UofL French Film Festival

UofL French Film Festival 2025

March 20 – April 13

Thursday, March 20 – 5 pm / FLOYD THEATER

Introduction and discussion with Matthieu Dalle, Department of Classical and Modern Languages, University of Louisville

A REAL JOB (Un Métier sérieux)

Thomas Litli / 1966 / 102 min

Set in a French middle school, A Real Job (Un Métier sérieux), follows a Ph.D. student in need of money, who becomes a substitute math teacher. Without training or experience, and facing a declining public educational system, he discovers how tough—and rewarding—this job can be. This documentary-style chronicle of an entire academic year will appeal to a broad audience, including American students and teachers who will be able to reflect on the similarities and differences between their own experiences and those of their counterparts in France.

Thursday, March 27 – 5 pm / FLOYD THEATER

Introduction and discussion with Megan Stewart and Jayden Coleman, UofL French Film Festival interns

WILD DIAMOND (Diamant Brut)

Agathe Riedinger / 2024 / 103 min

Wild Diamond (Diamant brut) follows a daring and fiery 19-year-old woman named Liane, who lives with her mother and little sister under the dusty sun of Fréjus in the South of France. Consumed by aspirations of stardom and obsessed with social media, she auditions for a reality TV show called “Miracle Island”. The film is a powerful and visually haunting reflection on what director Agathe Riedinger calls “the dominion of indecency, shameless luxury, and celebrity for all.”

Thursday, April 3 – 5 pm / FLOYD THEATER

Introduction and discussion with UofL French Club members

THE ANIMAL KINGDOM (Le Règne animal)

Thomas Cailley / 2024 / 130 min

In The Animal Kingdom (Le Règne animal), mutations in human genetics cause some people to morph into animals. François is trying his best to care for his wife, who is affected by this mysterious condition. When she disappears in a forest after a bus accident during a medical transfer, François and his 16-year-old son Émile embark on a quest to find and save her. Part science fiction, part thriller, The Animal Kingdom interrogates the spectator about the way contemporary societies react when confronted with the threat of the unknown.

Thursday, April 10 – 5 pm / FLOYD THEATER

Introduction and discussion with Wendy Yoder, Department of Classical and Modern Languages, University of Louisville and Mawuena Kossi Logan, Department of Pan-African Studies, University of Louisville

NO CHAINS NO MASTERS (Ni Chaines Ni Maîtres)

Simon Moutaïrou / 2023 / 98 min

No Chains No Masters (Ni chaînes ni maîtres) is an action-filled movie set in 1759 on the island of Mauritius, then under French rule. When Mati, a young woman, escapes from the plantation where she is a slave, her father Massamba starts a perilous journey through the island’s dense jungle to find her. In response, bounty hunters are hired to bring them both back. To truly break free from the colonial system that has defined their lives, Mati and Massamba must reconnect with their cultural roots. No Chains No Masters is remarkable for the evocation of the myths and practices slaves used to cope with their condition.

Sunday, April 13 – 12:30 pm / SPEED CINEMA

Introduction and discussion with TBA

LANCELOT OF THE LAKE (Lancelot du lac)

The Film Desk / 1974 / 85 min

Directed by Robert Bresson, one of the most respected filmmakers of all time, Lancelot of the Lake (Lancelot du lac) is his adaptation of a classic Arthurian romance. Lancelot balances his duty to the King and his love for the Queen, a dilemma that draws him ire among the royal court. This minimalistic representation of a well-known story explores the complexities exhibited in the Arthurian legend.

Contact: Matthieu Dalle ● m.dalle@louisville.edu ● (502) 852-6115

https://louisville.edu/languages/french/french-film-festival-1

The 2025 University of Louisville French Film Festival is made possible by

the Department of Classical and Modern Languages, the Modern Language Fund, the French Club,

and Ms. Nancy Brown.