Surround yourself in the beauty of the French language as University of Houston-Clear Lake hosts the Tournées Festival. Enjoy five contemporary French-language films in the university's Student Services and Classroom Building first floor Lecture Hall, 2700 Bay Area Blvd. The films span diverse eras, genres and subjects to appeal to a variety of audiences. They will be presented in French with English subtitles.
The Tournées Festival is an international event sponsored by the French American Cultural Exchange, which has collaborated with American universities since 1995 to allow audiences to discover the diversity of French-language films.
Oct. 18 - Les adieux á la reine (Farewell, My Queen)
Veteran filmmaker Benoît Jacquot captures the grandeur of the Palace of Versailles in this 2012 film, adapted from the novel by Chantal Thomas. At the onset of the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette (Diane Kruger) hears about the storming of the Bastille and realizes she is no longer safe.
Oct. 19 - La fée (The Fairy)
A joint Belgian-Canadian-French venture filmed in 2011, this slapstick-style film combines physical comedy and sight gags, reminiscent of earlier movie eras. Fiona Gordon, playing the title character, visits Dom (Dominique Abel), a hotel night clerk, claiming to be a fairy with three wishes to offer.
Oct. 26 - Le bonheur d'Elza (Elza)
First-time director Mariette Monpierre's 2011 film tells the semi-autobiographical story of Elza, a young Parisian woman who returns to the Caribbean to uncover her estranged father in shameful circumstances.
Nov. 2 - L'enfant d'en Haut (Sister)
Twelve-year-old Simon (Kacey Mottet Klein) lives on the outskirts of a Swiss ski resort, supporting his sister Louise (Léa Seydoux) with his petty thievery in this film by Swiss writer, director and cinematographer Ursula Meier.
Nov. 9 - Couleur de peau: Miel (Approved for Adoption)
Jung, a graphic novel artist, tells the story of his own abandonment at age 5, when he was left in Korea and adopted by a Belgian couple. Approved for Adoption, filmed in 2012, recounts the story of 43-year-old Jung returning to Seoul to discover his origins. The film is offered through a hybrid of animation and live action.