Rendez-Vous with French Cinema at Lincoln Center

With awards season over and the summer blockbuster hits months away, there seems to be a lull in movie theaters. Fortunately for cinephiles, Rendez-Vous with French Cinema returns to the Walter Reade Theater from March 5th to 15th. This film festival demonstrates the variety and vitality of French cinema with emerging talents and established masters.

Film at Lincoln Center proudly presents this 25th edition of the French Film Festival together with UniFrance, an organization in charge of promoting French cinema throughout the world. The organization has over a thousand members who are actors, directors, producers, talent agents, and more.

Start marking your calendars. March 5 will be the opening night feature and New York premiere of The Truth, directed by Japanese auteur, Hirokazu Kore-eda, in his first-ever French-language film. The movie stars screen legends Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche in a strained mother-daughter relationship. Ethan Hawke plays Binoche’s husband. Both Binoche and Hawke will take part in a pre-screening in-depth conversation to “discuss the experience of working with Kore-eda on his first French-language film, and the process of probing the dynamics of married life and intergenerational family drama in the context of hyperconnected 21st-century life.”

Redenz-Vous with French Cinema offers 22 film screenings, including Deerskin, directed by Quentin Dupieux, starring Jean Dujardin and Adèle Haenel and Joan of Arc directed by Bruno Dumont, which received a Cannes Special Jury Mention.

This year will be the first time the film festival will have an Audience Award (sponsored by Air France), which allows moviegoers the chance to give a prize to their favorite film.

Aside from screenings, there will also be free talks such as Exploring Space on Film on Saturday, March 7th. Alice Winocour is the director of Proxima, a film starring Eva Green. Together with a surprise guest, Winocour will discuss how the medium of film can help explore the stars and outers pace.

On Sunday, March 8th, president of UniFrance and former director of the Cinematheque français, Serge Toubiana, will discuss his latest book, L’Amie Américaine at Free Talk: Serge Toubiana on Helen Scott. His book talks about the work and life of film actress Helen Scott. Audiences will get the chance to have their books signed after the conversation.

For those interested in adapting books to screen, check out Free Talk: From Book to Film on Monday, March 9th. This panel features French and American filmmakers and writers, including Eric Kohn, Lucie Borleteau, Violaine Huisman, Riva Marker, Jeffrey Sharp, Stuart Zicherman, and Rebecca Zlotowski.

For regular screenings, ticket prices are $17 for the general public and $12 for students, seniors, persons with disabilities, and film at the Lincoln Center members. For Opening Night tickets, ticket prices are $25 for the general public and $20 for members, students, seniors, and persons with disabilities.

Check out the screening schedule to start planning your rendez-vouz with French cinema.

More upcoming exhibits + performances: