The French Film Festival – an annual event at Calvin – offers an opportunity for students and others in the community to appreciate the arts through the lens of a different culture.
This year’s festival, which took place in September and early October, centered around the theme “Affaires de Famille,” or “Family Matters.” Featured films included The Anatomy of a Fall, an Oscar-nominated drama that explores the moral dilemmas faced by a blind son who becomes the sole witness in the murder case of his mother’s husband. Une belle course (or Driving Madeleine) follows a simple taxi driver and his elderly passenger, Madeleine, as their journey unfolds into a series of heartfelt conversations where they share their life secrets. Le Règne animal (The Animal Kingdom) presents a sci-fi survival story about François, who, along with his son, fights to save his wife amid a world transformed by a wave of mutations turning humans into animals. Lastly, Rien à perdre (All to Play For) tells the poignant tale of a mother striving to reclaim her son after he suffers an injury that leads him to a foster home.
These films are chosen to represent the best French cinema produced over the last five years, offering rich narratives and insights into the theme of family. The variety of genres in this line-up showcases how a theme can be expanded into different kinds of interpretations, allowing filmmakers to create narratives that consider how family relationships adapt in diverse situations. Each genre—whether it be drama, sci-fi, or heartfelt comedy—offers unique storytellings that shape the narrative and emotional impact of the film.
Matt Vander Wall, a second-year honors student, has been attending this year’s French Film Festival for a credit in one of his Honors classes. However, for Vander Wall, this film festival is not just academically important, it’s also a way for him to learn how other filmmakers and their cultures perform arts, in this sense, through filmmaking.
While watching these movies, Vander Wall noticed differences from the movies he grew up watching. “The most noticeable difference is, in American films, the plot always has to be wrapped up nicely. French films often leave a more ambiguous ending, which can be left up to interpretation,” said Vander Wall.
Vander Wall believes that this film festival isn’t just an academic opportunity; it’s an opportunity for students to appreciate how other cultures approach arts, including film.
The festival is co-sponsored by the Alliance Française de Grand Rapids, the local chapter of a larger organization that offers French classes and organizes other cultural events to enrich the community and promote understanding of French culture.
During the four screenings, Bytwerk Theater in the DeVos Communication Center was filled with an audience ranging from students to older community members, many of whom were members of the Alliance Française.
“It’s a way to immerse yourself in a different culture,” Vander Wall explained. “I think that’s perhaps the most interesting part of it. Seeing how art from people with a very different background looks and how it’s different than our film.”
Although the 2024 French Film Festival wrapped up its final screening Oct. 3, the Alliance Française offers continued opportunities to learn about French culture in Grand Rapids through group studies and arts events.
