French Film Festival Underway in Cuba

The 11th French Film Festival is underway in Cuba with the world premiere of "Paris 1936", by Christophe Barratier, and a retrospective by Jacques Demy, the director of legendary movies, such as "Les parapluies de Cherbourg". The world known movie launched French actress Catherine Deneuve and features music by renowned French composer and pianist Michele Legrand.

The cultural gathering, which is running until June 29 in Havana’s Charles Chaplin and other movie theaters in the capital and in the country’s 14 provinces, is one of the most important such events on the island after the New Latin American Film Festival.

Fourteen of the best recent French films are being screened in the cultural gathering, including "Ne le dis a personne", by producer and scriptwriter Guillaume Canet, who won four Cesar Prizes and two Lumiere 2007 and others awards.

The world premier of the French-Czech-German movie "Paris 1936", written and directed by Christophe Barratier, is one of the festival’s most important moments. "Paris 1936", which tells the story of three showbiz workers, will be exhibited in France in September.

The festival is honoring distinguished director Jacques Demy with a retrospective, including "Les Mademoiselles de Rochefort", "Lola", "Baie des Anges" and "Peau d´Ane".

The eleventh French Film Festival is sponsored by the Cuban Film Institute, the French Embassy to Havana and the French Alliance.