Spring is hopping at Armstrong Atlantic State University, which begins its busiest month of the year with this weekend's Francophone Film Festival.
I'll admit I had to look up the word Francophone - it essentially means "in the French language," and that seems as good a description as any for the five movies screen April 7-9 in the Student Union's Ogeechee Theater.
Screenings are free and open to the public. All the films feature subtitles in English, for those of us who aren't fluent in Francophone.
Here's the schedule:
Welcome (2008). Director Philippe Lioret's drama is about a 17-year-old Iraqi Kurd who is stuck in Calais, Northern France, and Simon, a recently-divorced swimming teacher. It's a fictionalized look at the rampant xenophobia in Europe. At 7 p.m. Thursday, April 7.
Two Days in Paris (2007). Actress Julie Delpy (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset) co-wrote, produced, directed and starred in this romantic drama-slash-comedy about a French-American couple hoping to re-kindle the passion in their relationship. She also edited the film and composed the score. At 6 p.m. Friday, April 8.
Ne Le Dis A Personne (Tell No One) (2006). A doctor finds himself embroiled in a dangerous mystery as police re-open the case of his beloved wife, who was murderedf eight years previously. Or was she? Directed by Guillaume Canet. At 8:30 p.m. Friday, April 8.
Panique Au Village (A Town Called Panic) (2009). Hyper-kinetic stop-motion animation film based on a Belgian/Luxembourg/French animated cult TV series of the same name. A Town Called Panic features the main characters Cowboy, Indian and Horse - they're plastic toys, with a supporting cast of 1,500 more. At 6 p.m. Saturday, April 9.
Cliente (A French Gigolo) (2007). Writer, director and actress Josiane Balasko (French Twist) combines feminism and farce in this acclaimed romantic comedy that centers on the sexuality of a middle-aged woman, and "is nonetheless seriously committed to exposing sexual double standards." At 8:30 p.m., Saturday, April 9
• Poet Sandra Meek, whose 2002 volume Nomadic Foundations won the Poetry Prize From Peace Corps Writers, reads April 21 in the Jepson Auditorium (co-sopnsored by AASU and the Poetry Society of Georgia). Her Biogeography took the Dorset Prize, the highest ($10,000) poetry prize in the country.
The free reading is at 7:30 p.m.
Gleeful in Georgia
Singer and actor Matthew Morrison of the TV show Glee is embarking on a cross-country tour this summer, and a couple of dates have been booked in venues reasonably close to us.
You can catch the erstwhile Will Schuester (that’s his character name on the hit Fox series) July 8 in the Gwinnett Center (Duluth, Ga.) and on July 14 at the Moran Center in Jacksonville, Fla.
Regional glee clubs across America are invited to audition for the opening-act slot. Check out matthewmorrison.com and click on “Glee Club Contest.”
