Taipei, March 23 (CNA) A French film festival, which is among a series of events to mark the International Day of the Francophone, will provide a rare chance for Taiwanese audiences to experience a different feel to Hollywood movies, organizers said Thursday at a press conference.
The 2006 Festival of Francophone Film will be held in two cinemas in Taipei from March 24-April 6 and will feature 49 films from more than a dozen French-speaking countries.
Approximately 175 million people in 53 countries speak French and the film festival provides a great opportunity for Taiwan people to embrace a culture that is different from American culture, said Olivier Vaysset, the counselor for culture and cooperation of the French Institute in Taipei.
Twenty-three commercial movies, mostly from France, will be shown at the Show Times Cinema from March 24-30. La Maison de Nina, which is directed by Oscar-winning director Richard Dembo, will be the opening film.
Twenty-six movies that include French commercial and independent films, animations, documentaries and African new wave films will be shown free of charge at the National Palace Museum Cinema from March 24-April 6, including films from Burkina Faso, Senegal, Mauritania and Chad, said Sally Lee, Public Relations Director of the National Palace Museum.
The International Day of Francophonie, which falls on March 20, is celebrated by over 120 French-speaking countries every year. Thirteen representative offices of French-speaking countries in Taiwan are sponsoring the events.