In this article, we are sharing with you the films from France and the Francophonie not in French showing at AFF 2022. For our article about films in French at the festival, click here.
Director: Jiongjiong Qiu
Countries: Hong Kong SAR China, France
Language: Mandarin Chinese
One of China’s most innovative, critically acclaimed and entertaining artists/filmmakers gives us an insight into China from the 1920s to the 1980s through the eyes of Qiu Yu, a Sichuan opera clown based on the director’s own famous grandfather. The epic historical sweep of this film, combined with its brilliant theatrical stylisation suggests that we are all actors in the outlandish piece of theatre we call history. Winner of the special jury prize at the Locarno festival, this has been acclaimed for its fresh, imaginative approach.
Director: Lena Karbe
Countries: Germany, France
Language: Afrikaans, English, Tsonga
Fighting to rescue their country’s rhinos.
The Black Mambas, an all-female anti-poaching unit were formed to protect South Africa’s wildlife in the Balule Nature Reserve. The women perform the dangerous role of protecting wildlife from poachers. In 2015 they were one of the winners of the United Nation’s environmental award, the Champions of the Earth. The doc centres on three women from the Black Mambas unit who are poor, black and increasingly resentful. It would be easy to show this as a heroic initiative, but there is a more complicated story to be told – one of colonialism, racism, exploitation, animal preservation, women’s rights and class issues.
Director: Tarik Saleh
Countries: Sweden, Finland, France
Languages: Arabic
The election of a new Grand Imam at Cairo’s leading Islamic institution touches off a ruthless struggle between the State security apparatus and the clandestine Muslim Brotherhood. Caught in the middle is Adam, a devout but innocent young man who becomes a pawn in a deadly game of murder and betrayal. Tarik Saleh, exiled from Egypt, pulls no punches in this slow-burning political thriller which won Best Screenplay at Cannes for its tough-minded approach to the clash between the state and religion.
Director: Juan Pablo González
Countries: Mexico, France
Languages: Spanish
A blend of drama and documentary that captures the struggles of a tequila rancher.
Maria Grace will stop at nothing to ensure the future of her struggling tequila factory, Dos Estaciones, the last Mexican-owned tequila factory in Jalisco. Things start looking up for Maria when she meets Rafaela, who she hires, in the hope that she can help save the factory. Juan Pablo González’s narrative feature debut cements him as a director to watch and Teresa Sánchez as Maria gives one of the performances of the year winning Sundance 2022, the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award. An unforgettable film that is equally a celebration of community and the perseverance of individuals against corporate takeover.
Director: Andrés Ramírez Pulido
Countries: France, Colombia
Language: Spanish
Winner, Grand Prize, Critics’ Week, Cannes.
The triumph at Cannes of this brooding and intense film has thrown Andrés Ramírez Pulido into the front ranks of Latin American filmmakers. La Jauría centres on Eliú, who is imprisoned for murder and finds himself in an experimental young offenders’ program in the Colombian jungle where others like him are there to supposedly shake off the negative energy that pervades their lives. Pulido’s film resonates beyond issues of crime and punishment to larger questions of the ways in which we are subjected to power and the possibilities of resistance.
Director: Alexandru Belc
Countries: Romania, France
Language: Romanian
The beat goes on.
This intelligent winner of Best Direction Prize at Cannes stylishly frames the first love between Ana and her boyfriend in 1972 Romania. He is about to flee the country and they plan to spend their last days together. They attend a parentless party with their young friends where they revel joyously in the music from the west played on Radio Free Europe. They dance and flirt and more, before a knock on the door announces the arrival of Ceausescu’s secret police.
Director: Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk
Countries: Ukraine, France, Poland, Chile
Language: Ukranian
A highlight at Cannes, Pamfir combines the seething tension of the gangster genre with the raw beauty of peasant farm life in a mountain village, western Ukraine. A rough-edged but noble ex-smuggler, Leonid, arrives home from work abroad. After his son commits arson, Leonid returns to his roots to pay his debts, running contraband across the Romanian border. He runs afoul of the corrupt authorities, setting up a showdown during the chaotic festivities of a traditional pagan carnival. The Director, Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk, describes Pamfir as a picture that flirts with multiple genres “…a maze for the viewer to follow, after they think, “I’ve seen it all before”
Director: Claire Denis
Countries: United States, France
Language: English
Sex, lies and intrigue in the Nicaraguan heat.
Acclaimed auteur Claire Denis is in hypnotic form with this sultry, winding espionage thriller that seduced the Grand Prix jury at Cannes. Adapted from the 1980s Nicaragua of Denis Johnson’s novel and transplanted to the pandemic-hit present, Trish (Margaret Qualley), an American journalist, loafs around the bars of a Latin American city. Broke and desperate, she starts to exchange sexual favours for cash to midlevel authority figures. Then she falls for an enigmatic, handsome Englishman (Joe Alwyn) who seems like her best chance of escape. However, she soon realises that he may be in even greater danger than she is.
Director: Rita Baghdadi
Countries: United States, Lebanon
Languages: Arabic, English
A backstage pass to the Middle East’s first all-female metal band.
Observational music documentaries never come as likeable, refreshing or energising as this. In Beirut, a city seasoned by decades of war and turmoil, all-female thrash metal band Slave to Sirens are chasing stardom. The band’s fulcrum is a friendship as volatile as their hometown, with guitarists Lila’s and Sherry negotiating the politics of their past romantic relationship alongside their creative partnership.
Direcotr: Anna Jadowska
Countries: Poland, France, Sweden
Languages: Poland
The strain of living in the margins creates the unlikeliest of criminals in this unflinching drama inspired by real events. Aging midwife, Mira, is suffering a deep malaise brought on by an uncaring family and society. Her awakening results in an unexpected behaviour, which breaks her family and life apart. The fallout is the unsettling core of the film, where support networks fail, and Mira is left alone to sift through her actions and their consequences. Crafting imagery with a clinical beauty and nurturing a quietly heroic performance, writer/director Anna Jadowska has taken a defiant stand against still-entrenched attitudes towards women.
Director: João Pedro Rodrigues
Countries: Portugal, France
Languages: Portuguese
Direct from Cannes comes a swirling, queer fantasy-musical that flurries together muscle-bound firemen, colonial guilt, explicit sex and environmentalism. Starting as a wry fairytale about the idealistic Prince Alfredo who wants to become a firefighter, the story transforms into a gloriously unpredictable, graphic love story between the prince and a fellow cadet, Alfonso, backed by ensemble dance choreography, Mozart, Iberian pop and a chorus line of penises. Despite revelling in its raunch and humour, Will-o’-the-Wisp also allows the aristocrat Alfredo and the underclass Alfonso to grapple with the darker side of Portuguese identity.
BONUS FILM: FRENCH DIRECTOR
Director: Benjamin Millepied
Country: Australia
Language: English
Benjamin Millepied, celebrated choreographer (Black Swan) and one of the world’s most acclaimed dancers (former principal soloist, New York City Ballet) makes his directorial debut with this dazzling modern-day retelling of one of history’s most famous love stories and operas, featuring a new music score by Nicholas Britell (Moonlight) and filmed in Australia. Melissa Barrera (In The Heights), Paul Mescal (The Lost Daughter, Aftersun) and Rossy de Palma (Parallel Mothers) head a stellar cast in this explosion of dance and passion.
Co-presented by Adelaide Festival, the Australian Premiere screening of Carmen at Her Majesty’s Theatre will feature a live dance performance by Adelaide-raised flamenco legend and Carmen co-star Marina Tamayo before the screening. Marina will perform Seguiriyas, which she dances in the powerful opening scenes of the film.
Following the screening, there will be a live Q&A via international video link with star Rossy de Palma and director Benjamin Millepied. Producer Rosemary Blight will also be in attendance with other special guests.
KEY INFO FOR ADELAIDE FILM FESTIVAL 2022 (AFF 2022)
WHAT: Adelaide Film Festival 2022 (AFF 2022)
WHERE: various cinemas and venues in Adelaide
HOW: Purchase your tickets via the official Adelaide Film Festival 2022 website
HOW MUCH:
There are various ticket options available from single tickets, to passes for 3, 7 or 10 films or the Gold Pass and Platinum Pass for those who want to attend every single screening!
Prices exclusive of booking fees are as follows:
- Individual film sessions $20 or $17 for Concession/Industry
- Opening Night – Film and Party $109/ $99 for AFF members
- Gala screenings $49/$45 for Concession/Industry
- Multipass 3 (standard screenings): $50/$43
- Multipass 7 (standard screenings): $99/$85 Concession/Industry
- Multipass 10 (standard screenings): $120/$99 Concession/Industry
- Gold Pass (1 ticket to all standard screenings): $299/$255 for Concession/Industry
- Platinum Pass (1 ticket to all standard screenings in addition to opening night, closing night and galas. Party invitations. Special Events. Concierge service and AFF Lanyard $599/$525 Concession/Industry
Which films will you be seeing at AFF 2022?
