Andrec Blouin (left) from the Canadian High Commission raps with Haitian Charge d'Affaires Max Alce (centre) and president of the Alliance Française, Gilou Bauer. They were at the reception to mark the opening of the 2009 Francophone Film Festival, held at the French Embassy, Hillcrest Avenue, St Andrew, last Wednesday. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

The Liguanea Club in New Kingston will be the venue for the 2009 Francophone Film Festival. The announcement came at the launch of the festival last Wednesday at the French Embassy in St Andrew. The event was marked with cocktail, brief speeches and the French film, By the Pricking of my Thumbs (Mon Pedit Doigt M à Dit).

The film is an adaptation of a novel written by Agatha Christie in 2005. Directed by Pascal Thomas, the film remains true to Christie's signature characters - an eccentric couple, Belisare and Prudence Berseford; an antagonist, Rose Evangelista; and a devoted husband. The movie is also loaded with mystery and suspense and, for those lovers of things morbid, there is enough of that too. The large font makes it easy for the non-French speaker to follow.

The pool of talented actors was led by Catherine Frot as Prudence and Andre Dussollier as Belisaire. Both were compelling and humorous in their acting. By the Pricking of my Thumbs is also a showcase of France's rolling hills and green landscape. The depth and strength of the story was not lost on the large gathering as "very good" could be heard as the end credits began to roll.

The 2009 Francophone Film Festival started yesterday will be held over a three-week period. Subsequently, the films will be shown on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Seven films will be on show - two from Canada; two from Haiti; one from Belgium; one from Senegal; and By the Pricking of my Thumbs. All the movies have received some international acclaim. One such film is the Senegal entry The Price of Forgiveness, which has won seven international prizes.

guests

Among the specially invited guests was Sydney Bartlett, director of culture in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. He expressed good wishes for the event and noted that there is a possibility of Jamaica collaborating with French-speaking countries in film-making.

In closing, Bartlett stated, "We should not forget how something is born - through cultural policy."

Senegalese Ambassador, Diagne Naffissatou, thanked the Ministry of Education for the new French curriculum in schools.

Laure Courrier, the new director of Alliance Française, explained that the change in venue to the Liguanea Club makes the festival more accessible to the public.

There is no charge to attend the festival.