Sometimes this jaded reviewer can come away uninspired from a film festival preview, however from what I’ve seen of the 2021 Alliance Francaise Film Festival, this year is going to be brilliant. In fact I found it hard to narrow down the list. I found myself drawn the dark comedies, just what the world needs at the moment, good old politically incorrect belly laughs.

Here are my tips for this year, including two reviews:

The Godmother 7.5/10

This hilarious, treat of a film is one part Breaking Bad, one part police drama and a dash of Golden Girls.

Patience Portefeux (Isabelle Huppert) is a middle-aged seasoned police interpreter with a strong track record. Her superpower is eavesdropping on drug dealer phone calls and translating the conversations for the police. One day after overhearing a particular conversation she starts rethinking the arrangement. Why not jump to the other side and become a wholesale narcotics trafficker, after all she knows all the main players? It’s not long before this unlikely woman becomes a local drug lord. Along the way we meet an equally intriguing businesswoman hidden in plain sight.

I must confess to briefly, very briefly, having similar thoughts. In the late 1980’s early 90’s I undertook indepth research into the Perth drug scene, which enabled me to get acquainted with some fairly interesting characters. My consultancy fee on that project was a pittance compared to what I could have earned if I turned away from my client and towards a new life. At the media launch of the new government anti-drug health campaign, the front table was covered with huge plastic bags of white powder. One look at the camera man standing next to me and I knew he was thinking the same thing.

Bye Bye Morons. 8/10

Two things tell you this is a film worth seeing. Firstly the film conquered the French box office during the 2020 lockdown. Secondly Terry Gilliam, of Month Python fame is a part of the line up. While he has a small part in the movie, it is the look and dark humour that reminds you of other movies he’s had a hand in. You know the kind of thing, where you have no idea what time zone you’re in, and the social satire is delicately brilliant. This time the film is commenting on our highly digitized world. If you haven’t “been digitized” you’re not part of society.

The adventure twists between a terminally ill mother Suze Trappet (Virginie Efira) who is seeking the son she gave up at birth, 28 years prior when she was 15. Add in an IT security genius Jean- Baptise (Albert Dupontel) who gets told he has to hand over his brilliant idea to the younger IT employees. Throw in Mr Blin (Nicolas Marie), a politically incorrect Peter Sellers-esk blindman, who works in bowels of a massive government building, looking after Public Records. Finally include two young lovers and some hapless detectives and there you have it. While the comedic pieces as wonderfully silly at times and the pace keeps you captured it is the films ability to capture your heart, that will have you raving about it to others.

While I haven’t seen the following films they sound intriguing:

Black Box

When a brand-new aircraft on a flight from Dubai to Paris crashes, Mathieu (Pierre Niney), one of the best black box analysts available, is assigned the task of finding out what happened. Before he gets the chance to properly investigate, the case is dismissed. Something is not right and Mathieu wants to discover the truth. Defying his superiors and increasingly putting himself at risk, Mathieu becomes relentless in his pursuit to find out what happened to the ill-fated flight. But what price will he have to pay?

She (Miss)

Ever since childhood Alex (Alexandre Wetter) had wanted to enter the annual Miss France beauty pageant, despite being a boy. However, adolescence was not kind and Alex suffered huge blows to his self-esteem. When an unexpected encounter allows Alex to once more pursue his dreams, he does everything he can to transcend the traditional binary gender definitions that threaten to hold him back. Miss will win hearts as it proves that boys can compete in beauty pageants. The new film by Ruben Alves (The Gilded Cage) is a feel-good story about overcoming hardship and prejudice, with a fun and light-hearted commentary on how attitudes towards gender are shaped.

Night Shift

Set over 24-hours, Night Shift follows three officers who start to doubt their actions. The film questions the role of the police and scrutinises the legal and moral culpability of individual officers just following order. Aristide (Omar Sy), Virginie (Virginie Efira) and Erik (Grégory Gadebois) are three world-weary cops who have to put aside their personal lives to do their jobs. But this night their professional detachment is put to the test when they are ordered to escort a man to a plane, for deportation to a country that will kill him. A boldly relevant film. A tense and gritty drama that’s bound to be one of the Festival’s most talked about events.

The Man Who Sold His Skin

I remember seeing The Square and being mesmerising while trying to work out what was going on. It was a film which was best watched with a “go along for the ride” attitude. It seems the same may also be the case for The Man Who Sold His Skin. The film asks what would it take to convince somebody to become a living canvas for a tattoo artwork? For Syrian refugee Sam Ali (Yahya Mahayni) it is the promise of being reunited with the woman he loves. Exiled and heartbroken, Sam agrees to have a copy of the European Schengen visa tattooed on his back. He believes this will be his ticket to freedom and fortune, once he fulfils his contractual obligations of appearing in art galleries. After a series of misadventures that start to strip away his sense of identity, he begins to grasp the extent of the irreversible decision he has made. Inspired by a real life story.

Hope you get to see a couple of the films on offer this year, particularly the first two. Have fun at the festival.

Starting in Perth March 10 until April 7. For more information go to Luna Cinema. And watch out for special events like:

10 March: Eiffel opening night soiree at Luna Leederville
10 March: Eiffel opening night reception at Luna on SX
21 March: Delicious A Taste of France at the Windsor
26 March: Perfumes Ladies Night at Luna Leederville
7 April: #Iamhere closing night at Luna Leederville