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French Film Festival comes to Sottile

Well before he began writing and directing his own films, Claude Miller was closely associated with the luminaries of the French New Wave. It was a fine training ground.

He acted in such pictures as Jean-Luc Godard's "Two or Three Things I Know About Her" (1967), worked as the assistant director on Godard's "Weekend" (1967) and, during the late '60s and early '70s, served as production manager on three Francois Truffaut gems: "Stolen Kisses" (1968), "Day for Night" (1973) and "The Story of Adele H" (1975).

By the mid-'70s, Miller was directing features based on his own scripts, as well as continuing to write screenplays for other filmmakers. Then, as now, his principal focus is on dialogue and the performances of individual actors. His better-known works include "The Inquisitor" (1981), "The Accompanist" (1992) and "The School Trip" (1998), which shared that year's Jury Prize at Cannes.

Miller's recent movie, 2007's "Un Secret" ("The Secret"), also is among his most well-received, and a fitting opener for the annual French Film Festival at the College of Charleston.

Running Aug. 28-31 at the Sottile Theater, the festival pops the cork with opening-night reception at 6:30 p.m. in the Sottile mezzanine, followed at 7:30 p.m. by a screening of "The Secret."

Also represented at this year's festival are the work of directors Claude Berri, Laurent Tirard, Mahamat-Saleh Haroun of the former French colony of Chad and Eric Guirado.

All events are free to those with a College of Charleston ID. The general public is encouraged to make a $5 donation, per film.

"I am particularly excited about our selections this year," says festival Director Anna K. Ballinger, a professor in the Language Department. "The opening feature, 'Un Secret,' is based on a highly acclaimed autobiographical novel by Philippe Grimbert about a Jewish family caught in the turmoil of World War II. With 'Moliere,' students will be introduced to this writer through a very enjoyable and beautifully filmed period movie, appropriately named 'Moliere.'

"Anna Gavalda's best-selling novel, 'Ensemble, c'est tout,' has been adapted for the big screen by Claude Berri, and I was so taken by the striking beauty of the cinematography for 'Abouna' when I saw it that I could not but include it in this year's festival. Finally, as is the case for the last nine years or so, the festival is always an occasion to discover new talents, which explains the choice for the closing movie of 'Le fils de l'epicier,' a box-office smash when it opened in France last year."

For more information, call 953-6721 or consult the festival Web site at http://lcwa.cofc.edu/filmfestival.

The Playbill:

Thursday, Aug. 28, 7:30 p.m.

"Un Secret" ("A Secret"): Directed by Claude Miller. 2007, 103 mins. A familiar story of a Jewish family torn apart during the occupation of France in World War II is given fresh perk by a complex flashback structure that spans half a century and maintains suspense over key developments.

Friday, Aug. 29, 7:30 p.m.

"Moliere": Directed by Laurent Tirard. 2007, 120 mins. A fictionalized take on the life of France's famous playwright, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin dit Moliere — with nods to "Shakespeare in Love" and "Tom Jones" — this opulent film stars Romain Durisin the title role and involves a single incident in Moliere's life, which he later uses in a farcical play to entertain the king. The screening will be introduced by filmmaker Dr. Frank Cossa of the college's Art History Department.

Saturday, Aug. 30, 5: p.m.

"Abouna": Directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun. Chad, 2002, 85 mins. A gentle but clear-eyed story from the Chadian writer-director said to be rich in understated humanity. It is a movie about love and loss, softened by tenderness toward children and childhood.

Saturday, Aug. 30, 7:30 p.m.

"Ensemble, c'est tout" ("Hunting and Gathering"): Directed by Claude Berri. 2007, 97 mins. Berri ("Jean de Florette") turns whimsical in this hit romantic comedy about the couplings that transpire in the lives of several lonely Parisian singles. Audrey Tautou "Amelie," "A Very Long Engagement") stars.

Sunday, Aug. 31, 7:30 p.m.

"Le fils de l'epicier" ("The Grocer's Son"): Directed by Eric Guirado. 2007, 97 mins. A grocer's son returns to the village of his birth to assume control of the family shop after his father has a heart attack. This small jewel of a comedy-drama from Guirado ("When You Come Down to Earth") stars Nicolas Cazale and Daniel Duval.