st edition of Acadie Underground, Moncton-based Galerie Sans Nom's Super 8 film creation contest, as well as Séances éphémères, pairing improvised live music with locally-made silent short films.

Great art is meant to be shared. Everyone is welcome to enjoy quality cinema at our region's only international film festival. You can view FICFA's English program at ficfa.com/English-program

FICFA will be held from November 16th to 24th, 2017. Full listings can be found at ficfa.com and tickets are available at various locations as well as online.

FICFA's mission is to promote and disseminate cinema from the international Francophonie to Francophones and francophiles of the Atlantic region while also promoting Acadian cinema at home and abroad.